Full Version: Preventing Abortion
If we want to significantly decrease the number of abortions in this country all women and men MUST have:
1. Safe and effective birth control.
2. Adequate sex education.
3. Available health care.
4. The ability to support children adequately.
I want to take the top two because I believe these two items could decrease the number of abortions sought by teenagers and young adults.
Sex education is a very effective way of preventing abortion. Sex education should start early and should be taught in schools. There are wonderful cirriculum out there that teach sex education without drifting over into what some consider lifestyle issues.
Could I get a picture of how many people here agree that sex ed should be mandatory as a Health class in all public and private schools? If you disagree, please explain why.
Birth control is both safe and effective and one of the most important methods for preventing abortion. Celibicy is THE most effective method.
I'll not fool myself into believing that celibicy IS the answer. We were all either sex crazed teenagers or bowed to peer pressure. There is no reason to think the next generation is going to be different in this respect.
Having said that, I know I wouldn't go to my mother when I became sexually active. Thank goodness there was a clinic in my hometown and I was able to go to them for birth control - no questions asked.
Could I get a picture of how many people here agree that birth control should be available to teenagers via a community clinic or in all public and private schools - no notification to parents? If you disagree, please explain why.
Note to admin: It was a toss up as to whether to place this here or under the Education thread. Move it if you believe the later to be the better place.
1. Safe and effective birth control.
2. Adequate sex education.
3. Available health care.
4. The ability to support children adequately.
I want to take the top two because I believe these two items could decrease the number of abortions sought by teenagers and young adults.
Sex education is a very effective way of preventing abortion. Sex education should start early and should be taught in schools. There are wonderful cirriculum out there that teach sex education without drifting over into what some consider lifestyle issues.
Could I get a picture of how many people here agree that sex ed should be mandatory as a Health class in all public and private schools? If you disagree, please explain why.
Birth control is both safe and effective and one of the most important methods for preventing abortion. Celibicy is THE most effective method.
I'll not fool myself into believing that celibicy IS the answer. We were all either sex crazed teenagers or bowed to peer pressure. There is no reason to think the next generation is going to be different in this respect.
Having said that, I know I wouldn't go to my mother when I became sexually active. Thank goodness there was a clinic in my hometown and I was able to go to them for birth control - no questions asked.
Could I get a picture of how many people here agree that birth control should be available to teenagers via a community clinic or in all public and private schools - no notification to parents? If you disagree, please explain why.
Note to admin: It was a toss up as to whether to place this here or under the Education thread. Move it if you believe the later to be the better place.
It seems that the questions asked in your post are more related to sex education than prevention of abortion (though a significant "side effect" of sex ed)...I was just a little confused by the title of the thread.
That said, I think sex education in late elementary school is a MUST. Simply put, parents are NOT doing their jobs, and in my opinion, SOMEONE must be teaching our kids the truth about birth control, diseases, biology, etc. I worked with a group of grad students and professors in college on a research project dealing with freshmen and sex/alcohol habits. We conducted phone interviews on a regular basis throughout the semester (freshman only). In my phone interviews, I can't tell you how many times I heard the ridiculous urban myths from the list of "things to do to prevent pregnancy/disease". It is quite sad that in this day and age, with the technology and knowledge we have regarding reproductive health and sexually trasmitted diseases there are so many teenagers who still think they can avoid getting pregnant by douching or standing on their head immediately after sex. Sounds insane, but if schools aren't teaching it and parents are avoiding it for fear of "putting ideas into their heads" they're going to get false information from peers who THINK they're well-informed.
For me, the importance of preventing kids from making bad decisions far outweighs the fact that some parents do teach sex ed at home and don't feel the need for it in school. I believe the issue is more a matter of public heath than just an issue of things we don't want our kids doing for whatever personal/moral reasons. Many STD rates are HIGHEST among teenagers (as compared to all other age groups!). Kids still think they can not get pregnant by standing on their heads or using douche after having sex, for crying out loud! There is no way that misinformation is healthy and the only way to dispel those myths is for SOMEONE who knows what they are talking about to teach them. Should it be a parent? YES! Are all parents doing the job? NO (and probably not even MOST parents, which is truly sad)!
The fact of the matter is that the majority of kids' parents wait too long to teach them about sex. Kids are experimenting at younger ages and having full blown sex at younger ages as well. If they are getting into these situations without the knowledge how to use a condom, what spermicide is, etc. we'd better be prepared to deal with the consequences: teenage pregnancy (the rates are on the decline as far as I know but there are more very young teens getting pregnant these days than ever before), STDs, etc.
I did a HUGE project (an entire semester project for a Technical Writing college course, of all things) on Sex Education - Abstinence programs DO NOT work. Kids really need comprehensive sex ed (simply teaching them that this part goes there and this part goes there does little to nothing to either encourage safe behaviors OR discourage them from having sex until they're mature enough to make safe decisions) so that they may have the tools they need to make decisions.
