[Senate Hearing 108-385]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 108-385
ABSTINENCE EDUCATION
=======================================================================
HEARING
before a
SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE
COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED EIGHTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
SPECIAL HEARING
FEBRUARY 16, 2004--HARRISBURG, PA
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Appropriations
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.access.gpo.gov/congress/
senate
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COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
TED STEVENS, Alaska, Chairman
THAD COCHRAN, Mississippi ROBERT C. BYRD, West Virginia
ARLEN SPECTER, Pennsylvania DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii
PETE V. DOMENICI, New Mexico ERNEST F. HOLLINGS, South Carolina
CHRISTOPHER S. BOND, Missouri PATRICK J. LEAHY, Vermont
MITCH McCONNELL, Kentucky TOM HARKIN, Iowa
CONRAD BURNS, Montana BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland
RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama HARRY REID, Nevada
JUDD GREGG, New Hampshire HERB KOHL, Wisconsin
ROBERT F. BENNETT, Utah PATTY MURRAY, Washington
BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL, Colorado BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota
LARRY CRAIG, Idaho DIANNE FEINSTEIN, California
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois
MIKE DeWINE, Ohio TIM JOHNSON, South Dakota
SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas MARY L. LANDRIEU, Louisiana
James W. Morhard, Staff Director
Lisa Sutherland, Deputy Staff Director
Terrence E. Sauvain, Minority Staff Director
------
Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and
Education, and Related Agencies
ARLEN SPECTER, Pennsylvania, Chairman
THAD COCHRAN, Mississippi TOM HARKIN, Iowa
JUDD GREGG, New Hampshire ERNEST F. HOLLINGS, South Carolina
LARRY CRAIG, Idaho DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas HARRY REID, Nevada
TED STEVENS, Alaska HERB KOHL, Wisconsin
MIKE DeWINE, Ohio PATTY MURRAY, Washington
RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama MARY L. LANDRIEU, Louisiana
ROBERT C. BYRD, West Virginia (Ex
officio)
Professional Staff
Bettilou Taylor
Jim Sourwine
Mark Laisch
Sudip Shrikant Parikh
Candice Rogers
Ellen Murray (Minority)
Erik Fatemi (Minority)
Adrienne Hallett (Minority)
Administrative Support
Carole Geagley
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
Opening statement of Senator Arlen Specter....................... 1
Statement of Dr. Wade F. Horn, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary for
Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services. 2
Prepared statement........................................... 3
Statement of Rev. Kenneth Page, pastor, Great Island Presbyterian
Church, Lock Haven, PA......................................... 11
Prepared statement........................................... 13
Statement of Dominick Urrutia, program coodinator, Abstinence is
BEST Program................................................... 14
Statement of Joe Fay, executive director, Pennsylvania Coalition
to Prevent Teen Pregnancy...................................... 16
Prepared statement........................................... 17
Statement of Kelly Lesh, Abstinence Education Special Initiative
coordinator, Heartbeat Community Service, Millerstown, PA...... 19
Statement of Ronald Evans, director, Bridge Youth Services....... 21
Statement of Tyler Barth, performer, Abstinence Group Choice
Initiative..................................................... 28
Statement of Miranda Shipley, volunteer, Peer Education, Real
Commitment Program............................................. 28
Prepared statement........................................... 30
Statement of Nelly Torres, peer educator, IMPACT Group........... 30
Statement of Sierra Leiphart, volunteer, Human Life Services,
York County, PA................................................ 31
Statement of Jennifer Bruno, board member, Youth as Resources
Program........................................................ 32
Statement of Jesse Walton, staff member, Boys to Men Program..... 32
ABSTINENCE EDUCATION
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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2004
U.S. Senate,
Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human
Services, and Education, and Related Agencies,
Committee on Appropriations,
Harrisburg, PA.
The subcommittee met at 1:30 p.m., in room 140, Harrisburg
State Capitol Building, Senator Arlen Specter (chairman)
presiding.
Present: Senator Specter.
OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR ARLEN SPECTER
Senator Specter. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I
regret being a little bit delayed, but I was filing my papers
for reelection. And that took just a little bit of time. But
I'm delighted to be here and I thank you all for coming here.
We're going to proceed now with the Appropriations Subcommittee
for Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. And our
topic today is going to be abstinence education.
Several years ago the subcommittee started to engage in
extensive funding of abstinence education. So that next year
we're looking at a proposal in excess of $290 million.
Abstinence education has demonstrated its value in a society
where there is so much concern about the morality of the young
people and access to abortions. It is plain that if we can
persuade young people to avoid premarital sex and unintended
pregnancies there will be an enormous step forward. The young
people, the young women then will not have to even consider the
alternative of abortion. Beyond the issue of unintended
pregnancies, there is the issue of disease which is transmitted
and the issue of self-esteem.
In my travels in talking to many young people who have had
the benefit of abstinence education, they have a little
different view of themselves. And you have some of the young
women saying to the young man who says, if you really love me,
you will. Her response is, if you really love me, you'll wait.
The minuet, so to speak, of teenagers.
There is, we all know, the issue of peer pressure. So that
abstinence education brings some counter peer pressure. And
that young people don't have to be with the in-crowd and go
along with what everyone else is doing, which the statistics
show are really surprisingly high on sexual intercourse for
youngsters in high school and even below high school, that they
will say they counter peer pressure.
There are some who believe that there ought not to be only
abstinence education but abstinence should be taught in
conjunction with contraception. We're going to hear all points
of view to give people on all sides an opportunity to be heard.
My own views up till now have been that where you have the
information on contraception, that there is great value in
having some abstinence-only education to see how that works.
And I found that the studies show that abstinence-only
education does work.
STATEMENT OF DR. WADE F. HORN, Ph.D., ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Senator Specter. With that opening statement, let me call
upon our first witness. And we thank Dr. Wade Horn for coming
from Washington today. If Dr. Horn would take the witness
stand.
He is the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families of
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He has held
that job since July 20, 2001. Prior to that appointment, he was
president of the National Fatherhood Initiative, graduate of
American University, Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Southern
Illinois University. Thank you for joining us here, Dr. Horn,
and we look forward to your testimony.
Dr. Horn. Thank you, Senator. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank
you for providing me with the opportunity to share the
administration's vision for strengthening abstinence education
programs.
As you mentioned, teenager sexual activity has serious
consequences for teens, their families, their communities, and
our society. Teenage pregnancy rates are unacceptably high. And
sexually transmitted diseases among the young continue to
increase. There also are serious social and economic
consequences of teenage sexual activity. Therefore, the
President's fiscal year 2005 budget contains a new initiative
targeted to helping teens make responsible choices.
This initiative provides, one, substantial new resources
for abstinence education, including the Community-Based
Abstinence Education program and the Adolescent Family Life
Program.
Two, the development of scientifically based standards for
model abstinence education curricula.
Three, a review of all Federal programming for youth
addressing teen pregnancy prevention, family planning, STD, and
HIV/AIDS prevention, and abstinence education with the goal of
implementing a unified policy framework that recognizes the
primary importance of helping teens delay the onset of sexual
activity.
Four, a public education campaign on how parents can
encourage their teens to be sexually abstinent.
I'm going to focus my comments on the role of the
Administration on Children and Families or ACF in this new
Presidential initiative. In particular, the Department of
Health and Human Services fiscal year 2005 budget requests more
than doubles the funding for the Community-Based Abstinence
Education program and transfers the administration of this
program from the Health, Resources, and Services Administration
or ERSA to ACF.
The Community-Based Abstinence Education program provides
grants to public and private entities to help teens make the
decision to postpone sexual activity until marriage. The
President's fiscal year 2005 budget requests a total of $186.4
million in funding for this abstinence education program, a
$111.9 million increase above fiscal year 2004 funding levels.
Erie County, Pennsylvania's Abstinence Advantage Program or
AAP offers a good example of the kinds of activities these
funds will support. AAP uses nationally recognized curriculum
in schools and community-based organizations to help teens
choose abstinence, healthy relationships, and positive futures.
The President's budget also supports the reauthorization of
the abstinence education to States program, created under the
Personal Responsibility of Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act,
known as PRWORA of 1996. This program provides $50 million
annually to enable States to provide abstinence education and
at the option of the State, mentoring, counseling, and adult
supervised activities to promote abstinence from sexual
activity until marriage with the focus on those groups which
are most likely to bear or father children out of wedlock.
In conjunction with these requests, the President's budget
proposes to shift responsibility for these programs to the
Administration for Children and Families.
Secretary Thompson believes that by relocating these
programs to ACF's Family and Youth Services Bureau, known as
FYSB, they can be more fully integrated with the programs that
emphasized positive youth development. Such programs have been
found to be particularly effective in protecting young people
not only from low sexual activity but also from drugs, alcohol,
tobacco, and violence. At the same time the department will
continue with scientific inquiry to what works best to further
support the success of our abstinence education efforts.
PREPARED STATEMENT
In closing, I would like to thank you for focusing on
improving the lives of our young people and considering how the
Federal Government can help parents, schools, communities, and
States make a long-term difference in the lives of our nation's
youth.
As Secretary Thompson had said, quote, three-quarters of
American youth are making safe sensible choices for their lives
and the remaining quarter may be at risk but they certainly are
not lost, end quote.
I look forward to working with you and your committee to
make the fiscal year 2005 budget request a reality. I would be
pleased to answer any questions you might have.
[The statement follows:]
Prepared Statement of Dr. Wade F. Horn
Mr. Chairman, thank you for providing me with the opportunity to
share the Administration's vision for strengthening abstinence
education programs. The President's fiscal year 2005 budget makes a
major investment in this critical area and also seeks your support in
shifting two of the Department's key programs for addressing abstinence
education to the Administration for Children and Families. I'd like to
focus my time today discussing the President's request and the benefit
this approach will offer to our Nation's youth.
background
Teenage sexual activity and non-marital childbearing have serious
consequences for teens, their families, their communities and our
society. While it is true that teenage pregnancy rates are on the
decline, they are still unacceptably high. Moreover, the incidence of
sexually transmitted diseases among the young continues to increase.
There are serious social and economic consequences of teenage sexual
activity and non-marital childbearing as well. Over three-fifths of
teen mothers live in poverty at the time of their child's birth, and
over four-fifths will at some point live below poverty.
It is not enough for schools and government alone to educate our
nations' young people on the risks and consequences of pre-marital sex.
Parents also must be involved in this effort. Unfortunately, parents
too often do not feel empowered to educate their children about sex
because they believe that their children would rather learn about sex
from their school or peers. Research from the National Campaign to
Prevent Teen Pregnancy suggests that teens do, in fact, seek
information and guidance from their parents. Almost 9 out of every 10
teens (88 percent) believe it would be easier for teens to postpone
sexual activity and avoid teen pregnancy if they were able to have more
open, honest conversations about these topics with their parents.
strengthening abstinence education
The President's fiscal year 2005 budget contains a new initiative
targeted to helping youth make responsible choices. This initiative
provides for the following:
--Invest substantial new resources in abstinence education programs
including Community-Based Abstinence Education and Adolescent
Family Life programs;
--Development of scientifically-based standards for model abstinence
education curricula;
--Review of all federal programming for youth addressing teen
pregnancy prevention, family planning, STD and HIV/AIDS
preventions and abstinence with the goal of implementing a
coherent policy framework for all programs that recognize the
primary importance of delaying onset of sexual activity among
teens; and
--Launch a public education campaign to help parents teach and
support abstinence with their children.
I am going to focus my testimony on ACF's role in this new
Presidential initiative. Specifically, the ACF fiscal year 2005 budget
includes significant funding for community and State abstinence
education programs and improves these programs by fostering linkages
with existing efforts to promote comprehensive, positive youth
development. In fact, the budget request would more than double the
funding for the Community-Based Abstinence Education program.
