op-ed
Christian Grantham was a student activist in the late 90s and later was a consultant to domestic policy forums for the Clinton Administration as well as events for HRC and GLAAD.
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November 17, 2004

President Bush's nominee for Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings, doesn't like sex education teaching kids about contraceptives. Spellings believes in abstinence only sex education. Will President Bush go along with Spellings view? White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan won't say.

QUESTION: She has said that she believes the message we should be sending to children in middle and high school is one of abstinence, and abstinence only.

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, it's something the President has long talked about, and it's a -- there are some efforts that are proven to work and send the right message to our children. And so that's something the President has talked about, going back to his days as governor.

QUESTION: But if you try to reduce teenage pregnancies and everything else that the President is trying to reduce, is it not worthwhile to talk to children and teach them about contraception, in case in some occasion --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, there are programs there, John. That's why I said that funding ought to be at least on the same level as other programs.

QUESTION: Right, but she's an advocate of, again, programs that teach only abstinence and not about contraception.

MR. McCLELLAN: The President is an advocate of abstinence education programs because he wants to focus on what works. And we know that they have proven results of working to teach -- send the right message to our children.

QUESTION: Let me ask you more simply; what's the problem of teaching abstinence and contraception, just as a method of teaching these kids what's available out there just in case --

MR. McCLELLAN: I think we've answered this question; I think I've been through it. And the President's views are very clear on it, as well -- I just expressed them.

QUESTION: Yes, but I just asked you the question about is there not value in teaching both?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, go back and look at what we've said on this matter and what I just expressed.
[White House Press Briefing - 11-17-04]