Parents are often naive about how many kids really are having sex or experimenting with activities sexual in nature (touching, oral sex, etc.).
Check out the SIECUS (Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States) website for more statistics & details: http://www.seicus.org (browse around for information or check out the link below for specifics).
Adolescents and Sexuality: Fact Sheet
Some additional info can be found by scrolling through the 2002 Annual Report
I mentioned above that I did a project on sex ed for a writing course. Well, I majored in Family Studies in college and also did a final project on sex ed in my adolescent course the semester before. Some of the info in those two reports is relevant to my viewpoints with respect to sex ed, so I thought it easier to copy them there rather than trying to duplicate my ideas.
And the project for my technical writing course:
Pardon some of the subject-specific terminology. I just included the parts that were at least somehwat relevant to the discussion.
So with all of that being said...
YES, I think it should be mandatory in school - though I don't think it's possible to require it from private schools, I think it is definitely something that should be a requirement in public schools. As I said above, I think this is a public health issue that should be addressed as such.
YES, I think birth control should be made available to teenagers (though not at any age, there are potential risks involved if the kids are TOO young) without parental consent. Not sure what should be the cut-off age - more research (on my part) would be requried to make an educated decision. But I think condoms should be made readily available to anyone at clinics without parental notification/consent. What kind of message are we sending to our kids by NOT allowing them access to condoms through health facilities. "If you are going to have sex, I'd rather you take your chances getting pregnant or contracting a disease because I think teenage sex is immoral/wrong"? We should be putting their health above our own personal moral beliefs/values, in my opinion. Kids get enough conflicting messages as it is from the media (sex, sex, sex, sex, oh abstinence is best, but you need to wear this sexy outfit and do these things to be "sexy", but please don't have sex...) they should at least be able to get the message that their health is important from health facilties!
edited because I realized that the projects were conducted in consecutive semesters in 1999 rather than one in 1998 and one in 1999 AND to remove my "copyright" so there is no confusion and are no potential issues for America's Debate - though I promise I won't sue
That said, I think sex education in late elementary school is a MUST. Simply put, parents are NOT doing their jobs, and in my opinion, SOMEONE must be teaching our kids the truth about birth control, diseases, biology, etc. I worked with a group of grad students and professors in college on a research project dealing with freshmen and sex/alcohol habits. We conducted phone interviews on a regular basis throughout the semester (freshman only). In my phone interviews, I can't tell you how many times I heard the ridiculous urban myths from the list of "things to do to prevent pregnancy/disease". It is quite sad that in this day and age, with the technology and knowledge we have regarding reproductive health and sexually trasmitted diseases there are so many teenagers who still think they can avoid getting pregnant by douching or standing on their head immediately after sex. Sounds insane, but if schools aren't teaching it and parents are avoiding it for fear of "putting ideas into their heads" they're going to get false information from peers who THINK they're well-informed.
For me, the importance of preventing kids from making bad decisions far outweighs the fact that some parents do teach sex ed at home and don't feel the need for it in school. I believe the issue is more a matter of public heath than just an issue of things we don't want our kids doing for whatever personal/moral reasons. Many STD rates are HIGHEST among teenagers (as compared to all other age groups!). Kids still think they can not get pregnant by standing on their heads or using douche after having sex, for crying out loud! There is no way that misinformation is healthy and the only way to dispel those myths is for SOMEONE who knows what they are talking about to teach them. Should it be a parent? YES! Are all parents doing the job? NO (and probably not even MOST parents, which is truly sad)!
The fact of the matter is that the majority of kids' parents wait too long to teach them about sex. Kids are experimenting at younger ages and having full blown sex at younger ages as well. If they are getting into these situations without the knowledge how to use a condom, what spermicide is, etc. we'd better be prepared to deal with the consequences: teenage pregnancy (the rates are on the decline as far as I know but there are more very young teens getting pregnant these days than ever before), STDs, etc.
I did a HUGE project (an entire semester project for a Technical Writing college course, of all things) on Sex Education - Abstinence programs DO NOT work. Kids really need comprehensive sex ed (simply teaching them that this part goes there and this part goes there does little to nothing to either encourage safe behaviors OR discourage them from having sex until they're mature enough to make safe decisions) so that they may have the tools they need to make decisions.
Parents are often naive about how many kids really are having sex or experimenting with activities sexual in nature (touching, oral sex, etc.).
Check out the SIECUS (Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States) website for more statistics & details: http://www.seicus.org (browse around for information or check out the link below for specifics).
Adolescents and Sexuality: Fact Sheet
Some additional info can be found by scrolling through the 2002 Annual Report
I mentioned above that I did a project on sex ed for a writing course. Well, I majored in Family Studies in college and also did a final project on sex ed in my adolescent course the semester before. Some of the info in those two reports is relevant to my viewpoints with respect to sex ed, so I thought it easier to copy them there rather than trying to duplicate my ideas.
