�Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) plans to apply for federal funding to support abstinence-only sex education programs for organizations and schools in the country, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. According to the Inquirer, the state Health Department is applying for roughly $1.7 million in federal money that will be dispensed by the Rendell giving medication for abstinence-only programs, which restrict teachers from discussing birth-control methods except in terms of failure rates.
Since Rendell took office in 2003, the health department has not distributed abstinence-only funding. Opponents of abstinence-only programs say that these programs present medically inaccurate info and that studies have shown that abstinence-only programs are inefficient. Abstinence cash in hand have too gone to the state Department as a result of funding earmarks obtained by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), according to the Inquirer.
Health department interpreter Holli Senior said that the department decided to apply for the backing because it does not want to prevent groups or schools from focalisation on abstinence-only education. She also acknowledged that the funding conflicts with the department's viewpoint that sexual urge education should be comprehensive and teach students almost contraception in addition to abstinence. No state money -- only the federal grant money -- testament be victimised for the programs, Senior said, adding that the health department is "just trying to be fair across the board" and ensure that all groups have access to the funding they need (Couloumbis, Philadelphia Inquirer, 8/27).
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