The Community-Based Abstinence Education Program provides grants to
public and private entities for development and implementation of
abstinence education programs for adolescents, ages 12 through 18, in
communities nationwide. These programs are unique in that their entire
focus is to educate young people and create an environment within
communities that supports teen decisions to postpone sexual activity
until marriage. Grantees include public and private entities such as
community-based and faith-based organizations, hospitals, health
centers, school systems and other youth services agencies. The
President's fiscal year 2005 budget requests $186.4 million in funding
for this abstinence program, $111.9 million above fiscal year 2004
funding. This influx of funding will broaden the availability of
abstinence education for adolescents and support up to 440 grants (an
additional 278 grants over fiscal year 2004 levels) to educate
adolescents and parents about the risks associated with early sexual
activity and provide the tools needed to help teens make responsible
choices.
Erie County Pennsylvania's Abstinence Advantage Program (AAP)
offers a good example of the kinds of activities these funds will
support. AAP uses nationally recognized curricula and programs with
schools and organizations to direct teens toward abstinence, healthy
relationships, and successful marriages and futures.
The President's budget also supports the reauthorization of the
Abstinence Education to States program created under the Personal
Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. This
program provides $50 million each year to enable States to provide
abstinence education, and at the option of the State, mentoring,
counseling, and adult supervision to promote abstinence from sexual
activity, with a focus on those groups that are most likely to bear
children out-of-wedlock. These funds are allocated to States, who
apply, according to a pro-rata method based on a ratio of the number of
low-income children in each State to the total of all low-income
children in all States. States are required to match every four dollars
they receive of federal abstinence education funds with three non-
federal dollars.
In conjunction with these requests, the President's budget proposes
to shift responsibility for these programs from the Health Resources
and Services Administration (HRSA) to the Administration for Children
and Families. Secretary Thompson and I agree that ACF is well suited to
administer these programs and the budget request provides
appropriations language to support this shift.
The programs would be relocated to ACF's Family and Youth Services
Bureau (FYSB), providing linkages to community-based and faith-based
youth development programs. FYSB's programs connect youth to caring
adults, thereby empowering youth in their schools and communities.
These programs are particularly effective in protecting young people
not only against early sexual behavior but also from drugs, alcohol,
tobacco and violence. We believe the shift in responsibility is
important in providing a holistic approach to combating these problems.
Positive youth development provides youth with healthy messages
about their bodies, their behaviors and their interactions; safe and
structured places for teens to study, recreate, and socialize; positive
adult role models as parents, mentors, coachers, or community leaders;
skill development in literacy, competence, work readiness and social
skills; and opportunities to serve others and build self-esteem. Youth
who are involved with these types of structured activities that build
competencies and self-confidence are more likely to abstain from sexual
activity.
While HRSA has provided a strong focus on abstinence education, the
shift to a human services agency will build on the progress made with a
focus on positive youth development. At the same time, the Department
will continue its scientific inquiry into what works best to further
support the success of our comprehensive youth development efforts.
conclusion
In closing, I would like to thank you for focusing on improving the
lives of our young people and considering how the Federal government
can help parents, schools, communities and States make a long-term
difference in the lives of our nation's youth. As Secretary Thompson
said, ``Three quarters of American youth are making safe sensible
choices for their lives, and the remaining quarter may be at risk, but
they certainly are not lost.'' We need to do everything we can to reach
these vulnerable young people and provide them a vehicle on the path to
success. I look forward to working with your committee to make the
fiscal year 2005 budget request become a reality.
I would be pleased to answer any questions you may have.
Senator Specter. Thank you very much, Dr. Horn, for that
testimony. I think it appropriate to note exactly what
President Bush said in the State of the Union Speech when he
announced his intention to increase funding. He said, quote, to
encourage right choices we must be willing to confront the
dangers young people face, even when they are difficult to talk
about. Each year about 3 million teenagers contract sexually
transmitted diseases that can harm them or kill them or prevent
them from ever becoming parents. In my budget, this is the
President speaking, I propose a grassroots campaign to help
inform families about these medical risks. We will double
Federal funding for abstinence programs so schools can teach
this fact of life. Abstinence for young people is the only
certain way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases, closed
quote.
Dr. Horn, I would like your own view about the statistics
which the Center for Disease Control has stated, hard to know
exactly where the statistics come from, but I think they are
rather, well, surprising statistics. The CDC has found that 46
percent of high school students had sexual intercourse. How do
you react to that statistic and the seriousness of the
statistic if it is correct or close to being correct?
Dr. Horn. Well, it's 46 percent too many. And it's because
we know there are lots of negative consequences associated with
a young person becoming sexually active.
First of all, we have the highest teen pregnancy rate of
any industrialized nation in the world. Second, we know that 3
million teenagers this year will be infected with a sexually
transmitted disease. That's 10,000 new cases of sexually
transmitted diseases among young people every day. And about
half of those sexually transmitted diseases are viral
infections that will never, ever go away.
In addition to that, we know that there is a lot of
emotional heartache that comes as a consequence of this early
sexual activity. In fact, according to the National Campaign
Preventing Pregnancies, about 63 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds
who have had sexual intercourse regret having had it and wished
they had waited until later.
So by encouraging teens to choose abstinence as the
healthiest choice, we ought to see a significant reduction in
teen pregnancies, in teenagers acquiring sexually transmitted
diseases. But even as importantly are those, we also should see
a decrease in the amount of emotional heartache that early
sexual activity can bring to teens.
Senator Specter. Dr. Horn, focus on the statistic of 46
percent reputedly high school students, reputedly 46 percent of
high school students who had sexual intercourse. Does that
sound like a realistic accurate figure to you?
Dr. Horn. Unfortunately, it does. And if you look at
juniors and seniors, the percentage is even higher. The 46
percent figure is for all high school students. By the time
they are seniors in high school it may be as much as 72 percent
have had sexual intercourse.
We have a culture unfortunately today that is on the side
of self-destruction, not on the side of self-restraint. And
what we ought to do and what abstinence education programs do
is encourage kids to make the healthiest choice for themselves
that preserves the most positive future for them.
Senator Specter. Well, when you talk about self-destruction
versus self-restraint, beyond abstinence education, is there
anything that can be done in a constructive way to develop a
culture which would reduce at least, if not eliminate, the
incentives, all of the glamour which is attached to sexual
activity that you see not only on cable television but you see
in the advertisements if you pick up the Sunday newspaper. Any
way to deal with that beyond asking the publishers to utilize
some self-restraint?
Dr. Horn. Well, two things. First of all, one of the things
that we know is that, contrary to what most parents believe,
the number one source that teenagers themselves tell us
influences their decisions about whether or not to engage in
high risk behaviors, including early sexual activity, are
parents themselves. They are hungry for the parents to monitor
them, counsel them, provide them with good information. And yet
most parents believe it is the peers, it is the teenager's
friends which are most influential. If you ask teens
themselves, survey after survey shows it's actually the parents
that is most influential.
So one of the things that the President would like to do is
to have a public awareness campaign targeted to parents, so
that the parents can be empowered to, in fact, fulfill that
role of being a good teacher and mentor to their own children
and encourage them to make a choice towards sexual abstinence.
The second thing is that the President has asked that at
least two of the abstinence programs be transferred into the
Administration on Children and Families.
The reason for that is we want to integrate the abstinence
education programs into the broader array of positive youth
development initiatives, which we have been developing in
Administration on Children and Families.
One of the things that positive youth development tells us
is that it's not enough just to tell kids to say no to high
risk behaviors. It's equally, perhaps even more important, to
tell them what to say yes to. What positive youth development
talks about is helping kids say yes to good positive
relationship with their parents, say yes to good positive
relationships to their schools and their teachers in their
schools, and to engage them in positive community activities
that empower them to do positive things, and occupy them in
positive activities so they are less likely to become engaged
in the kinds of high risk behaviors, not just sexual activity,
but also less likely to be engaged in drug use, alcohol use,
tobacco use, or criminal activity.
So what we would like to do is integrate abstinence
education in these broader frames of positive youth development
so that kids know what to say yes to, not just what to say no
to.
Senator Specter. Dr. Horn, there will be parents watching
this hearing on Pennsylvania Cable Network, and I thank PCN for
carrying the show. Maybe even some teenagers watching it, too,
maybe even listening to you.
At what age would you recommend that the parents sit down
with their children and have a heart to heart talk about more
than the birds and bees but about the problems related to
premarital sex?
Dr. Horn. I think that as a child psychologist, it would be
a mistake for parents to believe that this is about the talk.
Often parents think that, you know, at some point along the
line of their child's development they will need to sit down
and have the talk about sex, about the birds and the bees.
Senator Specter. When?
Dr. Horn. And I think that's a mistake. I think that it's
much more important that parents understand that this is
something they should be engaging their children in
developmentally appropriate ways from very early ages in their
lives.
Senator Specter. When you talk about an early age, I think
given your background and expertise, parents hearing your words
would be interested in something more specific.
Dr. Horn. I would say that they should start as soon as
their child is elementary school, talking to them about human
sexuality in developmentally appropriate ways. That also gives
a consistent message throughout their development that the
importance of waiting----
Senator Specter. Have you mentioned a starting age yet?
Dr. Horn. Somewhere in elementary school I think it's
important for parents to start talking to their kids about
this, if not even before. I think this should be a natural part
of the conversation that parents have with their children about
all sorts of things.
Kids are curious. They start to ask questions. Where do
babies come from. Well, when they ask that question, you ought
to give them an answer in a developmentally appropriate way.
Whether that question comes from a 3-year-old, an 8-year-old,
or 15-year-old, you have a different conversation. So what
parents ought to do is to look, hear the questions that their
children are asking of them, and then respond to them in
developmentally appropriate ways.
This should not be boiled down to a single talk or even a
couple of single talks, but rather it should be a piece of what
parents do in their course of bringing up their kids,
including, by the way, insuring that young children are
shielded from over-sexualized messages that come through the
media. I think it's a parent's responsibility to make sure that
their child is not exposed to developmentally inappropriate
messages through the media, through television or the movies.
Unfortunately, there are times today where you think you
are providing your child with a non-sexualized viewing
experience.
For example, watching the super bowl and what do you get.
Unfortunately, today you get messages that are highly
sexualized, whether or not the now famous brassiere snapping
occurred. Much of what was happening during half-time was
completely inappropriate for young people to be watching. I
know I wouldn't have wanted my 6-, 7-, 8-, or 9-year-old to be
watching the kinds of very suggestive dancing that was going on
during half-time. So parents need to get control of this.
Senator Specter. Dr. Horn, there is a very serious problem
as we all know with teenage suicides. Recently our subcommittee
designated or earmarked to a small county in Pennsylvania,
Potter County. Happens to be the home of Mr. Tom Bowman, who is
my expert who has developed a great many of these abstinence
training programs, some 34 across the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
To what extent, if at all, are teen suicides related to
pregnancies, unintended pregnancies, the fear of unintended
pregnancies, or the sort of factors which are a part of
premarital sex?
Dr. Horn. There is some evidence to suggest an association
between early sexual activity and depression. There is some
evidence to suggest that depression may be as high as three
times more likely, particularly for girls, when you engage in
early sexual activity. And since depression is the driver of
suicide, then it's not illogical to assume that there may be
some connection between early sexual activity and suicide.
This is an area that, obviously, we can't do randomized
controlled studies on, and so we have to deal with
correlational analyses. And there is all sorts of selection
artifacts and so forth.
But if I were counseling a parent, and I used to be a
counselor, I used to do family therapy and work with parents,
one of the things if they were to ask me, how can I help
protect my children as they grow older from depression and teen
suicide, one of the things that I would say is have a good
strong relationship with your kids, encourage good open
communication with your children and help them avoid high risk
behaviors, including early sexual activity.
Senator Specter. Dr. Horn, there are some who say that
abstinence-only education is in the wrong direction, that the
urging of abstinence is fine, but there ought to be a joinder
with it on the availability of contraceptives.
What is your view of the value of abstinence-only education
or how would you evaluate those who say that you really
shouldn't rely solely but ought to have instruction
simultaneously with respect to contraceptives?
