Ohio Governor Strickland Axes Abstinence Program

(Hat tip: Rich Leonardi)

Recall this story from the other day wherein Planned Parenthood sought to have the state of Ohio's abstinence education funding "redirected to other health needs". Looks like the world's largest provider of abortions got it's wish:

COLUMBUS - Gov. Ted Strickland's proposed $53 billion budget eliminates an abstinence-only sex-education program.

Removal of $1 million in state aid over two years marks a shift in Ohio support for abstinence-only programs, which advocates call a national model.

The federally subsidized program encourages schoolchildren to abstain from sex until they're married.

Strickland said he thinks abstinence programs don't work well in the long run and does not plan to apply for federal money after current funding ends Sept. 30.

"The governor believes that, considering the very challenging budget environment we find ourselves in, that this is an unwise use of tax dollars because there is no conclusive evidence that suggests the program works," Strickland spokesman Keith Dailey said.

***
The governor could be headed toward a legislative showdown during budget hearings, state Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Green Township, said.

"If you eliminate abstinence-only, what does he propose to replace it with?" Seitz asked.

"I think it would be rough sledding to substitute an abstinence-only program that is working to some degree with a free-condoms-for-everybody program that would be quite controversial."

Carole Adlard, director of Cincinnati-based Healthy Visions, said, "It's very easy to say it doesn't work when (Strickland) doesn't have anything to support it."

Adlard said births to teenage girls in Cincinnati fell by 51 percent from 1993's 391 to 2005, when there were 193.

"When you've got independent people coming back and saying this is the impact it's had ... that's not feelings, it's statistics," Adlard said.

"You can't argue with numbers."

[More]

My Comments:
These "new-and-improved-faith-based" Democrats sure do smell an awful lot like the old-fashioned-hostile-to-religion-and-traditional-values" Democrats.


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Because, You Know, When it Comes to the Pro-Life Issue at the State Level, It Doesn't Really Matter Which Party Gets Elected