Iowa, Washington, Lawmakers Urge Planned Parenthood Sex-Ed Courses

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Apr 1, 2007   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Iowa, Washington, Lawmakers Urge Planned Parenthood Sex-Ed Courses Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
April 1
, 2007

Des Moines, IA (LifeNews.com) — Lawmakers in the Iowa and Washington state legislatures are pushing bills that would force schools to teach sexual education courses with curriculum prepared by the nation’s largest abortion business. The Washington Senate passed a bill by a 30-19 vote and the Iowa House approved a bill 55 to 40.

In Iowa, the state House approved HF 611 despite opposition from pro-life groups, including Iowa Right to Life.

The bill is headed to the Senate where there is little chance in defeating it, the group told LifeNews.com in an email.

HF 611 is a coordinated effort by Planned Parenthood, the Emma Goldman Clinic abortion center and the Representative Mary Mascher–who also led the fight for human cloning in Iowa.

"It is no secret what they are trying to do" IRLC director Kim Lehman told LifeNews.com, referring to their opposition to abstinence education.

"The reality is, if the bill passes, Iowa will be required to revise curriculum to a ‘new and politically correct abstinence only,’" Lehman explained.

"Indeed, schools will be able to teach an abstinence only program, as long as it’s politically correct. They will no longer be able to teach that life begins at conception or that condoms fail," she added. "No longer will these worthy curriculums teach that having sex only within marriage is the expected standard of human sexual activity."

Meanwhile, in Washington, state Sen. Val Stevens said the Planned Parenthood sexual education bill is "probably the worst piece of legislation we’ve passed in the 15 years I’ve been in the legislature."

"The bill will eliminate the opportunity for the schools to teach abstinence education, unless they also present the ‘medically correct’ — as it is being called — curriculum that will be developed by the state superintendent of public instruction," he said.

LeAnna Benn, director of Spokane-based Teen-Aid, said the curriculum requires that students be taught about access to abortion as well.

Related web sites:
Iowa Right to Life – https://www.IRLC.org