Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, a Democrat, plans to reject federal funding for abstinence-only sex-education programs, despite research from The Heritage Foundation that shows nine in 10 parents want schools to teach abstinence.
Iowa is the 17th state to reject or simply not apply for Title V funding, which provides more than $40 million a year for abstinence-only education across the country.
According to the Iowa Family Policy Center, Planned Parenthood is expected to be hired by schools to teach so-called comprehensive sex education.
“Abstinence education is called scientifically inaccurate because it does not teach children how to put on condoms and use contraception,” Linda Klepacki, sexual health analyst for Focus on the Family Action. “This continues to be politics at its worst — harming children and young people.
“When a teen uses condoms and contraception that the sex educator tells her will prevent pregnancy and she delivers her baby, who is liable for medical accuracy? And who is liable for the baby’s expenses?”