QUOTE(me @ 1999)
Adolescence is a time often associated with exploration – discovering one’s identity. In particular, one aspect of exploration that is played out during adolescence is the issue of sexuality and sexual behavior. “In the realm of sexual development, such tasks include learning to manage feelings of sexual arousal, developing new forms of intimacy and autonomy, experiencing interpersonal relationships with the opposite sex, and developing skills to control the consequences of sexual behavior” (Brooks-Gunn & Paikoff, 1993). Adolescents are confronted with sex (directly and indirectly) on a regular basis, and must make a number of decisions about sex and sexuality based upon various information they may have received from a variety of sources, including peers, school, family, etc.
Current data depicts a sexually active adolescent population – more than 50% of all females are sexually active by their 18th birthday (AGS, 1994). Not only are adolescents participating in sexual behaviors, but also they are doing so in an unsafe manner. “National data reveal[s] that 15- to 19- year old adolescents have the highest rate of gonorrhea, syphilis, and Chlamydia in the United States” (Miller & Forehand, 1999).
A common stereotype portrayed in various aspects of media is that of the teenager – uncomfortable asking questions of their parents, and the parent – uncomfortable answering these questions and even talking to their teenager about issues of sex and sexuality. However, sexual behavior of adolescents is a serious and important issue that needs addressing. Parent-child conflict in relation to these issues is also believed by many parents to be a frequent and inescapable dilemma, which may be a contributing factor to the creation of the previously described stereotype.
Communication is perhaps the most studied variable in terms of the effect it can have on adolescent sexual behavior (Mueller & Powers, 1990). One factor of parental communication is parent-child sex education. Various studies (Davis & Harris, 1982; Fisher, 1986; Gordon, 1973; Inman, 1974; Warren & Neer, 1986) have shown that “regardless of the actual parental involvement, teenagers express the desire for parents to be the primary sex educators” (as cited in Mueller & Powers, 1990). Also, adolescents feel that their parents should participate in sex education in order to alleviate some of the anxiety they may have about talking about sex (Mueller & Powers, 1990). In terms of sex education, parents also have vastly different opinions as far as what their children should be taught about sex. Some feel their children should be exposed to all aspects of sex (including sexual orientation & abortion) while others feel that their children only need basic biological information (Mueller & Powers, 1990). Also, in an indirect relationship, adolescents tend to talk about sex more with their same sex parent. Because of this and the fact that parental involvement and communication is considered a protective factor, when girls live with their fathers only and when boys live with their mothers only, there is a greater risk for higher incidence of sexual activity (Young & Jensen, 1991).
Another factor in relation to communication is parents’ communication style. Communication style, as defined by Norton (1978), is “the way one verbally and paraverbally interacts to signal how message content should be taken, interpreted, filtered, or understood” (as cited in Mueller, 1990). The result of positive communication style is that less frequent intercourse and fewer sexual partners was reported by ethnic minority adolescents (Miller & Forehand, 1999). Parent-child communication about sex may have this effect due to the “goodness of fit” and the eagerness of the adolescent to make a good impression and not disappoint his/her parents (Taylor, 1999b).
In terms of peer sexual activity, “teens are more likely to engage in sexual activity if they perceive that many of their peers are sexually active” (Perkins et al., 1994). Also, Perkins’ study (1994) showed a relationship between peers’ delinquent activity (i.e. use of alcohol and other drugs) and one’s decision to have sex.
Current data depicts a sexually active adolescent population – more than 50% of all females are sexually active by their 18th birthday (AGS, 1994). Not only are adolescents participating in sexual behaviors, but also they are doing so in an unsafe manner. “National data reveal[s] that 15- to 19- year old adolescents have the highest rate of gonorrhea, syphilis, and Chlamydia in the United States” (Miller & Forehand, 1999).
A common stereotype portrayed in various aspects of media is that of the teenager – uncomfortable asking questions of their parents, and the parent – uncomfortable answering these questions and even talking to their teenager about issues of sex and sexuality. However, sexual behavior of adolescents is a serious and important issue that needs addressing. Parent-child conflict in relation to these issues is also believed by many parents to be a frequent and inescapable dilemma, which may be a contributing factor to the creation of the previously described stereotype.