Dr. Horn. Well, I'm worried as a matter of prevention about
the double message that so-called abstinence plus education
programs provide to young people. When you are talking to a 9-
to 14-year-old, which is the primary target of abstinence
education programs, when you are talking with a child of that
age who is not yet engaged in sexual activity, if you say,
well, we would like you to not do it, but you know, just in
case, let's give you a lot of instruction on how to use
contraception, the real message that the young person gets is
we don't expect you to actually embrace an abstinence goal but
we really do expect that you are going to be sexually active at
an early age and that's why we are going to provide you with
the rest of this information.
The administration has not asked for a reduction in
contraceptive programs and services. And there are, in fact,
contraceptive services available to both adults and teens
through the Federal Government. But as a matter of prevention,
it seems to me as a child psychologist that we ought to give a
clear message, we ought to give a clear message unencumbered by
this idea that we unfortunately give our kids when we also show
them contraceptive at a young age that suggests that they are
going to become sexually active.
Senator Specter. So the Bush administration has maintained
really a two-front approach, one, abstinence-only education,
but at the same time other programs available as you say on
contraception.
Dr. Horn. For the sexually active. And I think there is a
difference between prevention and intervention on this issue.
Prevention ought to be clear about what is our goal, what's our
goal. Our goal is for young people to be sexually abstinent.
Let's not muddy that message by providing them all sorts of
other information about contraception, and particularly
practice the use of contraception, which a lot of abstinence
programs do. That then provides with very much a double
message.
Let's again remind ourselves, abstinence is 100 percent
effective, contraception is not. Contraception is not 100
percent effective, but for some----
Senator Specter. Could you put a percentage on the
effectiveness of contraception?
Dr. Horn. On the sexually transmitted disease. Certainly it
provides risk reduction when it comes to HIV/AIDS, for example,
when it comes to Syphilis, for example. But there is no
evidence, for example, that condoms provide any protection to
the transmission of human papilloma virus or HPV.
Human papilloma virus is one of the fastest growing
sexually transmitted diseases in America. It is also linked
very strongly to cervical cancer in women. In fact, 13,000
American women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year.
There are 3,000 of them--3,000 or 4,000 of them will die from
cervical cancer each year. That is about the same number of
women who will die from HIV/AIDS. And condoms provide no
protection, none, to the transmission of human papilloma virus.
Senator Specter. Would you define human papilloma virus a
little more?
Dr. Horn. It's a viral infection. I'm a child psychologist,
not a medical doctor. But it is a viral infection which can be
spread through sexual contact.
Senator Specter. Even with the use of a condom?
Dr. Horn. Condoms apparently--there is no scientific
evidence. The CDC just issued a report very recently suggesting
that there is no scientific evidence that suggests a
significant reduction in risk of transmission of HPV as a
result of condoms.
In addition, condoms provide a risk reduction only if you
use them 100 percent of the time with 100 percent of the
partners that you engage in and you use it 100 percent of the
time exactly the way they are supposed to be used.
Unfortunately, that's a standard that particularly young people
don't live up to.
So when we tell them, look, use a condom and everything
will be fine, that's a message that unfortunately I believe and
science suggests can put a lot of young people at risk. And so
let's give them the truth about condoms and let's tell them
that there are some sexually transmitted diseases for which
there is no hard evidence that it reduces substantially the
risk of transmission and particularly true for human papilloma.
Senator Specter. Dr. Horn, what statistics or studies are
available to measure the effectiveness of abstinence-only
education?
Dr. Horn. There are about 10 studies that have been
published that look at the effectiveness.
Senator Specter. What do those studies show?
Dr. Horn. It depends on the studies. Some look at
abstinence pledges, for example. There is this longitudinal
study called Ab Health that looked at the effectiveness of
youth taking abstinence pledges and found that a youth taking
an abstinence pledge were significantly less likely to engage
in early sexual activity compared to those who did not. There
are studies with varied length of follow-ups to look at both
attitudes and behavioral change as a result of abstinence
education.
But abstinence itself is 100 percent effective. We don't
have to do a study with abstinence effectiveness. It's 100
percent effective.
Senator Specter. I'm not talking about the effectiveness of
abstinence. I'm talking about the effectiveness of abstinence
education programs.
Dr. Horn. Yes, I understand that. What we need to do is
study the effectiveness of abstinence education programs,
continue to study it so we can help more young people make that
choice. But it's not as though there is this overwhelming
voluminous research on the effectiveness of comprehensive sex
education that shows it universally and overwhelmingly
effective. That literature is kind of contradictory itself. And
so we believe that we ought to study the effectiveness of both.
Senator Specter. How do we know if we do the abstinence
education?
Dr. Horn. As I said, there is about 10 studies that have
been published that show to various degrees the effectiveness
of abstinence education. We are committed to continuing to fund
those studies and continuing to look at the effectiveness of
those studies.
Senator Specter. Would you make available to the
subcommittee those studies which you think are most relevant to
that question?
Dr. Horn. Pleased to do so.
Senator Specter. Dr. Horn, thank you very, very much. Your
testimony is very enlightening. Thank you.
We go to the second panel, Rev. Kenneth Page, Ms. Kelly
Lesh, Mr. Joe Fay, Dominick Urrutia, and Mr. Ronald Evans.
STATEMENT OF REV. KENNETH PAGE, PASTOR, GREAT ISLAND
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, LOCK HAVEN, PA
Senator Specter. The first witness on this panel is Rev.
Kenneth Page. He's the pastor of Great Island Presbyterian
Church in Lock Haven where he has served for 8 years, has
Bachelor's degree from Duke, Master of Divinity from Princeton
University. Thank you for joining us, Rev. Page. We look
forward to your testimony.
Rev. Page. Are you ready for it?
Senator Specter. I'm not sure until I hear it.
Rev. Page. I wanted to say first as august as this body is
and as imposing as the room is, this isn't the most terrifying
speaking engagement I've ever had. I had the honor and terror
of being asked to speak to 80 8th grade boys this past fall on
sexual abstinence. And that was a tough room.
My name, as you said, is Kenneth Page. I'm the pastor of
Great Island Presbyterian Church in Lock Haven, been a part of
the abstinence program officially for 3 years and helping out a
little bit longer than that. Our program in Clinton County
reaches approximately 4,700 students in grades K through 12,
about 2,900 of those are in grades 5 through 12.
I want to talk a little bit about why we believe our
program has been successful, but first I want to define what I
mean when I say our program is successful. And that is over the
last 8 years we've had 65 percent reduction in teen
pregnancies.
Why do we think we've been able to do that? First of all,
our program is multi-faceted. We provide abstinence education
that is meeting the needs of all ages in a lot of different
learning styles. It includes consistent abstinence education
across our district taught by our professional abstinence
educator. We have motivational speakers and dramatic
presentations and music groups who come in with the same
message. We send newsletters to the homes of all students in
grades 5 through 12. And we've done several programs outside of
the school that help to enforce the message beyond what we are
teaching in the schools. Our school board and administrators
are very supportive of this program. This is not an adjunct to
the school program. This is a part of the school program. We
believe that's part of our effectiveness.
Also we seen that students have become more open to talking
about abstinence in front of their peers. It was my experience
as a high school student that you didn't want to admit in front
of a group that you were a virgin. And now students we have
seen, and I have seen in my youth group in my church, will talk
about that and will talk about their decision to remain
sexually abstinent.
Finally, we've also been able to have abstinence
professionals train coaches and teachers and guidance
counselors and community leaders and social service agency
personnel from our county in abstinence education and have
gotten their support in spreading the word around our
community.
The impact on our community is primarily that 65 percent
reduction in teen pregnancies. But that's not just a number. I
want you to think about the changed lives that that represents.
These teenagers that have so many more opportunities in their
lives and so much greater chance of success because they didn't
become parents when they were teenagers. And these children
that would have been born to parents who were not old enough to
be good mature parents and parents who very likely would not be
both committed to being parents. That's what that 65 percent
number really means in human terms.
The impact on our community as well, our agencies across
the community have been wonderful in collaborating with our
program. Those organizations include churches, the Clinton
County Women Center, Communities That Care, the Penn State
Extension, Geisinger Medical Center, Big Brother, Big Sister,
Infant Development, and civic organizations such as AAUW and
the Rotary Club. Both of those last two organizations have
presented awards to the coordinator of our abstinence program
recognizing the success of the program in Clinton County.
Also parents around children have become connected in
talking about abstinence. And we encourage that by sending this
newsletter to the homes of the children in grades 5 through 12.
That helps them to have a launching point for one of these
conversations that Dr. Horn was talking about. It's so
important that parents talk to their kids about abstinence.
Also, our abstinence program has been a part of presenting
programs to the community and to students on heroin use, which
is a burgeoning problem in our area and other drug usage. Those
programs are well attended. People are very eager to get good
information and good motivation.
We've also been training Lock Haven University health and
physical education majors and have planned to increase that so
that students coming out to be teachers in this area will have
good education on abstinence and also have been able to talk
and train professors from Lock Haven University on abstinence
education.
That's why we think our program has been successful and how
we think it's been successful. But I want to also talk about
what makes all that possible. And Keystone Central School
District began receiving funding for abstinence education in
the spring of 1997 with a 5-year abstinence education and
related services grant. Those are funds that you, Senator
Specter, were very instrumental in providing.
Senator Specter. I'm sorry. I didn't hear that.
Rev. Page. I said those are funds that you, Senator
Specter, were very instrumental in providing.
Senator Specter. I heard it. I just wanted to have it
repeated.
PREPARED STATEMENT
Rev. Page. In July 2002 Keystone Central School District
received a 3-year Special Projects of Regional and National
Significant Community-Based Abstinence Education Grant. It's a
mouthful. But that is federally funded national competitive
grant that we received. For the last 2 years our program has
received $78,487 each year through funding again that you were
instrumental in providing for abstinence education. We want to
thank you for that commitment to this program. And we want to
tell you we desperately need more funds to continue this vital
program for our community. Thank you for this opportunity.
[The statement follows:]
Prepared Statement of Rev. Kenneth Page
My name is Kenneth Pace and I am the Pastor of Great Island
Presbyterian Church in Lock Haven. I have worked with the Abstinence
Program in Keystone Central School District for 3 years. This program
reaches approximately 4,700 students in grades Kindergarten through
12th grade each year, specifically approximately 2,900 in grades 5
through 12. The program has been successful for the following reasons:
1. Teen pregnancies have been reduced by 65 percent at the present
time.
2. The program is multi-faceted, providing abstinence education
that meets the needs of all ages and their academic levels. This
includes consistent abstinence education across the district taught by
a hired abstinence educator, motivational speakers and dramatic
presentations, newsletters to all homes of students in grades 5 thru 12
and programs outside of school that help to enforce the abstinence
message that is taught in school.
3. Our School Board and administrators have been very supportive.
4. Students have become much more open and willing to talk about
abstinence in front of their peers.
5. Coaches, teachers, guidance counselors, community leaders and
agency personnel have been able to be trained by abstinence
professionals and have been instrumental in spreading the word to the
remainder of the community.
The Impact on our community:
1. Reduction in teen pregnancies.
2. Agencies have been wonderful in collaborating with our district
program when appropriate and necessary. These organizations include
churches, the Clinton County Women's' Center, Communities That Care,
Penn State Extension, Geisinger Medical Center, Big-Brother Big Sister,
Infant Development, and civic organizations such as the American
Association of University Women and the Rotary Club. Both the former
two organizations have presented awards to the coordinator of the
abstinence program for its success.
3. T.V. ads, radio spots and billboards have been excellent in
creating awareness of our abstinence program.
4. Parents and their children have been connected by way of a
newsletter from the abstinence program, giving parents tips on how to
talk to their children about sexuality and remaining abstinent until
marriage. Parents can also request literature mentioned in the
newsletters from the abstinence office.
5. The program has presented programs to the community on heroin
and other drug usage which have been well attended.
6. Lock Haven University's Health and Physical Education Department
has requested our coordinator to speak to future Health and Physical
Education Majors on how to teach abstinence to their future students.
Professors from LHU have also received professional abstinence
training.
