American Civil Liberties Union

Reproductive Freedom:
The ACLU's Reproductive Freedom Project protects everyone's right to make informed decisions free from government interference about whether and when to become a parent. Learn more about our work in reproductive health and take action to protect rights guaranteed to all Americans.


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Reproductive Freedom : Sex Education : Press Releases

Evidence Once Again Shows Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs Don’t Work (04/23/2008)
Washington, DC – The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will hold a hearing today titled "Domestic Abstinence-Only Programs: Assessing the Evidence." The ACLU applauds Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) for bringing new attention to this deeply troubling policy and the committee’s willingness to examine the public health policy implications of abstinence-only programs. We look forward to the testimony of scientists, clinicians, researchers and youth activists who will report on the failures of abstinence-only education programs.

ACLU of Arizona Applauds Governor’s Rejection of Abstinence-Only Funds (01/18/2008)
PHOENIX - The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona today applauded Governor Janet Napolitano’s decision to reject funding for the state’s abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, which have proven ineffective, inaccurate, and gender-biased.

Report Finds No Evidence to Continue Funding Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs (11/07/2007)
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union today said a new report reviewing the effectiveness of 115 sex education programs provides strong evidence that it is time for the federal government to support comprehensive sex education programs. This report comes at the same time Congress is poised to again increase funding for abstinence-only-until marriage programs.

ACLU Disappointed in Congressional Failure to Protect Teen Health (11/02/2007)
Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today expressed frustration in Congress for its passage of a $28 million increase in the Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) program. This increase is the second largest in the history of the program, despite recent studies revealing that such abstinence-only-until-marriage programs censor vital health care information, promote outdated and untrue gender stereotypes, discriminate against LGBT teens, and in some cases, promote religion in violation of the Constitution.

ACLU of Florida Lauds School Board's Vote to Revise Sex Education Curriculum (08/15/2007)
MELBOURNE, FL- The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today praised the efforts of Brevard County Superintendent Richard A. DiPatri whose recommended sex education curriculum revisions were approved by a 3-2 vote at last night's school board meeting. The Superintendent's revisions were supported by the votes of school board members Barbara Murray, Larry E. Hughes, and Chairman Robert Jordan.

ACLU Letters Prompt Government Monitoring of Oregon-based Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program (07/23/2007)
SALEM, OR - The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Oregon today asked the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) for copies of documents obtained through a state investigation into the possible misuse of taxpayer dollars to promote one faith over others in the abstinence-only-until-marriage program Stop and Think.

ACLU Applauds Cut to Abstinence-Only Program and Urges Senate to Fund Effective Family Planning (06/21/2007)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the Senate Appropriations Committee’s decision to cut funding for the Community Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) program and raise funding for the family planning program Title X. In a markup Tuesday, subcommittee members voted to decrease CBAE by $28 million and increase Title X by $16 million, a move the full committee ratified today.

ACLU of Louisiana Calls on Governor's Program on Abstinence to Fix Medical Inaccuracies in Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Curriculum (05/31/2007)
NEW ORLEANS - The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today sent a letter to the Governor's Program on Abstinence (GPA) identifying medically inaccurate information in its abstinence-only-until-marriage curriculum. The ACLU called on the GPA to correct the inaccuracies and to review the entire curriculum to ensure that it provides students with accurate unbiased information consistent with Louisiana and federal law.

ACLU of Florida Announces Participation in Multi-State Action on Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Curricula (05/10/2007)
MIAMI -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today announced its participation in a multi-state action calling on the federal government to fix medical inaccuracies in federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula. Eleven ACLU affiliates sent letters to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) alerting the agency to problematic curricula in their states and asking HHS to take steps to remedy the situation.

ACLU Announces Multi-State Action Calling on Government to Fix Medical Inaccuracies in Federally Funded Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Curricula (05/09/2007)
NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union today announced a multi-state action calling on the federal government to fix medical inaccuracies in federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula. Eleven ACLU affiliates sent letters to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) alerting the agency to problematic curricula in their states and asking HHS to take steps to remedy the situation.

