State Turns Down Abstinence-Only Money

I was surprised to read this in this morning's Star Tribune given the politics of the Governor:

Publicly funded abstinence-only sex education in Minnesota has nearly disappeared.

Last month, for the first time in a decade, Minnesota officials quietly said no thank you to $500,000 in federal abstinence-only money. That leaves a budget of only $331,000 for a statewide program that as recently as 2004 received $2 million.

The decision not to apply for the federal funding came at a time when the value of abstinence-only sex education is being fiercely debated in Minnesota and nationally.

At issue is the question of whether adolescents and teenagers should be taught the view embraced by social conservatives -- that abstinence is the only sure way to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. According to that view, comprehensive sex education that also teaches kids about birth control or safer sex practices encourages them to have sex. Rules tied to the federal funding forbid any mention of the effectiveness of contraception or of sexual practices that reduce the risk of disease.

But apparently even our socially conservative Governor had a problem with these rules:

Among other things, it required all such programs to also teach that sex outside of marriage was psychologically and physically harmful.

And the messages had to be directed toward everyone ages 12 to 29, officials said.

Another fine example of "faith-based" science.