Communication is perhaps the most studied variable in terms of the effect it can have on adolescent sexual behavior (Mueller & Powers, 1990). One factor of parental communication is parent-child sex education. Various studies (Davis & Harris, 1982; Fisher, 1986; Gordon, 1973; Inman, 1974; Warren & Neer, 1986) have shown that “regardless of the actual parental involvement, teenagers express the desire for parents to be the primary sex educators” (as cited in Mueller & Powers, 1990). Also, adolescents feel that their parents should participate in sex education in order to alleviate some of the anxiety they may have about talking about sex (Mueller & Powers, 1990). In terms of sex education, parents also have vastly different opinions as far as what their children should be taught about sex. Some feel their children should be exposed to all aspects of sex (including sexual orientation & abortion) while others feel that their children only need basic biological information (Mueller & Powers, 1990). Also, in an indirect relationship, adolescents tend to talk about sex more with their same sex parent. Because of this and the fact that parental involvement and communication is considered a protective factor, when girls live with their fathers only and when boys live with their mothers only, there is a greater risk for higher incidence of sexual activity (Young & Jensen, 1991).
Another factor in relation to communication is parents’ communication style. Communication style, as defined by Norton (1978), is “the way one verbally and paraverbally interacts to signal how message content should be taken, interpreted, filtered, or understood” (as cited in Mueller, 1990). The result of positive communication style is that less frequent intercourse and fewer sexual partners was reported by ethnic minority adolescents (Miller & Forehand, 1999). Parent-child communication about sex may have this effect due to the “goodness of fit” and the eagerness of the adolescent to make a good impression and not disappoint his/her parents (Taylor, 1999b).
In terms of peer sexual activity, “teens are more likely to engage in sexual activity if they perceive that many of their peers are sexually active” (Perkins et al., 1994). Also, Perkins’ study (1994) showed a relationship between peers’ delinquent activity (i.e. use of alcohol and other drugs) and one’s decision to have sex.
And the project for my technical writing course:
QUOTE(me @ 1999)
Sex is a major issue in teenagers’ lives. Nearly 80% of all Americans have had sex by the time they are 19 years old (Haignere, Gold, McDanel 1999). Because so many teenagers are having sex, it seems appropriate that they understand what they are getting into. Some people believe that since so many teens are having sex they should be armed with information that will allow them to be safe in their choices and decisions about sex. Others feel that this information will somehow promote teenage sex. Perhaps both sides should forget about their beliefs and look at the facts.
Sexually transmitted diseases [STDs] are also a contributing factor in adolescence. One in seven youths, which translates to three million teens, will contract an STD annually (Haignere, et al. 1999; Samuels & Smith 1993). Fifty-four percent of teens who have sex reported that they had used a condom the last time they “did it” in the 1995 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (Haignere, et al. 1999). Based solely upon these statistics, it seems imperative that:
1. Sexually active adolescents are using condoms or other methods of contraception.
2. Information about such issues is addressed in sex education curricula.
While studying sex education, I came across a middle school program called “Girl Talk”, which is based out of Child and Family Resources, Inc., in Tucson, Arizona. Girl Talk was created as an attempt to prepare young girls for difficult decisions they will have to make as teenagers. One component of the Girl Talk program addresses the issue of sex. What this program does not include is a forum in which young girls are able to fully understand the subject and the numerous choices they will eventually have to make. The Girl Talk program is funded entirely by an abstinence-only grant, which disqualifies discussion about methods of protection, feelings associated with sex, masturbation, and homosexuality. Girl Talk’s efforts to teach young girls about sex are valiant, but lack the ability to provide the information that young girls need to make educated decisions about sex. As the statistics show, teenagers are having sex, and simply telling them not to is not an effective means of preventing them from having sex.
Middle school girls can enroll, on a volunteer basis, in the six-week Girl Talk program, which is offered three times throughout the year. One week of the program is spent teaching the girls about the biology of sex and the body and ways to “just say no”. This format for teaching young girls about sex has been proven ineffective. However, because of government stipulations about abstinence-only funding, the Girl Talk program must not address critical issues, such as birth control or abortion.
In an effort to educate both the Tucson community and, more specifically, the Girl Talk program coordinators, I have researched the effectiveness of both abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education programs. I have also created an informative web site about sex education, since there is little solid research in this area. The web site includes facts about sex and sex education and is intended to provide information about these topics for people of all ages. The web site is included in Appendix B.
Abstinence-Only Programs
Many conservatives argue that teaching teenagers about contraception, STDs, and other “risque” information, will somehow either cause them to have sex or promote teenage sex. They argue that the simple knowledge of such information will increase the likelihood of sexual activity. Thus, they feel that the best way to prevent teenagers from having sex or becoming pregnant is to keep this information from them and only tell them to say no. However, it is apparent that adolescents are not saying no to sex.
Abstinence-only programs can be defined as those sex education programs that are centered around abstaining from sex and only dealing with the biological aspects of sex. Issues such as contraception, abortion, and homosexuality are strictly avoided. In an effort to promote “abstinence-only”, these programs have continually misused statistics in order to prove their point. (Haignere 1999). Statistics about condom effectiveness and likelihood of contracting an STD have been altered in order to scare adolescents out of having sex.
