Washington loses abstinence grant

OLYMPIA, Wash., Dec. 24 (UPI) -- The Bush administration has reportedly cut off funding for abstinence-only sex education in the state of Washington.

The move comes after additional, medically accurate information about preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases was added to school curricula in the state, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported Monday.

Previously, an annual $800,000 federal grant for abstinence-only sex education was given to Washington's state Health Department for the production and airing of public service announcements as well as developing abstinence-only curricula for schools.

This year, however, the Legislature passed a law that makes comprehensive sex education compulsory for all schools to help reduce teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, eliminating the need for abstinence-only advertising.

"We've been told that we can expect our proposal to be denied," Health Department spokesman Tim Church said. He added that the federal government has yet to formally deny the application in writing.