Shake-up looms in sex-ed funding

NEW YORK — With the exit of the Bush administration, critics of abstinence-only sex education will be making an aggressive push to cut off federal funding for what they consider an ineffective, sometimes harmful program.

How quickly and completely they reach their goal is uncertain, however, as conservative supporters of abstinence education lobby Congress and President-elect Barack Obama to preserve at least some of the funding, which now totals $176 million a year.

And even if federal funding is halted, some states — such as Georgia — are determined to keep abstinence programs going on their own, ensuring that this front in the culture wars will remain active.

Obama is considered an advocate of comprehensive sex education, which — unlike abstinence-only curriculum — includes advice to young people about using contraceptives if they do engage in sexual activity. However, Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor declined to elaborate on what the new president would propose in his own budget plan.

Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, depicted the federal abstinence-only program as "an utter failure that has wasted more than $1.5 billion" over the past decade. Like other critics, she said that several major studies — including a federally funded review — have found no evidence that the abstinence-only approach works in deterring teen sex.

"Talking with Obama, he totally understands the need for young people to have comprehensive sex education — they need information that protects their health," Richards said. "I hope that will be the position of the administration, but when Congress gets involved, sometimes things get more complicated."

Even after Democrats took control of Congress in the 2006 elections, liberals lacked the votes to end abstinence-only funding, and President George W. Bush stuck by his strong support for it.

But Rep. Louise Slaughter, a New York Democrat, said the 2008 elections not only put Obama in the White House but also increased the ranks of senators and representatives who share her opposition to funding abstinence education.

"We believe the amount of money that goes into it would be so much better used on things to prevent unwanted pregnancies," she said. "I think we'll have enough votes to deal with it."