The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois has joined a multi-state action calling on the federal government to fix glaring medical inaccuracies in federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula. The organization joined ten (10) other ACLU state affiliates in sending letters to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) alerting the agency to problematic curricula used in schools in Illinois and other states. The letters called on HHS to take immediate steps to remedy the situation.

The letter sent by the ACLU of Illinois specifically notes medical inaccuracies in programs used in many Illinois public schools, A.C. Green's Game Plan and Aspire. A.C. Green's Game Plan, as an example, misrepresents the effectiveness of condoms in stemming the spread of infections, including the human papilloma virus.

"Federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula across Illinois - like the A.C. Green's Game Plan - contain medically inaccurate information about the prevention of the spread of sexually transmitted disease," said Lorie A. Chaiten, Director of the ACLU of Illinois Reproductive Rights Project. "Spreading misinformation about condoms in many abstinence-only-until-marriage programs violates federal law and endangers teens' health in our state."

The letter to HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt from the Illinois affiliate of the ACLU follows a letter sent last month by the National ACLU office. That letter noted that three federally funded abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula - Me, My World, My Future; Sexuality, Commitment & Family; and Why kNOw - as well as a website operated by HHS (4parents.gov) and a pamphlet distributed by the agency, Parents, Speak Up!, all violate a federal law requiring certain educational materials to contain medically accurate information about the effectiveness of condoms. In that letter the ACLU called on HHS to immediately remedy the violations or face a legal challenge.

"The message here is plain: enough is enough," added Chaiten of the ACLU of Illinois. "It is time for the federal government to start properly monitoring the content of the abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that it funds."

The ACLU affiliates participating in the national action include: Alaska Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Arizona, ACLU of Florida, ACLU of Illinois, ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri, ACLU of Kentucky, ACLU of Louisiana, ACLU of New Jersey, Rhode Island ACLU, ACLU of Tennessee, and ACLU of Texas.

Last week, the ACLU asked HHS and the Oregon Department of Human Services to investigate evidence of misuse of taxpayer dollars to promote one faith over others in an abstinence-only-until-marriage program Stop and Think. The ACLU threatened to pursue legal action if sufficient measures are not taken to correct any problems.

In early April, a federally commissioned study was released showing that, notwithstanding the more than a billion dollars that the federal government has poured into the programs since 1996, abstinence-only-until-marriage programs don't work. The study looked at several federally funded programs and found that teens who participated in them were just as likely to have sex as teens who did not participate. Furthermore, these students had first intercourse at the same age, and the same number of sexual partners, as students who did not participate.

Currently, no federal funds are dedicated to supporting sexuality education programs that both teach abstinence and include complete and medically accurate information about how to use contraceptives effectively, despite evidence that these programs can delay sexual activity and increase contraceptive use among teens.