Early to Bed commends Governor Pat Quinn for rejecting title V abstinence-only dollars and applying for PREP funds for the 2010 fiscal year.
Illinois has traditionally accepted title V funding, which mandates that schools receiving these funds must teach abstinence-only information without incorporating any other viewpoints or information. Title V specifies that “a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the expected standard of all human sexual activity†and “sexual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects.â€
Abstinence only programs have left us with a lot of work to do. There are an estimated 222,000 sexually active teenagers in Illinois. Of those, 35% did not use a condom at last intercourse. More people (over 16,000) are living with AIDS in Illinois than in 44 other states, and youth comprise eight percent of those. Illinois is the only state in which high school students must disclose a positive HIV status to their school principle, who can then share the information with other school personnel as he or she sees fit. Additionally, Illinois you have a much higher STI rate than their peers in other states. For example, youth ages 15-24 experienced 72 percent of the total number of Chlamydia cases in Illinois in 2007.
On a happier note, Illinois has for the first time not only rejected Title V dollars, but has applied for the new Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) State Grant. The PREP Grant will provide Illinois’ youth with “complete, medically accurate, and age-appropriate sex education in order to help them reduce their risk of unintended pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Programs would also address life skills so that young people can make responsible decisions and lead safe and healthy lives.” Of course, giving young people complete and accurate information on sexuality includes helping them understand that abstinence is the best way to prevent pregnancy and STDs. Comprehensive sexuality education also addresses a third option- or the notion that young people can have intimate, fun, and orgasmic sex lives while abstaining from intercourse.
This is a huge step towards giving our young people the healthy and happy sexual lives we all deserve. Want to personally thank Governor Quinn? Here is a nice little form for you. Interested in getting involved with the fight for comprehensive sexuality education? Check out my friends at ICAH. Just want to share some age-appropriate, fact-based love with a young person in your life? Try the Good Vibrations Guide to Sex.
