For Immediate Release                                                   Contact:  Stephanie Kunkel
October 22, 2009                                     850-425-5097

New Reviews Expose the Shortcomings of Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Curricula Used in Florida; Need for Comprehensive Sex Education Funding

Tallahassee, Florida – The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) held its 7th annual “Back to School” Briefing on the Hill this week.  The briefing reviewed abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula currently used in federally funded programs in Florida, and explored how, this year, the federal government is transitioning to eliminate funding for existing abstinence-only-until-marriage programs and, in their stead, fund more evidence-based and comprehensive approaches to sex education. In Fiscal year 2008, the Department of Health and community-based organizations in Florida received $13,101,054 in federal funds for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.  As these funds disappear and are shifted to a more comprehensive approach, all providers of sexuality education throughout the state must be prepared for a different climate and set of challenges.

“For too long, Florida has hosted and used these failed, abstinence-only-until-marriage programs,” said Stephanie Kunkel, Healthy Teens Campaign member and Legislative and Field Director of the Florida Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates.  “When we see the reviews of some of the harmful curricula that are being used in Florida, coupled with the knowledge that Congress is on the verge of funding real, comprehensive sexuality education, we know that now is a real moment of change and action.”

Different schools across Florida use one of the curricula series reviewed by SIECUS at today’s briefing: Choosing the Best.  Full reviews and summaries of the programs and different curricula in the Choosing the Best series can be found at www.siecus.org/reviews [1].

Choosing the Best relies on messages of fear and shame, misleading information, and biased views of marriage and sexual orientation. In addition, the format and underlying biases of the curriculum do not allow for cultural, community, and individual values. Instead, they discourage critical thinking and discussions of alternative points of view in the classroom.

This study comes on the heels of a 2009 report outlining the status of sexual health and sex education in Florida, by the Healthy Teens Campaign and SIECUS.  The report, Sex Education in the Sunshine State: How Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs Are Keeping Florida’s Youth in the Dark, found that young people in Florida are currently experiencing some of the worst sexual health outcomes in the country and yet, are also subjected to ineffective abstinence-only-until-marriage programs more than youth in any other state with the exception of Texas.

“As a state, we cannot continue to deny Florida teens the education and information that is necessary for them to make healthy and safe life decisions as they grow older,” added Kunkel.  “Our Legislature has the opportunity to ensure that all teens have the tools to protect themselves and make responsible decisions.  It’s time to pass the Healthy Teens Act and provide our teens with age-appropriate sex education.”

The Healthy Teens Act (by Sen. Ted Deutch (D-30) and Rep. Fitzgerald (D-69)) requires Florida public schools that already teach information about sexually transmitted infections, family planning, and pregnancy to provide medically-accurate and comprehensive sex education – including facts about abstinence and methods of preventing unintended pregnancy and the spread of diseases.  In 2007 Florida ranked 5th highest in new reported cases of HIV and 3rd highest in new reported cases of AIDS.   Young people are increasingly impacted by the high rate of HIV infection. In 2007, persons under the age of 25 accounted for 15 percent of new HIV infections in the state.   Adolescent pregnancy and childbearing are also major health concerns in Florida with the state’s teen pregnancy rate 6th highest in the nation.

For more information please contact Stephanie.Kunkel@fappa.org [2].

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Healthy Teens Campaign is a broad-based group of over 115 public health, faith-based, education, and medical organizations working together to advocate for comprehensive sex education in Florida public schools to improve the health and safety of Florida teens.  www.HealthyTeensFlorida.org [3]