With all of this information aside, the effectiveness of abstinence-only programs has remained unclear. Studies have shown that “abstinence-only curricula evaluations have demonstrated changes in adolescents’ attitude, but little change in sexual behaviors” (Haignere, et al. 43, 1999). Also, is teenagers are already sexually active or have previously had sexual intercourse, there is little if any proof that abstinence-only programs changed their attitudes about sex. However, despite such a lack of evidence that these programs are effective, enthusiasm for such programs is on the rise at local, state, and national levels.
Comprehensive Programs
Comprehensive programs range in curricula from brushing the surface of emotional and psychological aspects of sex, to covering a broad array of topics from homosexuality to abortion. These programs have been defined as “curricula including both contraceptive, abstinence, and skill-building information” (Haignere, et al. 1999). Comprehensive education programs include information about having safe sex and often teach students how to use a condom properly. With respect to condom use, a 1992 Gallup Poll study of adults showed that 63% were in favor of public schools distributing condoms (Samuels & Smith 1993). This shows that parents indeed believe that their children should be made aware of contraceptive issues and are looking to protect their children at all costs.
The effectiveness of comprehensive programs is also unclear, however the evidence seems to lie in favor is these programs. Unlike abstinence-only programs, comprehensive education programs have been shown not only to change attitudes about sex, but also behavior (Haignere 1999). The fact that comprehensive education programs are shown to be more effective than abstinence-only programs should prove that measures should be taken to improve the existing curricula for many schools. According to the Sex Education and Information Council [SEICUS] reports, only one in six sex education programs are comprehensive programs and only nine percent of HIV-AIDS state-mandated curricula included information about safe-sex practices (Nelson Trudell 1993). The rest are based upon abstinence-only ideas. This report was from 1992, and since then sex education curriculum has become even more focused on the importance of abstinence-only. More and more, programs are looking to abstinence-only grants to fund their sex education programs. Perhaps this is because the government allots so much funding to abstinence-only grants, whereas comprehensive programs are often “on their own” in terms of funding.
Sexually transmitted diseases [STDs] are also a contributing factor in adolescence. One in seven youths, which translates to three million teens, will contract an STD annually (Haignere, et al. 1999; Samuels & Smith 1993). Fifty-four percent of teens who have sex reported that they had used a condom the last time they “did it” in the 1995 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (Haignere, et al. 1999). Based solely upon these statistics, it seems imperative that:
1. Sexually active adolescents are using condoms or other methods of contraception.
2. Information about such issues is addressed in sex education curricula.
While studying sex education, I came across a middle school program called “Girl Talk”, which is based out of Child and Family Resources, Inc., in Tucson, Arizona. Girl Talk was created as an attempt to prepare young girls for difficult decisions they will have to make as teenagers. One component of the Girl Talk program addresses the issue of sex. What this program does not include is a forum in which young girls are able to fully understand the subject and the numerous choices they will eventually have to make. The Girl Talk program is funded entirely by an abstinence-only grant, which disqualifies discussion about methods of protection, feelings associated with sex, masturbation, and homosexuality. Girl Talk’s efforts to teach young girls about sex are valiant, but lack the ability to provide the information that young girls need to make educated decisions about sex. As the statistics show, teenagers are having sex, and simply telling them not to is not an effective means of preventing them from having sex.
Middle school girls can enroll, on a volunteer basis, in the six-week Girl Talk program, which is offered three times throughout the year. One week of the program is spent teaching the girls about the biology of sex and the body and ways to “just say no”. This format for teaching young girls about sex has been proven ineffective. However, because of government stipulations about abstinence-only funding, the Girl Talk program must not address critical issues, such as birth control or abortion.
In an effort to educate both the Tucson community and, more specifically, the Girl Talk program coordinators, I have researched the effectiveness of both abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education programs. I have also created an informative web site about sex education, since there is little solid research in this area. The web site includes facts about sex and sex education and is intended to provide information about these topics for people of all ages. The web site is included in Appendix B.
Abstinence-Only Programs
Many conservatives argue that teaching teenagers about contraception, STDs, and other “risque” information, will somehow either cause them to have sex or promote teenage sex. They argue that the simple knowledge of such information will increase the likelihood of sexual activity. Thus, they feel that the best way to prevent teenagers from having sex or becoming pregnant is to keep this information from them and only tell them to say no. However, it is apparent that adolescents are not saying no to sex.
Abstinence-only programs can be defined as those sex education programs that are centered around abstaining from sex and only dealing with the biological aspects of sex. Issues such as contraception, abortion, and homosexuality are strictly avoided. In an effort to promote “abstinence-only”, these programs have continually misused statistics in order to prove their point. (Haignere 1999). Statistics about condom effectiveness and likelihood of contracting an STD have been altered in order to scare adolescents out of having sex.
