Abstinence education works; it should be in Ohio schools

Abstinence education works; it should be in Ohio schools
EDITOR:
The citizens of Ohio have long recognized the vital and necessary role that our public school systems have in developing educated and responsible members of our communities. Although we Ohioans may disagree on how to best fund our schools, and how to determine their actual effectiveness, most of us will agree that a good education is vital to our children's future success.
To meet those needs, the typical curriculum in today's public school consists of a varied number of topics and subjects. A typical teen's school day is filled with traditional reading, writing and arithmetic related courses, interspersed with instruction on postmodern topics such as global warming and sexual behavior. Objective teaching on all of those subjects is an important part of the educational process. Unfortunately, political bias and rhetoric has long since stopped at the voting booth and has crept into the classroom, most notably in the way particular programs are funded.
Perhaps the clearest evidence of that is found in Gov. Strickland's new proposed budget for the state, in which grants for "abstinence only" programs have been eliminated. Evidence suggests that these programs have been beneficial, since statistics published in The Vindicator and other large newspapers document over a 25 percent drop in Ohio teen pregnancy rates from 1997 to 2005. (The programs were first implemented in 1999). Gov. Strickland himself admits that these programs "may delay the onset of sexual activity. & quot; His rationale for eliminating the funding appears to be based on his claim that there is insufficient data to show that these programs prevent sexual activity outside of marriage. However, preventing sexual activity outside of marriage is at best an ancillary benefit and not the primary purpose of these programs -- preventing unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease is.
It is logical to infer that special interest groups like Planned Parenthood and the NEA have influenced the governor and key members of his cabinet to redirect funding from an effective program that other states have used as a model for their own educational systems. That conclusion is based upon the fact that these politically powerful organizations contribute enormous amounts of money to the Democrat Party, which was the largest contributor of funds to his campaign for governor.
There is clearer evidence that these programs are effective in changing lives and communities than there is for the notion that mankind is somehow responsible for global warming, upon which millions of dollars will soon be spent. I suggest that human lives are more important.
Please call or write Gov. Strickland and urge him to reconsider.
GREG CALKO
Canfield
We've lost enough already
EDITOR:
It is with sadness that we see the Mahoning Valley possibly losing our local identity, which in turn may cost jobs. I am referring to the possibility of job "displacements" at WYTV and WKBN. Many in this Valley would agree that we have seen far too many businesses sold to outside interests, companies or people.
At one time, businesses such as Stambaugh Thompson's, Dollar Bank, McKelvey's and many others were staples in this Valley. I watch with dismay the problems at Packard, which was THE world-leader at one time. We have lost too many Valley businesses due to mergers and the like. I realize that & quot;that's economics, stupid, & quot; but we need to support our local businesses more.
HAROLD WILSON
Austintown