Keystone Central School District began receiving funding for
abstinence programming in the spring of 1997 with the 5-year abstinence
Education and Related Services Grant Funds that Senator Specter was
instrumental in providing, beginning in July of 2002. KCSD received a
3-year Special Projects of Regional and National Significance
Community-Based Abstinence Education Grant that is a federally-funded
nationally competitive grant. For the last 2 years, they have received
$78,487 each year through funding that Senator Specter has specifically
provided for abstinence education. We desperately need continuance of
funding to provide this vital programming for our students and
community. We would especially like to thank Senator Specter for his
work in providing these funds.
Senator Specter. Thank you very much, Rev. Page, for your
testimony.
STATEMENT OF DOMINICK URRUTIA, PROGRAM COODINATOR,
ABSTINENCE IS BEST PROGRAM
Senator Specter. We now turn to Ms. Dominick Urrutia who
teaches kindergarten at the Ronald Brown Charter School in
Harrisburg and is the program coordinator for the Abstinence is
BEST program. B.A. degree and master's in teaching from Hampton
University. Thank you for joining us, and the floor is yours.
Ms. Urrutia. Good afternoon. My name is Dominique Urrutia
and I am the program coordinator for the Abstinence BEST
program. BEST stands for Building Educated Successful Teens.
The program is managed by Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries
Life Family Services Counseling Department. We would like to
thank you, Senator Specter, because you are responsible for
contributing to the $136,000 grant that we are using to make
the program go.
We are currently servicing 106 students ranging from ages
12 through 18. By incorporating the positives from the young
hip culture of today with an abstinence until married center
curricula, we have designed a fun, educational and interactive
professionals that will teach participants how to build a
successful and healthier future by abstaining from having sex
and other risky behaviors.
The program consists of adult facilitators as well as peer
educators. The peer educators deliver instruction in the format
of interactive rap sessions. Rap sessions are designed to
positively influence and better equip our youth with the tools
they need to overcome peer and social pressures to engage in
other risk behaviors as well as sexual intercourse.
The program is broken down into eight interactive rap
sessions. Session 1 is sex, emotions, and self-respect; session
2, sex, alcohol, and respect; session 3, sex, STDs, and
honesty; session 4, sex, pregnancy, and responsibility; session
5, HIV and AIDS; session 6, choosing the best path; session 7,
setting limits and self-discipline; and session 8, resisting
the pressure.
In addition to speaking to the children, refreshments are
served at every session. And we do serve pizza at least twice a
month.
There are four games that we use with the curriculum, STD
roulette, rock around the clock, drugs are losing game, and sex
and consequences. The information that's given during the
sessions is outstanding and the feedback is always positive.
I have three testimonies from different participants we've
had throughout the course of the sessions that I would like to
share. We have a small container, which is called a rap box,
that is there at every session and students are able to put in
confidential questions or give their feedback. And I'm going to
read the first one.
I learned a lot of things we think prevent HIV and other
sexually transmitted diseases that just might not work. I
learned how some people have to live with HIV or AIDS and STDs,
but having sex is not the only way you can get disease. You can
get a disease by sharing needles, too. I also got to see what
it looks like to have diseases. I also got to learn a lot about
relationships and how bad dudes treat chicks and also date
rape. I learned that if you sleep with somebody, you should
think about all the people they have slept with. The most
important thing that I have learned is that you can either have
sex and worry or have sex and get checked constantly to feed
into someone's pressure, or you can practice abstinence. I like
the program a lot. I got a lot out of it. And if I had to
change something about the program or the staff, I would not
change a thing.
The second testimony, I like the program a lot. I learned
things that I never knew like everything that enters your body
can affect your baby. I learned that you can get STDs without
having sex but mainly because of having sex. Condoms don't
protect 100 percent like you think they would. Condoms are not
100 percent sure and even wearing a condom you can get an STD
by the top areas of your privates rubbing together. You can't
get AIDs from drinking off another or touching another. AIDS is
spread by breast milk, open cuts, and having oral or anal sex.
You cannot get rid of AIDS. HIV does not mean you are fully
infected. It is a stage before you get AIDS. The best way not
to get anything is to practice abstinence. Abstinence is not
having sex at all, to wait until you are married. Someone who
has AIDS does not 100 percent to pass it onto their unborn
baby. I still don't understand why this is true. Drinking and
smoking can cause physical and mental problems to the unborn
baby. Most people who have sex don't think about how many
people their partner slept with, and they do not realize that
if they slept with only three people it is really like sleeping
with five people altogether. A person may look clean on the
outside, but you don't know about their inside. I love this
group. I really appreciate you coming and taking time out of
your busy schedule to teach us these important things for our
lives. I've learned a lot about the commercials that don't tell
you about the consequences that may occur from having sex. I
learned how to say no to having sex even if I am pressured.
I've learned that what can happen even in your life by just
having sex. I decided the best thing for me is abstinence. Your
body may want to have sex but your mind should be telling you
no. P.S. You made a difference in our lives. Thank you.
The last one, I just wanted to thank you for having this
program. Because I came here I was never aware of all the
consequences involved in having sex. Because of your program it
made me think twice. I did have sexual contact with a person
that I have known for 1\1/2\ years. After watching the movie on
STDs, I asked the nurse to get me a test. I have chlamydia.
This person I had sex with told me he was clean and now he's in
Washington D.C. probably infecting another girl. I've come to
realize that no matter how long you've known a person you can
still be cold hearted and not tell them that you have
something. They tell you that they care about you or that they
love you, but do they love you enough to tell you they have an
STD. I didn't know. But I kept telling myself I should have
known. But what I would like to say you can never tell a person
what they have by just looking at them. Now on my third day of
taking these pills that are blue, I have to take one in the
morning and one at night, I hate taking pills. Having chlamydia
makes me realize a lot of things now. I've asked the doctor,
should they give me an HIV test. I should be getting that soon.
You guys should keep coming so that others like myself would be
more educated. Thank you for changing my insight on life.
Because this is a new chapter in my life, I will unfold it and
begin to live a more clean and responsible life. I guess for
every action there really is a consequence.
That would be the end of our testimonies from the children.
We've completed sessions at Middletown High School, Abrasas,
Schaffner, Antioch Tabernacle, Redeeming Life Church, the
Wilderness School, and Yellow Breeches. Thank you.
STATEMENT OF JOE FAY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PENNSYLVANIA
COALITION TO PREVENT TEEN PREGNANCY
Senator Specter. Thank you very much. Next witness is Joe
Fay, executive director of the Pennsylvania Coalition to
Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Twenty-five years experience as a
health and sexuality educator, graduate of Gettysburg College,
Master's degree in psychology from University of Richmond.
Thank you for being with us, Mr. Fay. The floor is yours.
Mr. Fay. Thank you, Senator Specter, for the opportunity to
be here today. Pennsylvania Coalition to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
is the only statewide group that is concerned solely with the
issue of teen pregnancy prevention. We provide statewide
leadership on the issue and support for community efforts. We
embrace abstinence and contraception as legitimate strategies.
My organization is in favor of teaching young people about
abstinence. It should clearly be the primary message we give to
teenagers. It is the only method of pregnancy prevention that
is 100 percent effective. I myself am a health and sexuality
educator and a parent of two teenage children. I have spent a
great deal of time teaching young people the skills of
abstinence. I have little doubt that the programs we're hearing
about today are doing many good things for kids. But are they
reducing teen pregnancy? If so, where is the evidence. As
simply as possible, I would like to explain why my organization
opposes Federal funding for abstinence-only until marriage
education.
First, major medical and health organizations in the United
States agree that it is not good public health policy to
actively deprive young people of information that helps prevent
pregnancy and disease. To do so implies that we believe that
young people cannot handle information about condoms and other
forms of birth control. But the fact is that teens can handle
this information when presented in an age appropriate fashion.
The evidence clearly shows that teaching teens about birth
control does not increase sexual activity.
Second, abstinence-only programs do not reflect the views
or the behavior of most Americans. Most parents of teens reject
the view that talking about abstinence and birth control sends
a mixed message. Surveys show most parents believe that teens
should wait at least until they are out of high school to have
intercourse but still believe that teens should have
contraceptive education and access to birth control. Our
programs would have a better chance of success if they
reflected this cultural consensus.
Third, some abstinence programs are fear based, factually
inaccurate, and use religion to promote their message. I don't
think that anyone intends to do harm. But in today's world who
can doubt that our zeal to do good can have unintended
consequences. In my written testimony I elaborate on this point
with examples.
Fourth and most importantly, there is an absence of solid
research documenting the effectiveness of abstinence-only until
marriage education. Minnesota recently became the latest State
to report their 5-year $5 million abstinence-only program
failed to reduce sexual activity. We should be spending our
very scarce taxpayer dollars on proven programs. Put simply,
what works is teaching young people to wait to have sex, but
also teaching them how to use contraception if they don't.
Decades of peer-reviewed research shows such programs delay
intercourse and improved contraceptive use among sexually
active teens. These effective programs have been summarized in
numerous reports disseminated by variety of reputable
organizations, including the National Campaign to Prevent Teen
Pregnancy, Advocate for Youth, and the Surgeon General's Call
to Action to Promote Sexual Health.
Finally, several years ago Pennsylvania completed an
evaluation of its abstinence-only program. However, the Ridge
administration did not release the results. I do not know what
the Rendell administration plans to do. But I ask you, Senator
Specter, to join with our coalition in requesting that the
public be allowed to see this study. Regardless of what the
results show, the report will contain valuable information that
will enable educators to continue to improve their programs.
The taxpayers paid for these abstinence programs and they pay
for the evaluation. They deserve to see the results.
To carry out a truly fair and impartial evaluation, we
should conduct both abstinence-only and comprehensive sex ed
programs and compare the results. Why not fund such a pilot
program to truly determine the approach that is most effective
here in Pennsylvania.
PREPARED STATEMENT
In conclusion, I thank you for your desire to improve the
sexual health of teens and reduce the negative consequences of
sexual behavior. The Pennsylvania Coalition to Prevent Teen
Pregnancy looks forward to collaborating with you on this
important issue.
[The statement follows:]
Prepared Statement of Joe Fay
Thank you, Senator Specter, for the opportunity to be here today.
My name is Joe Fay. I'm the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania
Coalition to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Our coalition is the only
statewide group that is concerned solely with the issue of teen
pregnancy prevention. We provide statewide leadership on the issue and
support for community efforts. We embrace abstinence and contraception
as legitimate strategies.
Over the weekend, I visited my 91 year-old mother, who is in a
nursing home. I asked her if she knows who Arlen Specter is. She said,
``Of course. I've seen his ads on TV. He wants teenagers to abstain.''
I told her Senator Specter was holding hearings on Monday in Harrisburg
on that very subject and that I would be the lone dissenting speaker.
She said to me with surprise, ``You're against abstinence?''
So now I'm going to explain to you what I first had to explain to
my own mother. My organization is in favor of teaching young people
about abstinence. It should clearly be the primary message we give,
especially to children aged 9-14. I myself am a health and sexuality
educator and have spent a great deal of time teaching young people the
skills of abstinence. I have little doubt that the programs we're
hearing about today are doing many good things for kids. But are they
reducing teen pregnancy? If so, where is the evidence?
Of the programs here today, I am most familiar with the Lancaster
McCaskey IMPACT program. I have known their leader, Pat Kinsey, for
years. I have worked with her on a variety of projects. I would be
happy to have my own children enrolled in her program. The young people
who are part of her program are very blessed to have Pat in their
lives, giving them guidance, support, education, and a sense of
belonging. Pat and I agree on most things, but not on the issue of
comprehensive sexuality education for teens. As simply as possible, I
would like to explain why my organization opposes federal funding for
abstinence-only-until-marriage education.
1. The major medical and health organizations in the United States
agree that it is not good public health policy to actively deprive
young people of information that helps prevent pregnancy and disease.
To do so implies that we believe that young people cannot handle
information about condoms and other forms of birth control. I know from
my twenty years of experience conducting both abstinence and
contraceptive education that teens can handle this information, when
presented in an age-appropriate fashion. This is the approach that is
used in most of Europe, where teen pregnancy rates are considerably
lower than ours. The teens at our youth conferences make it clear every
year that they want all of the facts.
