ARKANSASArkansas received $2,110,782 in federal funds for
Arkansas Sexuality Education Law and Policy School-based health clinics may teach sexuality education and may also prescribe and distribute contraceptives with written parental consent; however, no state funds may be used to purchase condoms or contraceptives. These school-based health clinics must maintain records of the number of condoms and other contraceptive devices distributed and prescribed, as well as the number of pregnancies and STDs in the school. This information must remain confidential. Clinics may not give information about abortions or refer students to where they might find such information. Arkansas does not require parental permission for students to participate in sexuality or HIV/AIDS education nor does it say whether parents or guardians may remove their children from such classes. See Arkansas Code 6-18-703. Recent Legislation Bill Appropriates $1.5 Million for Abstinence Education Events of Note During a school board meeting in late February 2005, a parent of a McNair Middle School student voiced complaints about three books—The Teenage Guy’s Survival Guide, by Jeremy Daldry, and It’s So Amazing and It’s Perfectly Normal, both by Robie Harris—available in the school district’s libraries. The parent suggested that they be removed from the collection. Interestingly, It’s Perfectly Normal was not available in her child’s library as it had been lost; however, the parent stated that she learned of the book from “Point of View,” a Christian radio show, and later found out that it was available elsewhere in the school district. She felt the illustrations were too sexually explicit and that the book encouraged children to experiment with “both heterosexuality and homosexuality.”2 As a result of her complaint, the school district created a seven-member committee to review It’s Perfectly Normal. Each committee member received a copy of the book to review, in effect forcing the school to order six additional copies. The committee decided the book should be allowed to remain in general circulation in junior high libraries (though currently there are no copies available) and will be available in parent libraries in middle schools and elementary schools. In middle schools, a student may check out the book only with the approval of both an educator and a counselor or administrator. Arkansas’s Youth: Statistical Information of Note3
Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Funding In Fiscal Year 1998, the Arkansas Abstinence Education Program was combined with the state’s Unwed Birth Reduction Program, a more comprehensive effort that was created by the state legislature. The Abstinence Education Program targets young people and adults ages 12–29. The Governor’s Steering Committee, made up of youth, state legislators, religious leaders, and community members, works in partnership with the Abstinence Education Program. The Abstinence Education Program staff reviews applications from potential sub-grantees and makes recommendations to Governor’s steering committee. In turn, the steering committee makes its own recommendations for funding. All recommendations are reviewed for approval by the state legislature. For Fiscal Year 2006, the Arkansas Abstinence Education Program distributed Title V funds to 13 sub-grantees including: Abstinence By Choice, Inc.; CALEB Initiative, Inc./Greater Fellowship Ministries; Earle School District; Excel Upward; Fountain Lake High School; Healthy Kids, Inc.; Lee County Family Resource Center; Office of Human Concern; Prim-N-Proper; Reality Check, Inc.; Shining Light Foundation; St. Bernard’s Development Foundation; Stuttgart Public School; and Tree of Life Preventative Health Maintenance, Inc. The sub-grantees use a variety of curricula including Baby Think it Over, Choosing the Best, A.C. Green’s Game Plan, Heritage Keepers, Sex Respect, and Worth the Wait. SIECUS reviewed Choosing the Best LIFE and found that it names numerous physical and psychological consequences of premarital sexual activity, suggests that sexually active teens will never have happy futures, and implies that only teens with low self-esteem and poor judgment become sexually active. For example, Choosing the Best LIFE states that “Relationships often lower the self-respect of both partners—one feeling used, the other feeling like the user. Emotional pain can cause a downward spiral leading to intense feelings of lack of worthlessness.”6 SIECUS reviewed Choosing the Best PATH and found that it provides endless information on the negative consequences of premarital sexual activity and utilizes a variety of tactics to suggest that teens should feel guilty, embarrassed, and ashamed of sexual behavior. For example, Choosing the Best PATH asks students: “How does being sexually active as a teen affect how a person feels about himself or herself?” The suggested answer is: “Can feel sad about losing virginity, loss of self-respect, blames self for getting pregnant or contracting an STD.” It goes on to say, “Sexual activity also can lead to the trashing of a person’s reputation, resulting in the loss of friends.”7 SIECUS reviewed A.C. Green’s Game Plan and found that in order to convince high school students to remain abstinent until marriage, the curriculum relies on messages of fear and shame, inaccurate and misleading information, and biased views of marriage, sexual orientation, and family structure. In addition, Game Plan fails to provide important information on sexual health, including how students can seek testing and treatment if they suspect they have an STD. Finally, the format and underlying biases of the curriculum do not allow for cultural, community, and individual values, and discourage critical thinking and discussions of alternate points of view in the classroom. For example, Game Plan states, “even if you’ve been sexually active, it’s never too late to say no. You can’t go back, but you can go forward. You might feel guilty or untrustworthy, but you can start over again.”8 SIECUS reviewed Sex Respect and found that in order to convince