Group Seeks Ban of ‘Obscene’ AIDS Material in Schools

A coalition of anti-pornography groups Tuesday called on Gov. George Deukmejian to ban further distribution in the schools of what they charged were state-funded “obscene” AIDS educational material.

The coalition also urged the governor to fire Bruce Decker, his appointee to an AIDS advisory committee, who they allege is an avowed homosexual who has often jokingly referred to himself as the governor’s “house fairy.”

“We are outraged,” said Leslie Dutton, president of the American Assn. of Women, “that our money has been used to promote filth. . . . All public funds should be cut off to AIDS education contractors who have been distributing these sexually explicit materials. . . .”

Jim Morgan, deputy secretary of the state Health and Welfare Agency, countered that “the Administration does not now, nor has it ever, condoned the publication of pornographic materials.”

Review Process in Place

Morgan added that “there is a review process in place” for the AIDS materials that are produced by private contractors who do business with the state. Morgan said it is designed to “ensure that the state is not in the business of publishing pornography.”

Donna Lipper, a press spokeswoman for Deukmejian, said, “Mr. Decker has no direct decision-making role in the approval or disapproval of these materials so the call for his dismissal is inappropriate.”

Part of the problem seems to be a difference of opinion between the Administration and the coalition over what is and what is not obscene.

At a Capitol press conference, the groups distributed copies of the brochure entitled “Can We Talk?” that contains explicit language on how homosexuals can take various steps to prevent contracting AIDS.

‘Public Is Outraged’

Rob Scribner, chairman of the Westside Health Professionals Task Force on AIDS, said it was distributed by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, which he said has received $290,000 in state funds. The brochure was produced by the Harvey Milk Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club.

“The public is outraged,” Scribner said, “that the state is using taxpayers’ money to promote how-to as far as sex education is concerned.”

Ezola Foster of Black-Americans for Family Values charged that “not only ‘Can We Talk?’ but worse” material is being distributed in the schools. The partially subsidized brochure can be obtained by anyone who calls the San Francisco Aids Foundation hot line, but whether any schools have ordered it is unknown.

“It is also our opinion that all state funds should be cut off from those contractors who have been distributing these obscene materials,” Foster said.