CONSERVATIVE PARTY of NEW YORK STATE

2007 Legislative Memo…

In Opposition to…Sex Education Grant Program

S. 1342 – Winner A. 2856 Gottfried (On Health Committee Agenda)

Purpose: Establishes an age-appropriate sex education grant program, to be referred to as the health teens act.

Party Position: As recently as 1998, the Governor’s Task Force on Out of Wedlock Pregnancies and Poverty stated the following: “Programs and services to prevent out-of-wedlock pregnancy have increased dramatically since the mid-1970’s in concerted attempts to reduce the increasing number of out-of-wedlock pregnancies, particularly adolescent pregnancies. Yet, over the past two decades, these efforts have demonstrated only minimal success, and the problems have generally worsened.”

New York State still has a high rate of teen pregnancy and an alarming high rate of sexually transmitted diseases. All of the millions of dollars that has been poured into sex-education programs, has been unable to prevent teen pregnancy, in fact the number of teens with STD’s has dramatically risen, leading an overwhelming number of parents who want students taught that adolescents should be expected to abstain from sexual activity during high school years.

To create a new funding mechanism to direct taxpayers dollars to certain organizations to ensure “comprehensive” sex education to a undefined “age-appropriate” grade level, is a gross misuse of tax payer’s money. In our opinion, there is already far too much taxpayer money being used for sex education in this state.

We urge you to vote NO on this proposal.