With all of this information aside, the effectiveness of abstinence-only programs has remained unclear. Studies have shown that “abstinence-only curricula evaluations have demonstrated changes in adolescents’ attitude, but little change in sexual behaviors” (Haignere, et al. 43, 1999). Also, is teenagers are already sexually active or have previously had sexual intercourse, there is little if any proof that abstinence-only programs changed their attitudes about sex. However, despite such a lack of evidence that these programs are effective, enthusiasm for such programs is on the rise at local, state, and national levels.
Comprehensive Programs
Comprehensive programs range in curricula from brushing the surface of emotional and psychological aspects of sex, to covering a broad array of topics from homosexuality to abortion. These programs have been defined as “curricula including both contraceptive, abstinence, and skill-building information” (Haignere, et al. 1999). Comprehensive education programs include information about having safe sex and often teach students how to use a condom properly. With respect to condom use, a 1992 Gallup Poll study of adults showed that 63% were in favor of public schools distributing condoms (Samuels & Smith 1993). This shows that parents indeed believe that their children should be made aware of contraceptive issues and are looking to protect their children at all costs.
The effectiveness of comprehensive programs is also unclear, however the evidence seems to lie in favor is these programs. Unlike abstinence-only programs, comprehensive education programs have been shown not only to change attitudes about sex, but also behavior (Haignere 1999). The fact that comprehensive education programs are shown to be more effective than abstinence-only programs should prove that measures should be taken to improve the existing curricula for many schools. According to the Sex Education and Information Council [SEICUS] reports, only one in six sex education programs are comprehensive programs and only nine percent of HIV-AIDS state-mandated curricula included information about safe-sex practices (Nelson Trudell 1993). The rest are based upon abstinence-only ideas. This report was from 1992, and since then sex education curriculum has become even more focused on the importance of abstinence-only. More and more, programs are looking to abstinence-only grants to fund their sex education programs. Perhaps this is because the government allots so much funding to abstinence-only grants, whereas comprehensive programs are often “on their own” in terms of funding.
Pardon some of the subject-specific terminology. I just included the parts that were at least somehwat relevant to the discussion.
So with all of that being said...
YES, I think it should be mandatory in school - though I don't think it's possible to require it from private schools, I think it is definitely something that should be a requirement in public schools. As I said above, I think this is a public health issue that should be addressed as such.
YES, I think birth control should be made available to teenagers (though not at any age, there are potential risks involved if the kids are TOO young) without parental consent. Not sure what should be the cut-off age - more research (on my part) would be requried to make an educated decision. But I think condoms should be made readily available to anyone at clinics without parental notification/consent. What kind of message are we sending to our kids by NOT allowing them access to condoms through health facilities. "If you are going to have sex, I'd rather you take your chances getting pregnant or contracting a disease because I think teenage sex is immoral/wrong"? We should be putting their health above our own personal moral beliefs/values, in my opinion. Kids get enough conflicting messages as it is from the media (sex, sex, sex, sex, oh abstinence is best, but you need to wear this sexy outfit and do these things to be "sexy", but please don't have sex...) they should at least be able to get the message that their health is important from health facilties!
edited because I realized that the projects were conducted in consecutive semesters in 1999 rather than one in 1998 and one in 1999 AND to remove my "copyright" so there is no confusion and are no potential issues for America's Debate - though I promise I won't sue
Count me in with you as to the very great importance of accurate sex education for all young people. I would add a strong emphasis on the extremely serious consequences of choosing to become sexually active. Accurate information on sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy would, I hope, discourage young people from becoming sexually active at an early age. In particular, I would try to make all young people aware of the gigantic responsibility of caring for a child.
I'm not sure about the best way to provide young people who choose to be sexually active with contraception. I would certainly make condoms easy to obtain. Birth control pills have serious medical consequences, so they should only be available on the orders of a physician (or, possibly, another health practicioner with the proper knowledge and experience.) Lack of parental notification is a very tricky issue. I suppose I would encourage young people to communicate openly with their parents, but I realize that this will not always be possible. I'm open to suggestions on this issue.
I'm not sure about the best way to provide young people who choose to be sexually active with contraception. I would certainly make condoms easy to obtain. Birth control pills have serious medical consequences, so they should only be available on the orders of a physician (or, possibly, another health practicioner with the proper knowledge and experience.) Lack of parental notification is a very tricky issue. I suppose I would encourage young people to communicate openly with their parents, but I realize that this will not always be possible. I'm open to suggestions on this issue.
One other bit of information I left out. Abstinence-only sex-ed programs tend to use scare tactics and misinformation about sexually trasnmitted diseases/pregnancy to get their point across. Here is an article addressing this issue (if you want more, you can do a simple search for "sex education" abstinence programs "scare tactics" and you'll find tons of information. I only used SIECUS as a source again because I trust their information more than any other source out there
SIECUS Recent Press - January 23, 2003
If we want our kids to prepare themselves physically, mentally, etc. for sex (because, as much as we fight it they WILL have sex), we need to be honest with them. Saying how easy it is to contract HIV, and some other STDs (when it's simply not true) isn't going to help these kids make better choices, not in my opinion anyway.