ACLU Asks Government to Investigate Evidence of Taxpayer Dollars Funding Religion in Oregon Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program (05/03/2007)
SALEM, Ore. – The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Oregon today asked the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) to investigate evidence of misuse of taxpayer dollars to promote one faith over others in an abstinence-only-until-marriage program Stop and Think. The groups threatened to pursue legal action if HHS and DHS fail to take sufficient measures within the month.

ACLU, Advocates for Youth, and SIECUS Say Government Funded Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Materials Violate Federal Law (04/26/2007)
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union, Advocates for Youth, and Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) today sent a letter and supporting materials to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) identifying several federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that include medically inaccurate information in violation of federal law. The groups called on HHS to immediately remedy the violations or face a legal challenge from the ACLU.

Citing New Study Showing that Federally Funded Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs Don’t Work, ACLU Calls on Congress to Stop Funding (04/13/2007)
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union said the long-awaited release of a study showing that abstinence-only-until-marriage programs don't work should end the debate over federal funding for such extreme programs. The study, commissioned by Congress, looked at several federally funded programs and found that teens who participated in these programs were just as likely to have sex as teens who did not participate.

ACLU Applauds Introduction of Responsible Education About Life Act (03/22/2007)
Washington - The American Civil Liberties Union today thanked Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) for re-introducing the Responsible Education About Life (REAL) Act, a bill designed to ensure that young people receive complete, medically accurate information about reproductive health.

ACLU of New Mexico Cries Foul Over Rio Rancho Abstinence-Only Sex Education Policy (02/27/2007)
RIO RANCHO, NM - The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico raised objections on Tuesday to the participation of Rio Rancho School Board member Kathy Jackson in a January 22 vote not to offer alternatives to the district’s abstinence-only sex education curriculum. According to the New Mexico Secretary of State Office website, Jackson currently is a registered lobbyist for Best Choices Educational Services, Inc., the organization that contracts with the district to provide abstinence-only teaching. Jackson’s husband and Rio Rancho Mayor Keith Jackson also lobbies for Best Choices.

ACLU Says Rhode Island Department of Education Failed to Adequately Review Harmful Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Curriculum (12/18/2006)
PROVIDENCE, RI - The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island today said the state Department of Education had failed to adequately review a harmful abstinence-only-until-marriage curriculum developed by Heritage of Rhode Island before letting it back into the schools. In a five-page letter submitted to the department today, the ACLU urged officials to reconsider the decision, saying that the curriculum raises serious medical accuracy and discrimination concerns.

Abstinence-Only Sex Education May Endanger Youth in Leesburg, FL, ACLU Says (11/03/2006)
LEESBURG, FL -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today expressed concern over the announcement that the Christian Care Center, a ministry of First Baptist of Leesburg, will use a $2 million federal grant to teach abstinence-only education to teens.

ACLU Applauds GAO Letter in Support of Medically Accurate Sex Education for Teens (10/19/2006)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded a letter issued by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) stating that federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage programs are bound by federal law to provide medically accurate information about condom effectiveness. The GAO issued the letter yesterday to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which administers abstinence-only-until-marriage grants.

ACLU Hails Rhode Island Department of Education Efforts to Stop the Use of Harmful "Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage" Curriculum in Public Schools (03/22/2006)
PROVIDENCE, RI -- Responding to a complaint filed by the Rhode Island American Civil Liberties Union last September, the state’s Department of Education (DOE) issued an advisory to all school districts last week, instructing them to stop using a federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage curriculum in the public schools. Today the ACLU hailed the development, arguing that the curriculum had raised serious privacy and discrimination concerns and needed to be stopped.

ACLU Hails Amendment to Increase Funding to Prevent Unplanned Pregnancies; Measure Would Promote Healthy Pregnancies and Healthy Children (03/16/2006)
WASHINGTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union today hailed the introduction of a budget amendment in the Senate that would increase funding for public health programs aimed at preventing unintended pregnancies and offer additional support for pregnant women and children.

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