|
The Illinois Campaign for Responsible Sex Education is a joint project of the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health and Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area, and is supported by more than 90 organizations.
Research shows that Illinois residents overwhelmingly support age-appropriate, comprehensive sex education. Yet, much of the curricula that's currently available is abstinence-only and many teens are getting incomplete or inaccurate information. A comprehensive sex education program provides young people with the information they need to be safe, make informed choices, and act responsibly.
- 50% of new HIV infections occur in people under 25
- 40% of Illinois' new Chlamydia and gonorrhea cases are among youth aged 10 to 19
- nearly 18,000 births occur each year to girls aged 19 and younger
It's clear that abstinence-only programs aren't working. Comprehensive sex ed programs - that combine an abstinence message with the facts about birth control and STDs - are proven to delay sexual activity and prevent disease. |
What's New
Campaign calls on Congress to stop funding Abstinence-only programs
The two main sources of federal funding, Title V and the Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) grants, pour $7.5 million a year into Illinois for abstinence-only programs that have shown no evidence of success in changing student behavior or long-term impact on their intentions or knowledge. The current federal spending of $263 million is misdirected government funds and should not be increased. Instead, these funds must be eliminated.
Take action! Tell congress to eliminate funding for these programs.
Read an editorial entitled "The failure of abstinence ed" by The Chicago Tribune.
Groundbreaking Curricula Review Released
The Illinois Campaign for Responsible Sex Education has released a groundbreaking report that examines sex education curricula used in classrooms thoughout the state. The sad findings: the lowest rated curricula are receiving the greatest investment in state and federal dollars.
Learn more: Read the press release.
Download the full report.
Learn about recent victories in the campaign for responsible sex education in Illinois. |