SIECUS Recent Press - January 23, 2003
If we want our kids to prepare themselves physically, mentally, etc. for sex (because, as much as we fight it they WILL have sex), we need to be honest with them. Saying how easy it is to contract HIV, and some other STDs (when it's simply not true) isn't going to help these kids make better choices, not in my opinion anyway.
YES and YES
BTW,can a man post here?
My daughter did a paper in Junior College on Sex Ed and Birth Control and had trouble with the local health facilities getting info. So she drove to a nearby town that had a Catholic owned hospital and got all the info she needed. Seems a bit funny that the church that seems to be so against artificial methods of birth control had all the info, handouts, etc. and was more than willing to help with her paper.
And I think that part of the problem with parents is that we tend to avoid facing up to the fact that our children are not children anymore, and that we are losing control (for lack of a better word), and that the changes in their lives are surely changing ours as well.
And you know how change affects most of us.
BTW,can a man post here?
My daughter did a paper in Junior College on Sex Ed and Birth Control and had trouble with the local health facilities getting info. So she drove to a nearby town that had a Catholic owned hospital and got all the info she needed. Seems a bit funny that the church that seems to be so against artificial methods of birth control had all the info, handouts, etc. and was more than willing to help with her paper.
And I think that part of the problem with parents is that we tend to avoid facing up to the fact that our children are not children anymore, and that we are losing control (for lack of a better word), and that the changes in their lives are surely changing ours as well.
And you know how change affects most of us.
QUOTE(beladonna @ Jul 27 2003, 12:36 PM)
1. Safe and effective birth control.
Outside of abstinence or permanent sterility, there isn't any such thing as 100% effective birth control, unfortunately. Highly effective, yes. Perfect? Not even close. And in most cases, even among adults, there are problems with taking pills on time or using condoms every time, etc. Not to say that kids are necessarily stupid, but they have a much different mindset than adults do. They don't really consider the future, and in the heat of passion, remembering to use birth control isn't high on their list of priorities.
It's unfortunate that something like Norplant or another long-term birth control method isn't more widely available. Get it and forget it seems to be the best method.
The other reason birth control is so inconsistently used is the teen is required to get their parents involved to get them, by and large. I'm not going to argue if this is a good or bad thing (I think parents *SHOULD* be involved, but that's just me) but a lot of teens will simply ignore birth control, even if they know they should have it, just because of the potential embarassment and trouble of obtaining it through legitimate sources.
QUOTE
2. Adequate sex education.
Good luck.
Seriously, there are so many adults out there that are utterly terrified of sex that they'll never let it fly, nor will they ever discuss it with their kids. I guess they figure the information gets into the kid's head by osmosis or something.
There should be a sex education program in every classroom in the US over a certain age. It needs to be part of a nationally mandated curriculum and parents shouldn't be given a choice in the matter. That sounds harsh, but let's be honest... a lot of parents are stupid. If we don't want to pass on the stupidity of the past to future generations, a lot of educational issues are going to have to be taken out of the parent's direct control, simply because the parents have by-and-large demonstrated no ability or interest in educating their children.
Wow Cephus, I agree with you 100%. I think that the government should take a much more proactive roll in handling teen pregnancy, because as you stated, some parents are stupid and don't want to either take the time or are uncomfortable with the topic.
Yes to both of your questions, Bela.
Additionally, I think that birth control and contraception would be more widely used by teenagers if it was available at the school. Some teenagers don't have access to the transportation that they need to go to an outside clinic. Because of the expense, I don't necessarily think that it would be a good idea to have a pracitioner in house at all times, but a partnership with the local family planning clinic might be a viable option...someone who is willing to visit the school for a certain period of time each week and perhaps respond to appointments that are made through the school nurse. Non-prescription items such as condoms should be made available at all times.
Additionally, I think that birth control and contraception would be more widely used by teenagers if it was available at the school. Some teenagers don't have access to the transportation that they need to go to an outside clinic. Because of the expense, I don't necessarily think that it would be a good idea to have a pracitioner in house at all times, but a partnership with the local family planning clinic might be a viable option...someone who is willing to visit the school for a certain period of time each week and perhaps respond to appointments that are made through the school nurse. Non-prescription items such as condoms should be made available at all times.
QUOTE(Cephus @ Jul 27 2003, 12:10 PM)
It's unfortunate that something like Norplant or another long-term birth control method isn't more widely available. Get it and forget it seems to be the best method.