students to remain abstinent until marriage, the curriculum presents opinions and beliefs as universal truths; relies on messages of fear and shame; provides outdated and inaccurate medical information; and portrays a biased view of gender, marriage, family structure, pregnancy options, sexual orientation, and race and social class. The format and underlying biases of the curriculum do not allow for cultural, community, and individual values, and discourage critical thinking or discussions of alternate points of view in the classroom. For example, Sex Respect advises young people to “set [the] ending time for your date before you go out. Be home on time. Don’t invite your date in. Lead yourselves not into temptation.”9 SIECUS reviewed Worth the Wait and found that it covers some important topics related to sexuality such as puberty, anatomy, and sexual abuse, and that the curriculum is based on reliable sources of data. Despite these strengths, Worth the Wait relies on messages of fear, discourages contraceptive use, and promotes biased views of gender, marriage, and pregnancy options. For example, the curriculum claims that “teenage sexual activity can create a multitude of medical, legal, and economic problems not only for the individuals having sex but for society as a whole.” Tree of Life Preventative Health Maintenance, Inc. is a faith-based organization that, according to its website, works under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.10 The organization uses the Choosing the Best curricula. In addition to the problems found in these curricula, the organization’s website contains numerous medical inaccuracies. For example, the website explains, “the best way to diagnose Chlamydia is through a blood test.”11 Chlamydia cannot be diagnosed through a blood test, but can only be detected through a urine test or a swab of the inside of the urethra for men or of the urethra or cervix for women. Their website includes other inaccuracies such as “AIDS is the result of HPV.”12 In fact, HPV, human papillomavirus, can cause genital warts or cervical cancer. HIV, human immunodeficiency virus, leads to AIDS. The “What about safe sex?” section of the organization’s website also includes misinformation. For example, it says “Youth and adults alike have been given the false impression that a condom can protect one from disease and unwanted pregnancy…..Did you know that the Center for Disease Control is now telling physicians to wear two latex gloves when examining patients? The thickness of two gloves is 11 times that of a condom. How can we then expect a condom to protect us from anything?”13 In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, are highly effective in preventing transmission of HIV and can significantly reduce the transmission of other STDs.14 Moreover, research shows that when used consistently and correctly, condoms are 98 percent effective in preventing pregnancy. 15 Tree of Life Preventative Health Maintenance, Inc. runs “Reality Check,” a six-to-ten day abstinence-only-until marriage program for schools that is “high on visuals.” The organization claims to have reached over 16,000 people with this program since 2003. Reality Check’s website states, “Sex Is: Anything From The Top Of Your Head To The Tip Of Your Toes In Someone Else’s Underwear Zone!”16 (See the CBAE and AFLA section for more information on Tree of Life Preventative Health Maintenance, Inc.) Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) and Adolescent Family Life Act (AFLA) Grantees CALEB Initiative/ Greater Fellowship Ministries (also a Title V sub-grantee) conducts abstinence-only-until-marriage programming in Arkansas schools free of charge. The program, which is given to students in sixth through twelfth grades, uses Choosing the Best curricula.17 (See the Title V section for more information on the Choosing the Best curricula.) Tree of Life Preventative Health Maintenance, Inc. is run by Cindy Crawford who also runs Hannah House, “a faith-based haven for pregnant women.” Hannah House residents attend biblical counseling and Bible study, and are required to attend church services twice a week. The admission application asks young women to “circle any occult activities in which they have been involved—including horoscopes, Ouija boards and yoga—and explain any involvement in eastern religions or groups such as Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Although Hannah House does not receive any federal funding, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, “federal dollars awarded for the abstinence program are paying for an apartment house that Tree of Life bought with the idea to expand Hannah House.”18 Essentially Tree of Life is both the landlord and the tenant, which appears to violate government regulations. When asked about this arrangement, Crawford denied that the organization was paying rent in a circular fashion, which is prohibited by governmental regulations. According to Crawford, Tree of Life pays the rent to the Tree of Life Foundation, a separate entity created by Crawford with a separate taxpayer number. Crawford explained that this foundation “collects the rent because it manages the building.”19 In addition, Ms. Crawford and her husband own a Christian employment agency, Go Ye, which supplies some of the staff for Tree of Life’s abstinence-only-until marriage program. A 2005 audit shows that Tree of Life paid staff from Go Ye $159,757 in that year alone.20 Federal and State Funding for Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs in FY 2006
Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Coordinator
Arkansas Organizations that Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Arkansas Organizations that Oppose Comprehensive Sexuality Education
Newspapers in Arkansas
References
|
Home |
Publications |
Support SIECUS |
Links |
About SIECUS |
Site Navigation |
Search |
Donate |
Contact Us
Policy & Advocacy |
Media |
International |
Library |
Youth Development |
School Health Education Clearinghouse
copyright ©
1996-2007, SIECUS
Web Master: siecus@siecus.org
Print