2. Abstinence-only programs do not reflect the views or the
behavior of most Americans. According to the National Campaign to
Prevent Teen Pregnancy, only 15 percent of Americans support
abstinence-only sex education. Most parents and teens reject the view
that talking about abstinence and birth control sends a mixed message.
The cultural consensus in this country, according to numerous surveys,
can be summarized by this statement: ``Teens should abstain from
intercourse at least until they are out of high school. However, they
should also be educated about contraception and should always use it if
they are sexually active.'' Our programs would have a better chance of
success if they reflected this cultural consensus.
3. Some abstinence-only programs are fear-based, factually
inaccurate, and use religion to promote their message. I don't think
that anyone intends to do anything harmful, but who can doubt in
today's world that our zeal to do good can have unintended
consequences? I give examples from my own experience at the end of this
article.
4. Most importantly, there is an absence of solid research
documenting the effectiveness of abstinence-only-until-marriage
education. Minnesota recently became the latest state to report that
their five year, $5 million abstinence-only program failed to reduce
sexual activity. We should be spending our scarce taxpayer dollars on
proven programs. Put simply, what works is teaching young people to
wait to have sex but also teaching them how to use contraception if
they don't. Decades of peer-reviewed research shows such programs delay
intercourse and improve contraceptive use among sexually active teens.
These effective approaches have been summarized in numerous reports
disseminated by a variety of reputable organizations, including the
National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Advocates for Youth, and,
most importantly, The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Promote
Sexual Health and Responsible Sexual Behavior, 2001.
Pennsylvania completed an evaluation of its abstinence-only program
several years ago, but the Ridge Administration did not release the
results. I do not know what the Rendell Administration plans to do, but
I ask you to join with the PCPTP in requesting that the public be
allowed to see the study. Regardless of what the results show, as an
educator I can assure you that the report will contain valuable
information that will enable educators to continue to improve their
programs. Furthermore, the taxpayers paid for these abstinence
programs, and they paid for the evaluation. They deserve to see the
results.
To carry out a truly fair and impartial evaluation, we should
conduct both abstinence-only and comprehensive programs and compare the
results. Why not fund such a pilot program to truly determine the
approach that is most effective here in Pennsylvania? The PCPTP,
through our connections with university researchers and with twenty-
three local coalitions, would be willing to work with you on this
project.
For the written record, I would like to focus my additional
comments on a question of concern to us all. Given the reality that
abstinence-only programs will continue to be funded, how can we make
these programs as good as they can be? How can they be conducted in a
way that is healthy for young people?
As someone who has conducted abstinence programs and who has also
spent many hours at conferences listening to different views and
learning about other people's programs, it is clear to me that there
are good methods of teaching abstinence and there are bad methods. My
friend Mary Jo Podgurski, our Board President and a former recipient of
abstinence funding, has an excellent rule in this regard. She says,
``First, do no harm.'' We should all try our best to ensure that
abstinence programs are not harmful in any way to young people. Here
are a few approaches sometimes used in abstinence-only-until-marriage
programs which, in my opinion, are harmful or at least confusing. 1.
The use of fear and guilt to promote abstinence. This is my biggest
concern. In a group of 9-14 year olds, it is highly likely that those
who have already had intercourse did not do so by choice. Most likely,
it was the result of physical or psychological coercion. This is what
the research tells us. The last thing that these young people need is
for someone to come into their classroom and lay a guilt trip on them.
Activities that compare nonvirgins to half-eaten cookies, chewed pieces
of gum, or dirty drinking glasses convey a message that if you've had
intercourse, you are no longer whole. You are used, dirty, and
certainly less desirable than your virginal peers. Even the term
``secondary virginity,'' so popular among many, implies a second-class
status. We know from research that low self-esteem is correlated with
risky sexual behavior. So the guilt engendered by these activities
could actually be increasing the sexual acting-out that is often
typical of sexual abuse victims. 2. The dissemination of misinformation
about birth control. We must attempt to ensure that these programs do
not exaggerate the failure rates of condoms in order to scare teens out
of having sex. There are well-funded groups telling teens that condoms
have microscopic holes which allow HIV to pass through. For example,
when I worked for the York City Health Bureau, we hired researchers
from Penn State to conduct a thorough evaluation of a local middle
school's abstinence-only program that was taught by an organization
affiliated with the Catholic Church. The results showed positive
changes in attitudes about abstinence. However, the only statistically
significant change in behavior was a decrease in condom use among
sexually active teens. When we looked at the curriculum to determine
how this could have come about, we learned that the instructor was
showing them a video produced by James Dobson's Focus on the Family
called ``Sex, Lies, and the Truth.'' This video clearly led children to
believe that condoms were porous and highly unsafe. This was not one of
the federally-funded programs. However, to what extent are these
programs being monitored to ensure that teens are getting medically
accurate information? 3. The use of religion to promote the abstinence-
only-until-marriage message.
I have read about many examples of this. Several years ago at our
annual conference, an abstinence-only peer education group (this one
was an AERS grantee) performed a skit. The skit ended with the singing
of a Christian hymn. How many other programs, in the privacy of their
own communities, are using similar methods? 4. Many programs are
unclear about how to define abstinence.
Repeatedly, we have found in forums comprised of both professionals
and teens that people disagree on what the word ``abstinence'' means.
When someone says they are in favor of abstinence, my first question is
``Abstinence from what?'' Does it mean avoiding intercourse (if so,
which kinds?)? Or does it mean all forms of sexual activity? What about
hugging, kissing, petting, fondling, touching genitals? What about oral
sex? What about masturbation? Teens at our youth conferences define it
in all sorts of ways. There is very little clarity. Many teens, for
example, do not consider oral sex to be sex. To be effective, educators
need to clarify these issues and be able to talk directly and
specifically to teens about the many varieties of sexual behavior.
Teens need to learn how to set limits and how to communicate those
limits to a partner. All too often, especially in the public school
setting, this does not occur. It is next to impossible to promote a
desired behavior (e.g., abstinence) when its proponents have not
clearly defined the term.
These four issues are my main concern. Great strides could be made
in improving abstinence-only programs if these four concerns are openly
addressed. Perhaps you have already taken steps to address them. If so,
it would be helpful for us to learn about them.
In conclusion, I thank you for your desire to improve the sexual
health of teens and reduce the negative consequences of sexual
behavior. The PCPTP looks forward to collaborating with you on this
important issue.
Senator Specter. Thank you, Mr. Fay.
STATEMENT OF KELLY LESH, ABSTINENCE EDUCATION SPECIAL INITIATIVE
COORDINATOR, HEARTBEAT COMMUNITY SERVICE, MILLERSTOWN, PA
Senator Specter. Our next witness is Ms. Kelly Lesh,
Abstinence Education Special Initiative coordinator for
Heartbeat Community Services in Millerstown. She's a registered
nurse and also works for Pinnacle Health System. Her nursing
degree is from Lancaster General School of Nursing and
associate's degree from Franklin and Marshall College. Thank
you for being a witness today, Ms. Lesh. We look forward to
your testimony.
Ms. Lesh. Thank you, Senator, for having me. As you said,
my name is Kelly Lesh, and I am the coordinator for the
Abstinence Education Special Initiative for Heartbeat Community
Services in Millerstown, Pennsylvania. I am a registered nurse
with 18 years of experience. And a majority of my nursing
career has been spent in maternal child health field. I've
worked in the neonatal intensive care unit where I cared for
critically ill premature babies and, unfortunately, a number of
those babies were born to teen parents.
I've also worked in a pediatric and teen clinic where teens
would come in for birth control. One of the forms of birth
control we did use was Depo-Provera. We did teach them also
about condoms. But we do know that sometimes if they have Depo-
Provera and a condom is not available they will not use it
because the real fear is the pregnancy issue. And I would have
arguments with some of the staff that we weren't protecting
these girls from sexually transmitted diseases, that we were
really just giving them the okay to go out and have more casual
frequent sex.
The past 2 years in my nursing career I've been a community
health educator. And one of the programs that I've had the
opportunity to develop is a teen parenting program. And this
program goes out to young teens who have had babies or who are
expecting a baby, and we teach them how to love and bond with
their child. I find it's very difficult sometimes to go out and
teach young girls how to love and bond with their child, the
importance of that bonding process when at this point in their
lives some of them don't even love themselves or have even
experienced love in their families. So it can be very
difficult.
I think I'm with Dr. Horn in that we need to look at
abstinence as prevention and not an intervention. We need to
look at it as a prevention.
Over the years I've watched teens make the decisions to
become sexually active, and I've seen it ruin their lives. I've
seen teens mourn for a premature child that died, I've seen
teens come in for treatment of STDs, and I've seen teens
emotionally scarred for life by this decision.
In November, I've only been active in this really for the
past couple of months, I've had the opportunity to work at a
whole new level. I've actually taken the coordinator position
for the Abstinence Education Special Initiative for Heartbeat
Community Services. And this has given me an opportunity to
make a change in the role that I had over the past couple
years. And hopefully, I'm hoping that I'm going to be part of
breaking this teen cycle of teen pregnancy, disease, and
emotional trauma.
Heartbeat Community Services, Incorporated, offers
abstinence education to the Perry and Juniata School Districts.
And this is made possible by the $51,669 in grant funding that
we've received from your committee, and we thank you for that.
With this funding, I've been able to offer the abstinent
curriculum, Choosing the Best, to students in the 5th grade at
one of the school districts, two of our 6th grade classes in
two school districts, and at four school districts we've
offered this to complete 8th grade.
Choosing the Best is an abstinence focused curriculum and
it is designed to offer six to eight classroom sessions to
students. In addition, we do offer assemblies to six of the
school districts. And these are for grades 7 through 12. And it
is on abstinence education. This year we're working with a
motivational educator from Teen Aid, Incorporated. He will be
coming to speak at the school districts in these counties.
Also, this spring we will be doing a prom extravaganza. And
what that is is we will have select teens from all of the
school districts will be modeling tuxes and prom gowns. And
during this event, we will have a guest speaker on abstinence
and also a guest speaker on drugs, alcohol, club drugs, and
date rape as well. During this event, we give out door prizes
throughout the day. It's sort of motivational way to get the
students there. And the grand prize is that we give a limo ride
to the prom to the students that is drawn in that day. So it is
a way to get the students out there to hear the message. And
they sort of take charge of the whole day, hosting it. And it's
in essence, it's something good for them to be involved in.
The other thing is that we have also have Baby Think It
Over dolls, which one of the school districts has used as well.
And they have really been effective, that they really enjoyed
using them. It's been part of their family life classes as
well.
The total number of students impacted by all of these
programs each year is approximately 3,000 students in the Perry
and Juniata School Districts. And in many of the follow-up
evaluations that we do receive the students express that they
are choosing abstinence because of the information that they
received during our program. And also many of the evaluations
do say that parents have been a big impact on their decision
for abstinence. And I think it is truly really important that
we start educating our parents on how to teach their children
abstinence.
I know that I have a 13-year-old and a 10-year-old. And
from the time they have been little I have been telling them,
all your decisions have consequences. If you start this at a
young age, they will make good decisions throughout the rest of
their life.
I thank you for the funding and I hope that you will
continue on this funding so we can get this important message
out to our youth. Thank you.
STATEMENT OF RONALD EVANS, DIRECTOR, BRIDGE YOUTH SERVICES
Senator Specter. Thank you very much. Our final witness in
this panel is Mr. Ronald Evans, Director of the Bridge Youth
Services in northeastern Pennsylvania, Bachelor's degree from
Wilkes College and Master in social work from Marywood College.
Thank you for coming to Harrisburg today, Mr. Evans. We look
forward to your testimony.
Mr. Evans. Thank you very much. Again, my name is Ron
Evans. I'm currently the director of Bridge Youth Services,
which is a project of the Catholic Social Services of the
Diocese of Scranton. For nearly 30 years I've been working with
youth, developing youth serving programs. These programs
include Big Brothers, Big Sisters, runaway and homeless youth,
shelter programs for dependent children, parenting programs,
and counseling programs.
