BOSTON -- Gov. Mitt Romney unveiled a plan Thursday to spend $1 million in federal money over next two years on abstinence programs in public schools.
NewsCenter 5's Janet Wu reported that the governor said it will preserve self-esteem and build character and the program won't replace existing sex education in schools. Critics said Romney is being disingenuous and that the plan is simply faith-based ideology.
Money to promote abstinence-only has been used in media ads in Massachusetts for years, but now, Romney has contracted with a faith-base organization, Healthy Futures, to teach the curriculum in public schools to students whose parents say it's OK.
"If we want our kids to wait to become sexually active until after they've graduated from high school, we are going to have to tell them that rather than have them try to read our minds," Romney said.
The governor said the money would be offered to all school districts, which could still teach existing sex education classes.
"You know, that's really disingenuous. There are school districts across Massachusetts that can't afford to offer real sex education classes. If the state only funds abstinence-only until marriage programs, that is all a lot of young people are going to get," said Angus McQuilken, of Planned Parenthood.
Student Shaena McDaniels said that there's nothing wrong with waiting until she's married to have sex.
"But there are students in my school who are not abstinent, who don't plan on being abstinent," she said.
"We are a Christian organization, so that motivates the staff and it's part of our work, but it's not a part of our curriculum or what we teach in schools," Healthy Futures Director Rebecca Ray said.
"Young people need real sex education that provides them with all the information they need to stay safe and make healthy choices," McQuilken said.
Romney won't have the last word on the debate. Next week, the Massachusetts House will take up a bill that would prohibit the governor from offering the program.
A similar vote taken last year overwhelming rejected Romney's attempt to launch the curriculum. Currently, no other state uses federal money for a comprehensive, classroom-based abstinence-only program.
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