States Move Away From Abstinence-Only Sex Education as Teen Birth Rates Rise

Fox News ^ | March 05, 2009 | Brooks Blanton

[Sopater]

RALEIGH, N.C. — High school students from Connecticut to California could soon be learning about abstinence-only sex education — as ancient history.

At least 24 states and the District of Columbia are moving from abstinence instruction to a more comprehensive approach that includes lessons about STD prevention and contraception, a massive shift away from the wait-until-marriage method pushed heavily by the Bush administration.

Many states adopted abstinence-only education in return for federal funding, but 13 years after Congress designed the programs in 1996, teen pregnancy rates are on the rise and critics say kids are simply not listening to the abstinence-only message.

"It's bad — we have the ninth-highest pregnancy rate in the country and it's clear that our students need more information," said Emily Pelino, education director for the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina (APPCNC).

[Sopater]

There are many paths from which there is no return. I fear that this may be one of them.

Even if teen pregnancy, abortion, and STD rates climb in the months and years following this shift in sex education, the moral fabric of our nation's youth will likely be torn beyond repair.

It may have been already.

God help us all.

[icwhatudo]

So when crime increases we should also get rid of the police because a rise in crime is proof police work is not working.

[kabar]

Immigration is the cause. Overall teen childbearing in the U.S. declined for the 12th year in a row in 2003, having dropped by more than a third since 1991. Yet even here, Hispanics remain a cause for concern. The rate of childbirth for Mexican teenagers, who come from by far the largest and fastest-growing immigrant population, greatly outstrips every other group. The Mexican teen birthrate is 93 births per every 1,000 girls, compared with 27 births for every 1,000 white girls, 17 births for every 1,000 Asian girls, and 65 births for every 1,000 black girls. To put these numbers into international perspective, Japan’s teen birthrate is 3.9, Italy’s is 6.9, and France’s is 10. Even though the outsize U.S. teen birthrate is dropping, it continues to inflict unnecessary costs on the country, to which Hispanics contribute disproportionately.

[EyeGuy]

Perfect analogy.

Thanks for saving me the keystrokes.

Insanity.

[Sgt_Schultze]

Only a single time in history has abstinence let to a pregnancy, and that time it was a very good thing.

[Sybeck1]

Saltpeter and Norplant some water supplies.......

[Sopater]

Abstienence is still the only 100% method of prevention of pregnancy and STDs.

The current rise in teen birth rates is certainly not due to abstinence.

[Sopater]

Correct. ;-)

[devistate one four]

Ding! That would make a nice billboard.

[icwhatudo]

Change in Teen Birth Rate, ‘91-’06

United States -32%

Alabama -27%
Alaska -33%
Arizona -22%
Arkansas -22%
California -46%
Colorado -25%
Connecticut -41%
Delaware -31%
District of Columbia -56%
Florida -33%
Georgia -29%
Hawaii -32%
Idaho -27%
Illinois -39%
Indiana -28%
Iowa -23%
Kansas -24%
Kentucky -21%
Louisiana -29%
Maine -41%
Maryland -38%
Massachusetts -43%
Michigan -43%
Minnesota -25%
Mississippi -20%
Missouri -29%
Montana -15%
Nebraska -21%
Nevada -25%
New Hampshire -44%
New Jersey -40%
New Mexico -19%
New York -44%
North Carolina -29%
North Dakota -25%
Ohio -34%
Oklahoma -17%
Oregon -35%
Pennsylvania -34%
Rhode Island -38%
South Carolina -27%
South Dakota -16%
Tennessee -27%
Texas -20%
Utah -29%
Vermont -47%
Virginia -34%
Washington -38%
West Virginia -23%
Wisconsin -29%
Wyoming -13%

Guam -39%
Puerto Rico -17%
Virgin Islands -36%

[RC2]

We use to hold kids responsible for what they do. No longer. We seem to find any way that we can to get them off the hook. Now, they use abortion as birth control. I remember my father taught me about sex one time. All he said was “Be careful.” That’s all it took for me. I knew exactly what he was talking about. Our kids are being dumbed down today.

[icwhatudo]

Linky:

http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparemaptable.jsp?ind=38&cat=2

[Sopater]

So what exactly are they trying to fix by throwing out Abstinence-Only education?

[Dilbert San Diego]

Yes, it’s like there is no accountability for young people today. Back in the old days, guys talked and bragged about what they did or were doing with a girl, but , more than a few people “had to get married”.

Nowadays, people talk about sex activity as if it’s just expected to happen, that it’s as natural as drinking water. People talk about pregnancy as something that just happens to girls, without even mentioning what activity causes pregnancy. We talk about pregnancy as just happening, so we have to have day care in high schools, welfare benefits, baby sitting so mothers can work, etc.

In any other area, we would look to prevention of root causes of problems. In this area, we take the position that young people will have to be sexually active, as if it’s mandatory and expected. This type of attitude probably influences more people to have sex. Which in turn leads to all of the other problems involved.

[GeronL]

how long before they have beds in sex ed class so the kids can practice?

I remember an ABC special with John Stossel about this. The class actually was shown a porno film and given condoms, showing minors a porno used to be illegal didn’t it?

[GeronL]

exactly

[GeronL]

its highest in the liberal states?

[GeronL]

Planned Parenthood full employment act

[RC2]

I believe that it goes a lot deeper than just “sex”. We don’t teach morals any longer. Respect for others has gone out the window. Just having a man open the door for a lady, teaches respect. Helping a little old lady cross the street, teaches respect. Having kids in school, stand up when an adult enters the classroom, teaches respect. All these little things that we ignore today have large impacts on how our children grow and become responsible.

[RC2]

Look at the states with the highest birth rates. Now break it down to race. Whites, Aisian, Middle East, Hispanic, Blacks. There’s a larger problem here that is being ignored.