However, obviously, we're here to discuss today our Smart
Choices program, which is an abstinence-only educational
program, which has been funded by the Department of Health and
Human Services, obviously, through the efforts of Senator
Specter.
During this time we have received over $300,000 to initiate
and continue this program. However, as I believe you will see,
this is a small price to pay when you consider the impact that
I believe this type of service has on children and families.
The Smart Choices program in Luzerne County addresses high risk
population by going directly into the neighborhoods where
children reside. When we were devising the program, we had the
opportunity to even go into the schools or into the
neighborhoods. We really believe that the after-school programs
in the locations where they are in the neighborhoods make them
much more conducive to working with the families and give us
access to the parents and the children right there. A lot less
stress to moms and dads as far as trying to find good baby-
sitting programs and things like that. They can be right there
with their children, if need be.
Again, the major role of the program is to lower the
incidents of teenage pregnancies and making abstinence from
sexual activity outside of the marriage as the expected
standard.
Our objectives vary in our program depending on the age
group of the population we are serving. For our younger
participants, increasing self-esteem is a very high priority.
Learning to handle peer pressure, developing refusal skills,
and improving communication and decision making skills are also
important activities. Developing conflict management skills,
improving parent/child communications are among our objectives,
as well as increasing positive attitudes towards abstinence.
Emphasizing the importance of academic achievement, as well as
lowering drug and alcohol use, are also high priority goals
from this program. Once again, by going on site and having
access to parents where they are joining the children, this
only seems to help the program along in some of its results.
The program is presented using a very small group format.
We average between 8 and 12 students per group with a variety
of approaches, including lecture, presentation, and interactive
group discussions. The abstinence-only curriculum uses various
approaches that emphasize the use of creativity and reflective
techniques. Coaching techniques are used to teach problem
solving skills and model behaviors, including role playing
utilized in demonstrating refusal skills and to help the youth
feel more comfortable when faced with difficult choices.
In addition to Smart Choices program, we offer the
following supportive services to youth and their families. We
have the curriculum on one side and then we go in on the
counselors and our case workers and evaluate a family. We can
offer a whole host of other services to them as we were
mentioning earlier, sir. We will offer Big Brother Big Sister
mentoring services, counseling programs, parenting programs.
It's all on site. We believe being able to be there once again,
I think is very important to stress. When you are on site with
the families that are there, it's a lot easier to engage in
meeting with families and their children that are there also
and have everyone working together on the same goal.
Our results to me do bear witness to a program such as
this. To our knowledge, we've served well over 1,000 children
in the past 6 years. To my knowledge, there has only been one
incident of pregnancy by program participants during the 6-year
program. We view this as very remarkable. Penn State University
shows that births to teens in Pennsylvania is 3.8 percent or
over 15,000 children. Our county does have a slightly lower
rate of 3.4 percent. However, again, given the high risk nature
of the developments that we're going into, Mercy Health Care,
which sends doctors and nurses directly into the housing
projects, do estimate the overall pregnancy rate in the housing
projects to be close to 6 percent. So if you look at those who
have gone through our program, we are obviously very proud of
that. We believe very much in the program as it is set up.
Children living in low income housing developments are at
high risk for teenage pregnancy. Economic deprivation is proven
risk factor in early sexual activity is compounded by the low
neighborhood attachment due to a very transient population.
They have management problems and poor academic performances.
This program addresses many of the needs of over 1,000 children
who have participated in our services during the last 6 years.
In closing, funding earmark for preventative programs such
as this may very well be the most significant act Congress
makes with regard to human services. Much of the funding in
programs that human services must perform deal with the
immediate needs children and families are facing. Obviously,
this is exceptionally important for us to address and cannot be
ignored. However, funding for the programs to prevent these
same needs are often overlooked.
Once again, I've been doing this for nearly 30 years. It's
hard to believe, but my age says it's true. In all my years as
working in this field, I have found that there is far greater
value in helping families avoid this situation than in treating
them once they have occurred. I think preventative programs are
exceptionally important. I hope the funding continues to be
there.
Senator Specter. Thank you very much. Ms. Urrutia, let's
start with you. I find it intriguing that you are a
kindergarten teacher at the same time you are the coordinator
for abstinence of the BEST program. It leads me to a question.
Does abstinence instruction start in some way as early as your
kindergarten class?
Ms. Urrutia. If the children ask questions as a teacher, I
will answer them in a roundabout manner. But normally they
don't ask any questions of that nature.
Senator Specter. I was interested in the examples that you
gave about students who have benefitted from abstinence
education. What was the age range of those students?
Ms. Urrutia. The age ranges would be 12 to 18. I know one
of the letters that I have the child was 17. And the other two
were anonymous. Because they are not obligated to write their
name on the letter for feedback. It's completely optional. They
were anonymous. But the majority of our students that we
service are ages 15 through 18.
Senator Specter. When you said that you are not only
sleeping with the person, you are sleeping with all the people
whom he or she had slept with and all the people whom they have
slept with, et cetera, I saw a fascinating chart in one of the
schools. Two people together on one side the person slept with
two, and one of those had slept with four, and one had slept
with six, and they had slept with--the number grows
exponentially. I think that's a factor which is worth noting.
Until I had seen that chart, that thought had not crossed my
mind.
Ms. Urrutia. Yes. We use a chart similar to that for our
discussions. I believe it's session 5. And it actually shows a
breakdown. It begins with number 1 and it goes to 15. And in
actuality, if you sleep with 15 people, you are sleeping with
1,037 people. And the children are really amazed by the
breakdown. If you've had----
Senator Specter. 1,037?
Ms. Urrutia. Yes. If you've had more than 15 sexual
partners, it's not on the actual handout, but they really have
a lot of questions. And I think the program is very successful
and the information that we give----
Senator Specter. You teach a course in higher mathematics.
Ms. Urrutia. I'm also an adult facilitator. I do serve as a
facilitator for the program as well at one of our sites. So I
get to actually go in and participate, listen to the feedback,
and it's very rewarding.
Senator Specter. Rev. Page, you assigned statistics of 65
percent of your teens had a reduction in pregnancy. Can you
amplify that just a little more?
Rev. Page. As far as where those statistics come from or
what that means in the lives of?
Senator Specter. What is the evidentiary base for your
conclusion that there has been a 65 percent reduction in teen
pregnancy?
I'm about to ask Mr. Fay this question about the Minnesota
study. I'm about to call on Mr. Evans to amplify his statistic,
that he made a statistic of 60 percent, and you were very proud
of your programs. What I would like to do, it's not possible to
have a comprehensive analysis with the experience we've had
here. But I think anecdotally it is worthwhile to explore,
which is what I want to do. I tip my question to Mr. Fay, so he
will be prepared, not that he wouldn't be anyway.
Rev. Page. Because our program is school district based and
young people of that age are in school, the vast majority of
them, those statistics are very easy for us to come up with.
The school district knows when those teen pregnancies happen.
Those come from--our program has been going on for 7 years, and
so we are using the figures from 8 years ago before the program
started and the program's most recent survey.
Senator Specter. Mr. Evans, you a cited 60 percent figure.
Can you amplify?
Mr. Evans. Sixty percent figure with regards to? When I was
talking about Penn State----
Senator Specter. You were talking about pregnancy and I
thought I heard you say 60 percent.
Mr. Evans. No. Actually within our program we've served
over 1,000 youth, to our knowledge, which is documented. We
have those in our figures that we submit to the department.
However, there has always been to our knowledge one pregnancy
during that time for individuals who went through our program.
I can't attest to the fact if any of those individuals have had
sexual intercourse. But to our knowledge, there has only been
one pregnancy during that time by those individuals.
Senator Specter. You don't have any comparison, though, as
to how many there had been before?
Mr. Evans. No. All I have is Penn State percentages, which
in Luzerne County is 3.4 percent. And within that, within the
housing authorities themselves, Mercy Hospital, Mercy Health
Span, who has clinics directly in all the low income housing
projects in Luzerne County, they believe the number to be close
to 6 percent. So I'm sorry. That's where that came from. That
was 6 percent, not 60.
So when I look at those numbers, to me our program is
doing--it's absolutely phenomenal when you look at the rate who
have gone through our program. When you are talking about one
individual versus the rest of that same population that we are
dealing with, where possibly could be looking as high as 6
percent or minimally probably as low as 3-something percent.
Senator Specter. Mr. Fay, you have cited the Minnesota
study. I'm familiar with it, but I don't have the details. I
have a one page summary of it.
Mr. Fay. Neither do I.
Senator Specter. What is your evaluation just from your
experience and judgmental factor? You heard the testimony of
Dr. Horn about the studies that he cited, you heard what the
witness here has said. Do you think that abstinence-only
education is not effective in reducing teenage pregnancy?
Mr. Fay. I wouldn't go that far. I think the jury is still
out. And that's why I asked, where is the evidence. I would be
very interested to see. And my question would be, are they
reducing teen pregnancy or have they indicated an increase in
abstinence. Because there are two different things. You think,
if we're increasing the number of teens who are abstaining,
won't that automatically reduce teen pregnancy. Not
necessarily.
My concern is that abstinence-only programs may actually
decrease contraceptive use among teens who ultimately decide to
have intercourse. And the concern I have is, and I think it
needs to be studied, is to what extent are emphasis only on
failure rates of contraception actually scaring kids or
dissuading kids from protecting themselves when they do begin
to have intercourse, which most people do at some point in
their lives. I think most abstinence programs from what I've
seen that actually show delay in sexual activity, which is good
and something everyone supports, they also show that once those
teens begin to have intercourse they are less likely than a
control group to protect themselves, which therefore makes them
more at risk for pregnancy and disease.
I think we have to be very careful about the messages we
are conveying to children about contraception. These programs
are scaring them out of using condoms or exaggerating the
failure rates of condoms. Many teens are going to think what's
the point of using a condom if, you know, I've just learned
that they are ineffective.
Senator Specter. Mr. Fay, you have testified that you
oppose depriving teens about information on birth control. Do
you think there is something of a mixed message or a message
which is not really promoting abstinence if at the same time
you say to the teen, if you decide to have sex, this is the
contraception, doesn't that to some extent undercut the first
message of abstaining?
Mr. Fay. No, I don't think so. The national campaign did a
study on that. They surveyed parents and teens. And over two-
thirds believe that that is not a mixed message, that that is
clear and consistent message. It's a complete message. And we
don't give teens enough credit. We don't really have much faith
in the whole educational process if we don't think teens can
handle that message.
Dr. Horn mentioned the rates in Europe were so much lower
that ours. That is the message that they give teens and they
have no problem following that message. Generally, their rates
of teen pregnancy are considerably lower than ours. And their
rates of contraception, more teens who are sexually active are
well over 90 percent, where in this country it's around 50
percent. So we're not doing a very good job in this country of
encouraging sexually active teens to use contraception.
Obviously, they should wait.
We should all do everything we can to deliver that clear
message, wait, wait, wait. That's the message I gave my kids,
wait until you are older. There is negative--We tend to talk
about--emphasize pregnancy and disease, but there is also the
negative emotional consequences of all too early sexual
activity. We have to really stress that in every way we can to
get them to delay. I think we can also deliver a consistent
message about using contraception without making them feel
guilty, wrong, or confusing them about how effective it's going
to be.
Senator Specter. When you talk about denying information
about contraception, is that really likely? If you talk to them
about abstinence, don't they already know about contraceptives,
so there is really no denying them information that they don't
already have?
Mr. Fay. Well, I don't think they really do know much about
it. They may know that it exists. We hold a youth conference
every year. We are surprised how little they know. Again, I
wish there were more studies on this. But generally a lot of
teens don't know enough to use contraception well when they do
use it. Dr. Horn pointed out that teens have problems using
contraception effectively. To me the answer is not to tell them
not to--not to stop educating them about it but educate them
better.
It's like when teens turn 16, we teach them how to drive a
car. That's a more complicated and deadly skill than learning
how to put on a condom. If they can learn how to drive a car,
we can certainly learn how to put on a condom properly if we
give them the proper education.
