HHS Settles With ACLU In Challenge To Funding Of Abstinence Program

Yesterday it was announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has entered a settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union in a case challenging the constitutionality of federal funding of an abstinence-only sex education program know as "The Silver Ring Thing". (ACLU release.) The ACLU charged that the program was using taxpayer funds to promote religious doctrines. HHS already suspended funding of SRT in August 2005, saying that the program "may not have included adequate safeguards to clearly separate in time or location inherently religious activities from federally-funded activities." In yesterday's settlement (full text), HHS agreed that it will not fund SRT's program as currently structured. In any future applications for federal funding, SRT must comply with prohibition on using federal funds to support inherently religious activities. In addition, HHS agreed to closely monitor any grant applications by SRT for the next two years. The Alliance Defense Fund, which had intervened in the case to support SRT, said that it was pleased that SRT would be permitted to apply for funding in future years. (Report from The Reality Check.)