More States Shun Program For Abstinence
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WASHINGTON — The director of a federal abstinence-only education program is a man who sees the glass as half-full.
Though the states participating in the $50 million program have dropped steadily over the past two years, Stanley Koutstaal points to the 28 still in. “Obviously, many states still find it valuable and have adopted it as their approach to addressing the sexual activity of teens,” he said.
Others disagree.
Many have doubts that the program works. Some are frustrated by uncertainty that Congress will continue to fund the program.
Governor Chet Culver of Iowa, a Democrat, made his decision to leave based on the congressionally mandated curriculum, which teaches “the social, psychological, and health gains of abstaining from sexual activity.” Instructors must teach that sexual activity outside of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects.
“It was just too strict,” a policy adviser to Mr. Culver, Emily Hajek, said. “We believe local providers have the knowledge to teach what’s going to be best in those situations.”
