The poll found that sixty-eight percent (68%) of parents surveyed want schools to teach teens that individuals who remain abstinent until marriage have the best chances of marital stability and happiness. Other results clearly indicate parental support for the abstinence message.

Sen. Wayne Kuipers (R-Holland) and Rep. Scott Hummel (R-DeWitt) are expected to introduce legislation next week to promote abstinence until marriage, encourage greater parental involvement in sex education and establish clear guidelines for schools that promote sex education programs.

Governor Jennifer Granholm delivered her second "State of the State" address to the Michigan legislature on January 27. The Governor focused primarily on economic issues, especially the need for Michigan to draw and keep manufacturing jobs.

Granholm also voiced support for education and health insurance programs for children. Her speech was devoid of any initiatives for strengthening Michigan’s families in the coming year, however. She had previously vetoed using federal funds for marriage and fatherhood initiatives during the last budget cycle.

The Governor did propose a new community service requirement for those who receive Merit scholarships and announced the formation of an "Elder Abuse Task Force" charged with protecting the elderly from fraud, scams and abuse. The task force will work in cooperation with the Office of the Attorney General to crack down on fraudulent scam artists who target the elderly.

U.S. Congressman Fred Upton has made good on his recent promise to introduce legislation increasing the penalty for violations of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decency standards.

H.R. 3717, the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act, would allow the FCC to issue fines ten times greater than they can issue now for violations of broadcast decency standards.

During the State of the Union address, President Bush announced the formation of the Prison Re-entry Initiative. The Initiative will expand job training and placement services, provide transitional housing and pair mentors with newly released prisoners. To make it happen, Bush hopes to tap into the ongoing work of several ministries.

This new program has the potential to help inmates who are also fathers by assisting them with "re-entry" to every day life with their families. Programs such as "Long Distance Dads" from the National Fatherhood Initiative could easily team up with the Re-entry Initiative to help fathers during this transition time.

Michigan Family Forum is pleased to announce the offering of an upcoming Legislative Issues Luncheon seminar entitled "Children of Divorce: What are the costs to the child? Why should the public care?" The presenter will be Elizabeth Marquardt.

Marquardt is an affiliate scholar with the Institute for American Values in New York City. She is the author of many groundbreaking studies including "Hooking Up, Hanging Out, and Hoping for Mr. Right: College Women on Dating and Mating Today." She is currently completing a new, national study on the moral and spiritual lives of children of divorce. Ms. Marquardt is a frequent commentator on national news programs including the Today Show, World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, and National Public Radio.

Forum Online

© 2003 Michigan Family Forum

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Executive Director: Brad Snavely

Editor: Jon Stanton

Graphic Design: Beth Hafer

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