NARAL Pro-Choice Washington Applauds New Mexico’s Rejection of Title V Abstinence-Only Until Marriage Funding
Women’s Rights Groups in Washington Prepare Similar Legislation to Remove Mandate for Title V Funding SEATTLE – NARAL Pro-Choice Washington commends leaders in New Mexico for turning away ineffective and dangerous federal Title V funds. Title V is a federal abstinence-only until marriage education sex education program. New Mexico is the 15th state to reject Title V funding. “We can now add New Mexico to the growing list of states that has sought to protect its young people by rejecting dangerous and inaccurate abstinence-only programs,” said Karen Cooper, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington. “What young people need is honest and accurate information about how to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies and STDs.” In a similar move, NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, in coalition with other women’s rights organizations, is currently in the process of drafting legislation for the 2008 session that would change the language in RCW 74.12.410 to remove the legal requirement that Washington apply for Title V funds. This would not preclude Washington from applying for these funds, but would simply remove the requirement that the state must apply for the funds. “By no longer applying for inaccurate, ineffective and dangerous abstinence-only education funding, we would eliminate the conflict with the 2007 Healthy Youth Act, which requires Washington public schools that choose to teach sex education to include comprehensive and medically-accurate information,” Cooper added. The coalition is hopeful that it can muster the support in both chambers to pass this legislation and take one more pro-active step to protect youth by providing them with comprehensive, medically-accurate information about their sexual health.
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