New Hampshire

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New Hampshire received $44,161 in federal funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs in Fiscal Year 2003.¹

New Hampshire Sexuality Education Law

In New Hampshire, local school boards must ensure that a health education program is developed in elementary, middle/junior, and high schools. In elementary schools, this program must include "the effects of drugs, alcohol, venereal diseases, and AIDS on the human body." In middle/junior high and high schools, this instruction must include the above as well as "systematic classroom instruction and activities designed to enable students to respect and support the decisions of others relative to abstinence from sexual activity."

New Hampshire does not state whether parents can remove their children from any sexuality education or related instruction.

See New Hampshire Rule 306.32.

Recent Legislation

SIECUS is not aware of any recent legislation in New Hampshire regarding sexuality education.

Events of Note

Parent Brings Used Condom to School Board Meeting
June 2003; Goffstown, NH

To demonstrate her disapproval of Planned Parenthood and sexuality education, a parent in Goffstown, New Hampshire, brought a used condom she had supposedly found on school grounds and placed it in front of the school superintendent during a school board meeting. She said, "This is one of the reasons I don't want Planned Parenthood here. I don't want to see this."²

At the meeting, about 15 people questioned the school district on whether they subscribe to Planned Parenthood's philosophies and voiced opposition to what they see as Planned Parenthood's infiltration of public schools. Before the meeting, approximately ten women stood outside the high school with anti-abortion signs. The principal pointed out that the school has never hired Planned Parenthood. He explained that the school's sexuality education program discusses both abstinence and contraception and that when speakers do discuss contraception they always send notices to parents prior to the lessons.

One of the school board members said that the citizens had a right to speak their opinions at the meeting, however, he said that their point may have been hampered by the way they handled their presentation.

New Hampshire's Youth: Statistical Information of Note³

• In 2003, 41% of female high school students and 42% of male high school students in New Hampshire reported ever having had sexual intercourse compared to 45% of female high school students and 48% of male high school students nationwide.
• In 2003, 2% of female high school students and 5% of male high school students in New Hampshire reported having had sexual intercourse before age 13 compared to 4% of female high school students and 10% of male high school students nationwide.
• In 2003, 9% of female high school students and 11% of male high school students in New Hampshire reported having had four or more lifetime sexual partners compared to 11% of female high school students and 18% of male high school students nationwide.
• In 2003, 33% of female high school students and 30% of male high school students in New Hampshire reported being currently sexually active (defined as having had sexual intercourse in the three months prior to the survey) compared to 35% of females and 34% of males nationwide.
• In 2003, among those high school students who reported being currently sexually active, 20% of females and 23% of males in New Hampshire reported having used alcohol or drugs the last time they had sexual intercourse compared to 21% of females and 30% of males nationwide.
• In 2003, among those high school students who reported being currently sexually active, 50% of females and 64% of males in New Hampshire reported having used condoms the last time they had sexual intercourse compared to 57% of females and 69% of males nationwide.
• In 2003, among those high school students who reported being currently sexually active, 40% of females and 26% of males in New Hampshire reported having used birth control pills the last time they had sexual intercourse compared to 21% of females and 13% of males nationwide.
• In 2003, 2% of female high school students and 3% of male high school students in New Hampshire reported ever having been pregnant or gotten someone pregnant compared to 5% of female high school students and 4% of male high school students nationwide.
• In 2003, 89% of high school students in New Hampshire reported having been taught about AIDS/HIV in school compared to 88% of high school students nationwide.
• In 2000, New Hampshire's abortion rate was 17 per 1,000 women ages 15-19 compared to a teen abortion rate of 24 per 1,000 nationwide.⁴
• In 2001, New Hampshire's birth rate was 21 per 1,000 women ages 15-19 compared to a teen birth rate of 45 per 1,000 nationwide.⁵

Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Funding

New Hampshire received $44,161 in federal Title V funding in Fiscal Year 2003. The Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage grant requires states to provide three state-raised dollars or the equivalent in services for every four federal dollars received. The state match can be provided in part or in full by local groups. New Hampshire's match is made up of both funding and in-kind services from the media outlets that run its campaign. The New Hampshire Department of Health has control over this funding.

