Abortion service provider Planned Parenthood has ended its five-year Teen Outreach Programme (TOP) in 10 Oregon high schools, and Christian parents are heaving a huge sigh of relief.
While the organisation believes they have done inspiring work during the past few years, the Christian parents in the area don't think so.
More than 4,300 students participated in the pregnancy prevention programme, Planned Parenthood said in its newsletter, adding that 91 percent of these students said they had positive experiences after undergoing the TOP.
"We feel very proud of the hard work our educators have accomplished and inspired by what students have gained and given back to their communities," wrote Planned Parenthood vice president Camelia Hinson in the newsletter.
The organisation certainly gave glowing reports about the programme, but Christian parents from Oregon are simply glad that the TOP was over, and hope it won't be renewed again.
"We are relieved Planned Parenthood will no longer be marketing to our students in Salem-Keizer and would like to thank you all for your support and prayers," Joanna Galbraith, a Salem attorney and leader in Parental Rights in the Pacific Northwest told the Christian News Northwest.
Bill Diss, a Portland teacher who has long rallied against Planned Parenthood through his group called Precious Children of Portland, nodded his head in agreement with Gilbraith. "I'd give it a big 'Hip hip hooray,'" he said.
They aren't the only ones who breathed a sigh of relief when Planned Parenthood's contract ended. Salem dad Doug Muravez actually filed an objection against the Salem-Keizer district over the TOP programme back in 2012. He found out the principles being taught by Planned Parenthood goes against the values he and his wife wanted to instil in their children. But still, the programme persisted.
Galbraith said Planned Parenthood's lessons are objectionable and sexually graphic, and therefore inappropriate for the youth. Dozens of parents and community members actually voiced their concern during school board meetings.
"Planned Parenthood's infiltration of our schools inspired students, parents, teachers, church leaders, and members of our community to voice their concern to district officials, high school principals, fellow parents and students, and media outlets," said Galbraith. "Group members met with hundreds of students and parents, prompting a district-wide opt-out campaign in our schools. Students spoke out at school district meetings and circulated petitions on their campuses opposing Planned Parenthood."
She thinks the end of the group's youth programme might have something to do with the current controversy being faced by the organisation now, after the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) released several sting videos showing its officials dealing with abortion in a cold-hearted manner and discussing the sale of foetal body parts.
"Their decision to cut and run may have more to do with the exposure of their strategies of secrecy and deception to further their agenda of replacing parents by promoting themselves as experts on sexual education," said Galbraith.
"Planned Parenthood positioned themselves in the cross-hairs on multiple fronts over the past few years and maybe they just decided that's not the best place to be."