Senator Specter. I'm not with you on that analogy, but I'll
go on. One final question. From the point of view of a public
policymaker like a senator, when we take a look at the programs
and you have groups, perhaps religiously oriented, value
oriented who do not want to get involved in contraception, just
from their own personal views, don't you think it makes sense
to have a variety of programs which are available? One is
abstinence-only, so that we have funds available. Tom Bowman on
my staff deals with many, many locales with appropriate living
for them. And then as Dr. Horn testified they also have the
contraceptive programs, you are not eliminating those. Don't
you think it makes sense with such different views of people,
there are really poles apart on this question. If you had to
find the toughest one that a U.S. Senator has to deal with is
the pro-life/pro-choice question trying to straddle and trying
to accommodate a lot of conflicting interests. In that context
do you see some value in your approach of having a program for
those who want abstinence-only?
Mr. Fay. I'm very open minded and so is my organization.
And I personally think there is no simple answer to this or no
one approach that's going to work for every teenager. All teens
are different. I would love to see a variety of different
approaches tried, funded by the Federal Government, and
evaluated properly. And for everyone to go into it with an open
mind, put aside their preconceived notions. Let's all focus on
the fact that we all want the same end result. We only disagree
about some of the methods.
I would take issue with one of the assumptions of your
question, which is that we're providing birth control. We are
providing through Title 10, we're providing birth control
services. But to my knowledge, there is no Federal funding for
comprehensive or abstinence plus sexuality education. The only
Federal funding for sexual education programs is abstinence-
only until marriage.
Senator Specter. Ms. Lesh, when you made a comment about
abstinence prevention, not intervention, that's an interesting
concept. Could you expand on that a little?
Ms. Lesh. I guess from my nursing career taking care of
teens in these situations where they have been sexually active,
it would be much easier to help them through life if we could
have prevented this. We tend to be reactive a lot I find in my
whole nursing career with a lot of disease processes. And I
think we can take more initiative to be preventative we could
really save a lot of teens from having to go through all these
risks that they do go through.
Senator Specter. And you are the parent of a 10-year-old
and a 13-year-old?
Ms. Lesh. Yes.
Senator Specter. What ages did you start to give them some
information about the problems of disease, et cetera?
Ms. Lesh. Well, actually, we've talked about consequences
and risks since they were very little. Your choices always have
consequences. I would say from 5th grade we really started it
with my older son that is now 13, when we started talking about
the risks and the consequences. But all through life we've
talked about decisions have consequences. I think if you start
with that as a parent at an early age they will make good
decisions.
Senator Specter. Thank you very much, Ms. Lesh. Thank you
Mr. Evans, Ms. Urrutia, Reverend Page, Mr. Fay. I think we will
rerun this several times on Pennsylvania Cable Network. You've
said a lot of things that I think are worth listening to.
We'll move on now to our third panel, Tyler Barth, Jesse
Walton, Jennifer Bruno, Sierra Leiphart, Nelly Torres, and
Miranda Shipley. Thank you for joining us. We have asked for
these young ladies and gentlemen to limit their testimony to
one minute. So when they are brief, you'll know it's not
because they don't have a lot more to say.
STATEMENT OF TYLER BARTH, PERFORMER, ABSTINENCE GROUP
CHOICE INITIATIVE
Senator Specter. Our first witness is Mr. Tyler Barth at
Central Mountain High School, Mill Hall, Pennsylvania,
letterman of football, baseball, National Honor Society, and a
performer of the abstinence group Choice initiative. We look
forward to your testimony.
Mr. Barth. Good afternoon, Mr. Specter. Thank you for
taking the time to listen to the views of the students actually
about this subject because I mean it's us who you are
affecting. We appreciate your interest in us.
As Senator Specter said, my name is Tyler Barth, I'm a
senior at Central Mountain High School in Lock Haven,
Pennsylvania, Clinton County. I am 17 years old. I am involved
in football and baseball where I have lettered 3 years in both
sports and twice in basketball, which is not mentioned. I'm
also member of the National Honor Society, president of the
Nature Club, a member of student council, and performer in the
Abstinence Skit Group known as Choices. Outside of school I am
a member of the Church of Christ Youth Group. I referee youth
sporting events and coach youth baseball clinics.
I've been a part of Keystone Central School District
Abstinence program for 4 years. I think this program is a
successful thing because the education experiences provided by
our abstinence curriculum have created lifelong valuable
lessons deep within my heart. Another great point about our
abstinence program is the ways that it can reach different
children. We all know children learn different ways and receive
things through different messages. It's been a great way
because we've been able to have TV commercials, radio spots,
and billboards throughout the counties. These experiences
provide great solutions to peer pressure in the minds of
students all across the district.
The program has made a difference in my life in that it has
helped me to learn creative effective ways to reach my peers
and younger children who are interested in knowing what
abstinence is all about. Overall, I can't truly express how
lucky I am to be part of the abstinence education at our
school. And it's been a great experience for myself and my
fellow classmates. And it's just a great opportunity for myself
to tell everybody else how I feel about abstinence and what it
truly is and what it's all about.
Finally, I would like to personally thank Senator Specter
for making the funding for the abstinence program available for
our school district. Thank you.
STATEMENT OF MIRANDA SHIPLEY, VOLUNTEER, PEER EDUCATION,
REAL COMMITMENT PROGRAM
Senator Specter. Thank you very much. Turn now to Ms.
Miranda Shipley, Fairfield, Pennsylvania, high school senior
and volunteer of Peer Education with the Real Commitment
program. Thank you for joining us. We look forward to your
testimony.
Ms. Shipley. Thank you, Senator Specter. I have been
volunteering with Real Commitment as a peer educator for the
past 2 years. I am a senior as a home schooled student. As far
as the education program that we do, we represent our message,
which is abstinence, through role plays, skits, and our own
personal experiences as far as why we chose abstinence.
The children respond very well to what we have to say. We
have had several evaluation charts that we do at the end of
each presentation where kids tell us why they think our message
is good. Real commitment is a non-profit abstinence education
organization. And it's been my greatest desire to serve people
in mine and other communities and to have a positive impact on
the people of my country.
When I discovered the need for Peer Educators for Real
Commitment, I jumped at the chance to be involved. Kids and
parents I think are creating a new message. Real Commitment is
something with meaning that they can take to heart. Something
that they never heard before or at least not in such an
influential way. I've gained so much from Real Commitment, from
Director Jean Fletcher and Coordinator Marya Tipton.
My whole experience in this organization has been such a
blessing to my life that I wanted to give something back. The
best opportunity for me to do that would be for my senior
project, which is coordinating a fashion show about modesty. My
goal for this fashion show is to present a clear and attractive
picture of how we can be as people to look decently in
attractive attire, not exploiting ourselves as sexual objects,
but presenting ourselves as respectful individuals.
My purpose today was to tell you our abstinence education
program. Some may say abstinence programs are a waste of time.
It is true that some will choose to ignore helpful information.
But that doesn't mean that the information shouldn't be
presented, because some will choose to benefit from it.
I wanted to read a statement from one girl in the Adams
County area. After presenting the program to middle school in
the Adams County area, I was reading comments on performance of
myself and other peer educators. This one came from an 8th
grade girl, and it went like this.
I really enjoyed your program. I liked what you had to say.
I only wish you could have been here a couple weeks ago. I'm
already pregnant.
PREPARED STATEMENT
There are other young people who are in need of this
message who would choose a better way if only they knew how.
That 8th grade girl heard what we had to say and wished for a
better choice. Other teenagers do, too.
Finally, I would like to think Senator Specter for the
abstinence-only education funding that has enabled Real
Commitment to continue its work. I would like to request that
future funding continue. Thank you.
[The statement follows:]
Prepared Statement of Miranda Shipley
My name is Miranda Shipley. I am a 16--soon to be 17--year old home
schooled senior. I have been volunteering with Real Commitment for two
years (since 2002) as a Peer Educator. I am very excited about this
organization for the many different opportunities it has offered me.
Opportunities such as speaking in front of a variety of people, sharing
a good message with a strong impact, meeting many kids of the same age
with like-goals and working with good, strong women such as Jean
Fletcher and Marya Tipton.
The responses that the group receives vary, but for the most part
they are very good. People in the public school, private school and
home school remain alike, see the desperate need for the very message
Real Commitment is delivering, that is the message of purity.
Through my involvement with Real Commitment and the satisfaction I
have gained from it, I have desired to give something back. Because of
that I am coordinating a fashion show about modesty through Real
Commitment for my senior project. I feel, as well as many other people
feel, that modesty plays a key role in abstinence in both males and
females. Modesty is more than what a person wears it is an attitude.
That attitude has sadly been corrupted over generations of time and it
is my goal and the goal of the people involved with Real Commitment to
deliver a sound message about not only a change in wardrobe but also a
change in attitude. This we hope to accomplish through the fashion
show, ``Smashin' Fashion'' which will be held March 6th at the
Gettysburg College Ballroom. This is my gift to Real Commitment.
I would like to thank Senator Specter for the abstinence only
education funding that has enabled Real Commitment to continue its work
and I would like to request that, that funding continue. Thank you.
Senator Specter. Thank you very much. Appreciate that,
especially lobbying for more money.
STATEMENT OF NELLY TORRES, PEER EDUCATOR, IMPACT GROUP
Senator Specter. We return now for Ms. Nelly Torres, junior
at Millersville University, graduated from J.P. McKaskey High
School in Lancaster, and is peer educator with the IMPACT
Group. Thank you for sharing your stories, and the floor is
yours.
Ms. Torres. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. My name
is Nelly Torres. I'm a graduate of J.P. McKaskey High School
and presently a junior at Millersville University, majoring in
communications with an option in theater. Post-graduation I
would like to work for the youth on play productions that are
self-written by myself and performed by plays involving all
ages and continue to work for the Impact program.
IMPACT stands for Individuals Motivated to Promote
Alternative Choices for Teens. I'm a peer educator and peer
mentor for grades 6 through 12th. And I assist with the after-
school program held for middle school students. I've been
involved with IMPACT program for 6 years, 4 years as a student
and 2 years as an employee. The program was exceptionally
helpful in ascertaining my strengths and weaknesses.
I found a place to where I could voice my opinions and
address my concerns and take action. I discovered that I could
work with students and effectively educate them and make a
difference in their lives, thus making a difference in mine. I
also realized that I didn't have all the knowledge that I
thought I possessed, and there was always room to learn and
grow, to be strong and healthy and an active member in my
community.
I recall as a student how my friends would tell me that I
needed a boyfriend and why I didn't let them set me up with
someone. I felt like I was the only one, you know, uninterested
in relationships and sex, preferring to pursue my education, so
I wouldn't have to struggle like my mother did and most
families that I knew had to.
I love volunteering and helping. And IMPACT served as a
support system that I needed that I wasn't getting anywhere
else. People view me as a strong individual, but it's also nice
to have others to be strong with.
Education is the tool we need to be equipped with to
abstain from the daily pressures we face. If not, we can
continue to see children lose their innocence, babies having
babies, less students graduating with diplomas and acquiring a
college education and a healthy foundation for a family. We all
are affected in some shape or form.
So in closing, on behalf of IMPACT program, parents, and I
myself would like to thank you, Senator Arlen Specter, for
funding us for these past few years on carrying out our goals
for abstinence-only education, in the efforts of getting our
children back and giving them a fighting chance to have a
successful future. Without your support many of our youth, such
as myself, wouldn't have an avenue to bypass many pressures and
be individuals motivated to promote alternative choices for
teens akin to themselves. Thank you very much.
STATEMENT OF SIERRA LEIPHART, VOLUNTEER, HUMAN LIFE
SERVICES, YORK COUNTY, PA
Senator Specter. Thank you. Sierra Leiphart is a junior at
Dallastown Area High School, honor student, volunteer with
Human Life Services, a pregnancy resource center in York
County. Thank you for coming up to Harrisburg, Ms. Leiphart,
and we look forward to your testimony.
