“You may remember the bus ads that declared, “Virgin.  Teach your kids it’s not a dirty word.”

The creative mind behind that campaign was Hal Donofrio.

I was one of the political minds that helped initiate it.

With some research help from the clipping service maintained by my grandmother, mother, and brother Bruce and more recent data from the budget staff in Annapolis, I wrote the following letter to the editor of the Baltimore Sun in response to a recent op-ed.

 

Dear Editors:

Hal and Chuck Donofrio deserve the praise they received for their innovative media program to reduce unwanted teen pregnancy.  (“Abstinence with an attitude,” September 9, 2013)  http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-reimer-cfoc-20130909,0,6058067.column

Their efforts began with an ideologically bipartisan effort of state legislators.

Two pro-life members, Senator Frank Kelly and Del. Timothy Maloney, joined two pro-choice members, Senator Catherine Riley and myself, in advocating for increased funding for family planning and counseling, expanded adoption efforts, and a television-ad campaign to inform teens “It’s OK to say no.”

Nearly 2/3 of the members of the General Assembly signed our letter to Governor Harry Hughes urging him to fund an “historic legislative budget request.”

The Governor added $2.9 million to his budget for these programs.  This money, along with private funds raised by Hal Donofrio, began the media campaign.

The State currently promotes abstinence education to Maryland youth under two federal programs authorized by the Affordable Care Act of 2010.  Contraceptive education is also provided with these federal dollars.

In 1986, the birthrate among 15-19 year olds in Maryland was 40.2 per 1,000.  In 2011, it was 24.7.

We have made significant progress, but the need still exists.  We must think and work across ideological lines again.