Project Reality Responds to Attack on Abstinence Education
by Communications
[5.3.2007]
Biased Condoms First Organizations Attack Effective Abstinence Programs
ProjectReality.org
Project Reality will continue to stand up for the youth of Illinois despite the recurring efforts of anti-abstinence organizations. The Illinois Campaign for Responsible Sex Education, an initiative started by the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health Education (ICAH) and Planned Parenthood (PP), well-known opponents of abstinence education, is trying yet again to misrepresent and de-fund successful abstinence education programs.
A report was released today by the Illinois Campaign on 17 of the most widely used sex education programs throughout the state of Illinois. Project Reality’s Game Plan and Navigator were included in the report. While the Campaign argues for de-funding of Project Reality’s programs, which serve more than 120,000 students per year in Illinois, their report contradicts itself by ranking Game Plan and Navigator in the highest category for four out of seven criteria for successful sex education programs.
On the other hand, the report claims that 15 of the 17 curricula reviewed include a thorough discussion of abstinence. However, an in-depth look at comprehensive sex education programs found that a mere 4.7 percent of content of most of their “recommended” curricula actually focused on abstinence at all. Here is a brief glimpse at the content of the most highly ranked comprehensive curriculum, Our Whole Lives:
# Teaches kindergartners and first graders about masturbation (refer to page 54).
# For grades 10-12, the curricula includes blindfolded “condom race” exercises and “dental dam” demonstrations for oral sex (refer to pages 87-88).
# Page 91 features a “Sexy Safe Fantasy Activity” which includes instruction for teens to role play their fantasy with candy for prizes.
# Page 180 suggests reading exotic books, watching erotic movies, showering together, masturbating alone or in front of a partner and giving and receiving oral sex.
The curricula discussed in the report were reviewed by a panel of 21 people throughout the state of Illinois. The panel, which they refer to as “Blue Ribbon,” included no abstinence education experts or practitioners.
“Project Reality will not succumb to the baseless attacks of these groups that are clearly interested in funding for their own programs,” stated Libby Macke, director of Project Reality. “There is no reason to de-fund programs that are voluntarily used by schools and agencies that offer youth an alternative to the sex-saturated culture we live in. Parents and teens agree that abstinence is the healthiest choice. Agenda-driven groups may get media coverage, but when the health of our teens is at stake, this baseless attack cannot stand unanswered.”
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