Ms. Leiphart. Thank you. As he said, my name is Sierra
Leiphart, and I'm an honor student at Dallastown High School.
I'm 17 years old, and I enjoy traveling. I have been to
Australia and Europe with People to People Student Ambassadors,
which is a nationwide organization that promotes peace between
nations through the education and interaction of students to
close the gap between different cultures. I've also been to
Ecuador on a missions trip with Focus on the Family, a non-
profit Christian organization based out of Colorado Springs,
Colorado.
In addition to traveling, I have been a teen abstinence
presenter and a spokesperson at the annual banquet for Human
Life Services. I've been a part of Human Life Services' It's
Smart to Wait program for a year. I believe the program is
having a strong impact on students' choices about sexual
activity. It covers topics from relationships to the
consequences of having premarital sex. This program is very
straightforward but is not forceful in its view of abstinence.
The choice the student chooses to make is his or her personal
choice, but the consequences may reach farther than just that
one student. The content of the Smart to Wait program is
current information that can affect personally each student's
life.
I would like to thank on behalf of Human Life Services
Senator Specter for providing funding for the education
department at Human Life Services and for its continued support
of abstinence education.
STATEMENT OF JENNIFER BRUNO, BOARD MEMBER, YOUTH AS
RESOURCES PROGRAM
Senator Specter. Thank you. Our next panelist is Ms.
Jennifer Bruno, student at Lehigh Valley High School performing
arts in Bethlehem, board member of Youth as Resources program.
Thank you for coming over today, Ms. Bruno. We welcome your
testimony.
Ms. Bruno. In January 2003, I entered YAR Goes to College
program at Northeast Middle School and participated in the
developing and acting in an abstinence education video which
was partially funded through the CHOICES program. Doing this
and becoming involved in both CHOICES program and Youth As
Resources helped me change my life forever.
See, the summer of 2002 I moved from the Bronx, New York,
for a better life, but things just got worse. I was getting
pushed around and made fun of for no reason and getting in
trouble in school. It got so bad one day that I brought a flip
knife to school. It really belonged to a boy I was going out
with at the time, but he was no help either. He just helped me
get into more trouble and more problems. I wasn't really
planning to use the knife, but the school found out and called
the police. I was searched, my grandparents sat in the office
so very disappointed, and I was put into probation for 6
months.
But then January 17, 2003, I was given a second chance in
life when I joined Youth As Resources, and we decided to work
with the Choices program. I loved making the video about
pregnant teens and teaching others how to say no to sex.
Working with the Choices program helped me get the confidence
to make my own decisions about relationships, life, and my
career.
For example, I auditioned for the School of Performing Arts
and was accepted. I am proud to say in addition to creating and
acting in the abstinence education video, I am also chairperson
of the fundraising committee for Youth As Resources. The
creator and editor of Youth As Resources newsletter and
tomorrow hopefully will be elected vice-president.
Thank you for allowing me to speak to you today about this
very important pre-teen and teen issue. Thank you, Senator
Specter, for supporting the Choices program in Pennsylvania.
Thank you very much. Can I ask the staff to hand him the video?
STATEMENT OF JESSE WALTON, STAFF MEMBER, BOYS TO MEN PROGRAM
Senator Specter. Our next witness on this panel is Mr.
Jesse Walton, staff member of Boys to Men program, graduate of
McKeesport High School, involved in youth programming at Mercy
Hospital of Pittsburgh. Thank you for your testimony, Mr.
Walton, which we are about to hear.
Mr. Walton. Thank you. Good afternoon. My name is Jesse
Walton. I'm 19 years old. I was introduced to Boys to Men
program when I was about 14, 15 years old. I was given an
ultimatum by a teacher at school, either join the new program
or be expelled. Personally, I would have chosen to let her kick
me out of school, but my mother and my father wouldn't let me.
At first I wasn't interested in the program. I was more
interested in the life that my friends had to offer.
But shortly after joining the Boys to Men program, a group
of us went on a trip that we like to call destiny trip. This
was a field trip to a cemetery, dinner at a buffet, and also a
visit to western penitentiary. While we were at the cemetery,
we saw the graves of students who were my age and some even
younger that had died as a direct result of gang activities.
The staff helped me to see that how the choices--how the
consequences of the choices we make have permanent outcomes,
and that it is up to me to choose a path for my life and be
responsible for the consequences that result. As a result of
that trip, my eyes have been opened. And with the help of the
Mercy staff, I was able to focus on creating a new and
promising future for myself.
I did this by graduating from high school with honors, as
well as graduating as one of the top 10 African-American
students in my graduating class and becoming president of the
Boys to Men program my senior year.
For the past 2 years I have been working at Mercy Hospital
of Pittsburgh in the community programming department teaching
the Boys to Men curriculum to other youths such as myself. I've
worked with hundreds of kids that I have made relationships
with. And thanks to those relationships I have learned new
techniques that help me service my students better.
So thank you, Senator Specter, for allowing this program to
change my life and allowing me to help change the lives of my
students. Thank you.
Senator Specter. Thank you very much, Mr. Walton. Let me
start with a tough question that I won't direct at anybody in
particular but to the panel as a whole. And that is, have any
of you ever found yourself in a compromising situation where
you were tempted to do the wrong thing but found sustenance
support from your abstinence education to pull you back, so to
speak, from the brink of disaster attributing your strength to
the abstinence education program?
Ms. Shipley. I have, Senator. Over the summer----
Senator Specter. Tell us all about it.
Ms. Shipley. Over the summer there was a young man that I
was seeing, and he was well aware of my commitment and how I
was working with Real Commitment and the plans I had for my
future. He seemed to act like he wanted to go along with that
as well. But then later he started asking me questions about
being intimate and things like that. I, of course, told him no.
But it was really hard. He was using other pressures as far
as--I'm trying to think of the correct term--aggressiveness. He
would--it's called emotional abuse. And he would do that.
Finally, I just broke up with him.
It was after a Real Commitment Youth retreat. I had taken
him to it. After sitting through those sessions, I was again
realizing what this group had to offer and I was part of it. I
broke up with him the next day.
Senator Specter. Congratulations. Anybody else have similar
experience they would like to share? Jennifer Bruno.
Ms. Bruno. I was at a party and I was with my friends, and
all of us had a boyfriend. So most of the girls that were my
friends were like going to rooms and kissing and everything.
And two of my best friends decided that they were going to go
with their boyfriends downstairs and they asked me if I wanted
to go, and I said no because I knew what was going to happen.
So after the party was over, I went to the performing arts
school and they went to Liberty. And I didn't see them for like
3 months. I recently found out that both of them had babies.
And I was proud of the decision that I made and that I chose to
stay abstinent.
Senator Specter. That's pretty persuasive proof I'd say.
Pastor Page talked about people being more open about talking
about abstinence in front of their peers. Let me ask you,
either Mr. Walton or Mr. Barth, there is a tradition for locker
room talk about conquests. Not too hard to talk about that,
whether it's true or not, that is whether the conquests are
true or not.
Is there more of an inclination after the abstinence
education to stand up with your peers and say, I have
abstained, I'm not doing it to counteract the traditional peer
pressure to be a part of the group and to engage in the sexual
activities?
Mr. Barth. I'm glad you could come up with a question that
I could relate to so easily, being athletic and being a member
of several sports teams.
Senator Specter. You say you're glad I came up with the
question that you could relate to?
Mr. Barth. Yes.
Senator Specter. You couldn't have answered the first
question about being on the brink of temptation?
Mr. Barth. Well--you got me.
Senator Specter. I'm asking another question. Stop
blushing.
Mr. Barth. No. But in all serious, locker room talk is a
big part of high school athletics. I'm sure anybody can tell
you that. And it's more of like when it comes up, students
don't necessarily, after receiving the education in our health
classes and our abstinence education performances and whatnot,
it's not necessarily that student athlete has to say, look,
guys I learned about this in abstinence education class, I'm
not going to do it. They don't even have to mention it. It's
just a fact that it's in some kids hearts. And it's just a fact
that they can say no without explaining why. It's a great
testimony to what we do at our school. And it's great to see
the kids that are affected by it. And it absolutely comes up.
It's like an everyday occurrence, guys will come in and say,
did you hear about this and stuff like that and the kids----
Senator Specter. Stuff like what?
Mr. Barth. Stuff like sexual activities that occurred the
night before, weekend before, or even like alcohol. That's part
of our abstinence, abstaining from alcohol use and drug and
tobacco use. Any of that comes up, kids can just have the
strength and understand in our school that it's okay to say,
hey, I'm not a part of that nor do I look forward to being a
part of it. And it's just a great atmosphere to have. And it's
great camaraderie between students to be able to stand up
together and say we don't support this.
Senator Specter. Ms. Torres, you commented that some of
your friends say you needed to have a boyfriend and tried to
fix you up.
Ms. Torres. Yes, they did. I disagreed.
Senator Specter. You're not testifying that you need to be
fixed up, are you?
Ms. Torres. No.
Senator Specter. Tell us a little more about your friends
saying that, I think as you put it, quote, needed a boyfriend,
closed quote, how you responded to that kind of peer pressure.
Ms. Torres. I said no, I don't, I don't need a boyfriend.
I'm fine just as Nelly. Nelly is an individual. I'm going to be
myself, and that's not a problem.
Senator Specter. You're self-sustaining?
Ms. Torres. I'm very self-sustaining. And that finding
another program that took my values, took my morals so
seriously helped, and that's why it was nice to have that
support system there because you can be a strong individual and
still have a support system--still need a support system.
Senator Specter. Ms. Leiphart, to what extent have you
found the abstinence training helpful in resisting peer
pressure from what may be all around you? Were you surprised by
the statistic, 46 percent of high school students have had
sexual intercourse?
Ms. Leiphart. No, I wasn't surprised by that. There are a
couple of girls at school who they would be talking to their
friends or talking about something that they did this weekend.
When I say, well, you know, I'm not really into that, I don't
want to do that type of thing, they are just amazed that I
haven't done anything with my boyfriend. We've been together
for about 2 years. And they are just amazed that in 2 years we
haven't done anything and we don't fool around and we haven't
had sex.
It's kind of been another reason to keep my stand on
abstinence. My mom is a presenter for HLS. And she asked before
if it would be okay if she used me and my boyfriend as an
example, that not every teenage couple is having sex or
sleeping around. I told her that would be fine. To me, that's
kind of--it's like a reason, another reason not to just give in
to peer pressure and temptation because then, you know, I would
be disappointing her and myself and the program as a whole. It
wouldn't only affect me.
Senator Specter. We have other students who are with us
today who are not witnesses. I would like to ask every other
student who is part of an abstinence program to stand.
We are going to be pursuing these questions. I think
today's hearing was really very, very much worthwhile. Mr. Fay,
who has dissented from the program, has raised a couple of
points which I am going to pursue under the Pennsylvania study,
No Commitments, but I am going to make inquiries to see about
the study and find out more about it. I had not heard of it, to
see if it would be appropriate for me to weigh in or for the
subcommittee to weigh in and have a disclosure.
When you said there is no comprehensive program in the
other direction, I want to take a look at that because I think
that in a culture as complex as ours on a subject as sensitive
as this there ought to be all viewpoints expressed.
I came to this hearing a believer in abstinence. And I have
worked hard to develop it. Really when I became chairman of the
subcommittee there was--we had initiated the program during my
tenure. And these students are really very, very impressionable
and very candid. And that candor and that openness and
willingness to speak up is indicator of confidence, you know
who you are. Ms. Torres expresses it very well. She's self-
sufficient, she knows who she is, she doesn't need anything to
boost her ego. I think that's a sense that has come across from
everybody who has testified here today.
So thank you all for coming. We're going to go back to
Washington. And I've listened very closely to very effective
lobbying in this room today for more funding. Thank you.
CONCLUSION OF HEARING
Thank you all very much for being here. That concludes our
hearing.
[Whereupon, at 3:20 p.m., Monday, February 16, the hearing
was concluded, and the subcommittee was recessed, to reconvene
subject to the call of the Chair.]