New Hampshire uses the Not Me, Not Now media campaign to target youth ages ten to 14.

Special Projects of Regional and National Significance-Community Based Abstinence Education (SPRANS-CBAE) and Adolescent Family Life Act (AFLA) Grantees

There are no SPRANS-CBAE or AFLA grantees in New Hampshire.

Federal and State Funding for Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs in FY 2003

Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Coordinator

Anita Coll
New Hampshire Department of Health & Human Services
Prenatal/Adolescent Health
Bureau of Maternal and Child Health
6 Hazen Dr.
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 271-5145

New Hampshire Organizations that Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education

AIDS Community Resource Center (ACRON)
River Mill Commercial Center,
Suite 24085 Mechanic St.
Lebanon, NH 03766
Phone: (800) 816-2220

American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire
18 Low Ave.
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 225-3080
http://www.nhclu.org

Citizen's Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Rights
P.O. Box 730
Concord, NH 03302
Phone: (603) 224-1686

NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire
18 Low Ave.
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 228-1224

Planned Parenthood of Northern New England Action Fund
51 Talcott Rd.
Williston, VT 05495
Phone: (802) 878-7232
http://www.ppnne.org

New Hampshire Organizations that Oppose Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Citizens for Life, Inc.
The New Hampshire Affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee
P.O. Box 756
North Hampton, NH 03862
Phone: (603) 964-9546

The Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy
7 South State St., Suite 2
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 224-4450
http://www.jbartlett.org

New Hampshire Right to Life
P.O. Box 421
Merrimack, NH 03054
Phone: (603) 626-7950
http://www.nhrtl.org

Newspapers in New Hampshire

The Citizen
Sally Kilfoyle
Medical/Health Editor
171 Fair St.
Laconia, NH 03246
Phone: (603) 524-3800

Concord Monitor
Heather Rowe
Community News Editor
1 Monitor Dr.
Concord, NH 03301
Phone: (603) 224-5301

The Conway Daily Sun
Adam Hirshan
Medical/Health Editor
64 Seavey St.
North Conway, NH 03860
Phone: (603) 356-2999

Foster's Daily Democrat
Buzz Bittereli
Community News Reporter
333 Central Ave.
Dover, NH 03820
Phone: (603) 742-4455

The Keene Sentinel
Mary Allen
Community News Editor
60 West St.
Keene, NH 03431
Phone: (603) 352-1249

Portsmouth Herald
Assignment Editor
111 Maplewood Ave.
Portsmouth, NH 03801
Phone: (603) 436-1800

The Telegraph
David Brooks
Community News Reporter
17 Executive Dr.
Hudson, NH 03051
Phone: (603) 594-5831

The Union Leader
Ellie Ferriter
Medical/Health Editor
100 William Loeb Dr.
Manchester, NH 03109
Phone: (603) 668-4321

Valley News
Anne Adams
Medical/Health Editor
24 Interchange Dr.
West Lebanon, NH 03784
Phone: (603) 298-8711

References

1. This refers to the fiscal year for the Federal Government which begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2003 begins on October 1, 2002 and ends on September 30, 2003.
2. T. Ryan, "Alleged Used Condom Displayed By Woman At Goffstown Meeting," The Union Leader (Manchester, NH), June 4, 2003.
3. Unless otherwise cited, all statistical information comes from: J. Grunbaum, et. al., "Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance - United States, 2003," Surveillance Summaries, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 53, no.SS-2, May 21, 2004, pp. 1-95. Available online at: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/yrbs/.
4. U.S. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics: Overall Trends, Trends by Race and Ethnicity and State-by-State Information, (New York: Alan Guttmacher Institute, February, 2004). Available online at http://www.guttmacher.org.
5. A. Papillo, et.al., Facts at a Glance, (Washington, DC: Child Trends, February, 2004).