Official concedes state abstinence program may have funded religion

By The Associated Press

06.19.02

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NEW ORLEANS — Some Louisiana community groups that took government money to encourage sexual abstinence among teenagers may also have used the money to promote religion, the head of a state program conceded yesterday.

But there is no need for a court order prohibiting such spending because the Governor's Program on Abstinence has stopped funding those groups and continues to stress a secular message, said Dan Richey, the program's state coordinator.

Last month, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit saying the program unconstitutionally provided taxpayer money to groups that promoted Christianity as well as abstinence. The lawsuit does not seek to end abstinence education in Louisiana, but does seek a judge's order prohibiting government money from being used to promote religion.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Porteous heard arguments yesterday and said he will try to rule within 30 days.

Richey, the only witness called, said a small staff and a large number of applications for funding made constant monitoring for religious references difficult.

But applicants were told up front that religion was not to be part of GPA-funded programs, he said.

"We stressed from day one that this is a health issue," Richey said under questioning from the program's attorney, Bruce Schewe. "We're not trying to promote religion in any way, shape or form."

Philip Gallagher, cross examining for the ACLU, reviewed various applications and reports filed by GPA-funded groups.

The Rapides Station Community Ministries, for instance, reported in 1999 that "December was an excellent month for our program, we were able to focus on the virgin birth and make it apparent that God desires sexual purity as a way of life."

Money given to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette wound up being spent on prayer services at abortion clinics and on a program entitled "God's Gift of Life," Gallagher noted.

Crisis Pregnancy Help Center of Slidell's funding application included references to its "scriptural view" and "biblical instruction on purity."

Richey acknowledged that GPA took no specific action against the groups. In the case of the Slidell center he said that the application did not necessarily mean religious doctrine would be taught. "So many things are biblical — honesty, fidelity, integrity, truth. That wouldn't have raised a red flag to me," he said.

Outside the courthouse, Richey told reporters he believes the ACLU lawsuit is moot because the groups listed in the lawsuit no longer receive GPA funding. GPA now concentrates more on its school-based GPA clubs and is taking steps to make sure any improperly religious references are excised from those programs.

Joe Cook, the director of the ACLU in New Orleans, was not satisfied. "I don't think there is any reason to believe they're going to move away from that unless the court orders them to."

Update

Louisiana abstinence money blocked from religious groups
Federal judge rules governor's program to discourage teen sex was used to advance religion.  07.27.02