Title: Abstinence education grants and welfare reform.

POPLINE Document Number: 276711

Corporate Author(s):

Center For Law and Social Policy [CLASP]

Source citation:

Washington, D.C., CLASP, 1997. [4] p.

Abstract:

Today's crowded room is due to what the new $50 million federal abstinence education program is not about. It is not about consensus abstinence which holds that abstinence is valuable and needs to be taught; this approach holds, as well, that contraceptive information for sexually active individuals is as important - including for those who do not wait until marriage at the average age of 25/27. The $50 million is about a brand of abstinence which likely does not reflect current cultural standards, on the continuum of abstinence it is at the "extreme" - extreme abstinence. It teaches that sexual activity outside of marriage - at any age - is wrong. Presumably it is as wrong for Members of Congress between marriages in their 40's as it is wrong for 17 year old school drop outs. My task is to explore some legal issues that surround implementation. I've not been asked to address the political ironies that abound - conservatives who champion devolution imposing an 8 point prescriptive definition on local education programs; conservatives who urge federal fiscal restraint creating a brand new $50 million entitlement for an unproven social program? (nearly 2 billion over 5 years combined state and fed money will be spent on the issue - with no body of research...). (excerpt)

Keywords:

United States
Critique
Evaluation
Government
School Age Population
Adolescents
Abstinence
Social Security
Social Policy
Sex Education
Legislation
Family Planning Education
Developed Countries
North America
Americas
Political Factors
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Youth
Age Factors
Family Planning, Behavioral Methods
Family Planning
Financing, Government
Financial Activities
Economic Factors
Policy
Education