Thursday, April 05, 2007

Mixed Messages from "Pro-Family" Group Harmful

We’ve pointed out before the “spirit of compromise” exhibited by the Mass. Family Institute in its half-baked promotion of abstinence education. MFI promises not to "circumvent existing comprehensive sex education programs” and reminds everyone that the abstinence program would only be voluntary. Hey, it's just fine with MFI that girls are told where to go for birth control pills and abortions, and elementary school kids are taught about different types of "families." They have no problem with mixed messages, sowing confusion in the minds of young people. This is a disgrace. Baby steps don't work when you're up against the Planned Parenthood monster.

From MFI's latest action alert:

The federal government wants to again grant $800,000 to Massachusetts for the purpose of offering school-based abstinence education to middle-school students. This program would be voluntary, not mandatory, for any middle-school. It would be used to complement, not circumvent, existing comprehensive sex education programs.

Right now, there are forces who oppose any message to youth that encourages them to wait until they are older to have sex. They don't want Ways & Means Chairman DeLeo to include the federal abstinence education grant in the State Budget.

Make sure your legislator and Chairman DeLeo know you do want that federal abstinence education money to encourage 10-13 year olds to avoid risky behaviors and delay sex!