Alleged rapes, flawed data, official with Planned Parenthood ties bring scrutiny to Tempe sex-ed decision

TEMPE, Ariz. — Alliance Defending Freedom sent a letter Tuesday to the Tempe Union High School District that asks its governing board to reconsider a 3-2 vote last week to adopt a Planned-Parenthood–promoted sex education curriculum as a “framework” for the district’s curriculum.

In addition to erroneous financial impact data reported at the meeting and the district’s failure to recuse from the decision a board member with ties to Planned Parenthood, the abortion giant is now under scrutiny after Pinal County sheriff’s deputies reported last week that Planned Parenthood Arizona apparently failed to report a teen rape, as required by law. After that time, at least four more girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by the same person, who is believed to have assaulted or raped numerous young girls, ages 12 to 17.

“Clearly, Planned Parenthood’s judgment when it comes to our children is not to be trusted,” said ADF Litigation Counsel Natalie Decker. “Any sex-ed curriculum promoted by an abortion seller that has more than once been accused of hiding rape in violation of the law is not one parents or school officials can trust as a framework for schoolchildren. Planned Parenthood has proven time and again that it cares about its own interests and profits far more than it cares about the health and safety of women and children.”

The motion to adopt the curriculum was put forth by board member and former state senator David Schapira, whom ADF had requested in March be recused from any such vote because of his close ties to Planned Parenthood. Because the district did not recuse him, he became the deciding vote in favor of the Planned Parenthood preferred curriculum.

At Wednesday’s Governing Board meeting (audio | video), Schapira stood by his support for Planned Parenthood, saying, “I do support Planned Parenthood. Absolutely. I won’t deny it. When you all post pictures of me wearing a pink shirt that says I support Planned Parenthood, it makes me proud. It doesn’t make me scared. It doesn’t make me shy away. Not one bit. Because Planned Parenthood is a fantastic organization….” (audio clip | video clip).

As ADF explained in a March letter to the district’s legal counsel, Schapira has previously exhibited public support for Planned Parenthood; has received campaign contributions from Planned Parenthood Arizona President and CEO Bryan Howard; and has received endorsements from Planned Parenthood Arizona’s political arm, which praised him for voting consistently with Planned Parenthood’s positions.

The ADF letter requests “that the Board reconsider its May 7 decision and that, if and when it does so, the Board recuse Mr. Schapira from any involvement in the Board’s decision. No matter the Board’s decision to our request, you may be sure that Alliance Defending Freedom will continue to monitor the District, Planned Parenthood, and the sex education program the District presents to our clients’ children in the future and take appropriate action, including litigation, if necessary.”

“A curriculum that Planned Parenthood promotes should not be used even as a ‘foundation’ for any sex education curriculum in Arizona,” added ADF Senior Legal Counsel Jeremy Tedesco. “The district should reconsider its decision not only in light of the inherent difficulties in conforming this curriculum to Arizona law, but also simply as a common-sense matter in light of the obvious problems associated with Planned Parenthood itself.”