I agree for the most part with your post, but I would strongly discourage the use of norplant or progesterone shots in teenagers. Teen angst combined with the effects of hormonal shifts from those types of invasive birth control might lead to a deadly combination. Depression is highly linked to both products, along with weight gain and a host of other side effects.
I think that its a good idea to have sex education including contraceptive information. Adolescents (even those who choose to abstain) should still have the knowledge of such products. An informed decision is most times a better decision. I think that contraceptive education does a great deal to prevent pregnancy in teens (and thus prevent abortion, I guess...). When teens are educated about these things they are less apt to try error prone and high risk types of things such as the "pull out method" and more apt to use at least one type of prevention method (sometimes two, ie: condoms & birth control pills/patch)
I don't think that you should call contraceptive education "abortion prevention" but instead "pregnancy prevention"...what a person chooses to do once pregnant and the things that effect that would be those that directly affect the abortion decision. Direct "abortion prevention" would require education of alternatives such as adoption (by a family member or unrelated person) or raising the child with the support of whomever. As far as I can tell the decision to abort or carry to term is often based on the knowledge of alternatives and support or lack there of of family members and friends.
I don't think that you should call contraceptive education "abortion prevention" but instead "pregnancy prevention"...what a person chooses to do once pregnant and the things that effect that would be those that directly affect the abortion decision. Direct "abortion prevention" would require education of alternatives such as adoption (by a family member or unrelated person) or raising the child with the support of whomever. As far as I can tell the decision to abort or carry to term is often based on the knowledge of alternatives and support or lack there of of family members and friends.
Yes, the younger the better to start with any kind of education, one side effect is it may make the kids think about sex even more. I remember sex education class, the first one i had, it was just terror tactics used, such as you will die or something I do agree the younger the better for any kind of education.
I do agree the younger the better for any kind of education.
QUOTE(Mrs. Pigpen @ Jul 27 2003, 10:08 PM)
QUOTE(Cephus @ Jul 27 2003, 12:10 PM)
It's unfortunate that something like Norplant or another long-term birth control method isn't more widely available. Get it and forget it seems to be the best method.
I agree for the most part with your post, but I would strongly discourage the use of norplant or progesterone shots in teenagers. Teen angst combined with the effects of hormonal shifts from those types of invasive birth control might lead to a deadly combination. Depression is highly linked to both products, along with weight gain and a host of other side effects.
I said 'something like'.
Even Norplant or a 100% side-effect-free alternative isn't going to be 100% effective against pregnancy. It would be nice if they could come up with something that was nearly 100% effective, could be implanted for long-term use and wasn't ridiculously expensive. Put it in all teenagers and make people prove they're smart enough to handle kids before you take it out.
It's ridiculous that you have to take a test to drive a car, but not to have a kid.
On the fence on the sex-ed thing.
On one hand, I absolutely loathe government stepping in as mom and dad.
On the other hand, parents are doing what they need to do.
I hear the "scare tactic" thing a lot but what's the difference between saying you'll get an STD and die and your father saying he'll kill you if you get pregnant? jokes aside...
As far as birth control goes, I think it should be available. But, let's not kid ourselves, there is no such thing as a side-effect free form of birth control(well besides abstinence of course).
Every woman has a different body chemistry, all forms of birth control effect each woman differently. For instance, my wife took:
1. Norplant. Actually, this was probably the most effective form of birth control, but not for the reasons stated on the pamphlet. She bled 24/7 each time she got it. So, since she hates to have sex while bleeding(I'm of the "throw a towel down" mentallity myself), it was a very effective method. Another problem was that her breasts were extremely sensitive. I couldn't walk past her without her smacking me for hurting her breasts. They were sore all the time.
2. The pill. Threw her cycle off completely, she'd bleed for 3 weeks, then not at all for 2 months. Plus, it didn't work. Either I have super-semen or it just didn't work with her chemistry.
3. Depo-provera. Another completely out of whack cycle form of birth control. Her doctor kept saying her cycle will return to normal, after 2 years, it never did. Not to mention the fact that most insurance companies don't cover it, well neither mine nor my wife's did anyway and that's about half of the available insrance companies used by most companies here in Reno. Both norplant and depo are extremely expensive.
These side effects were bad enough for a full grown woman, I can't imagine how a teenager would react to some of them.
On one hand, I absolutely loathe government stepping in as mom and dad.
On the other hand, parents are doing what they need to do.
I hear the "scare tactic" thing a lot but what's the difference between saying you'll get an STD and die and your father saying he'll kill you if you get pregnant?
jokes aside...As far as birth control goes, I think it should be available. But, let's not kid ourselves, there is no such thing as a side-effect free form of birth control(well besides abstinence of course).
Every woman has a different body chemistry, all forms of birth control effect each woman differently. For instance, my wife took:
1. Norplant. Actually, this was probably the most effective form of birth control, but not for the reasons stated on the pamphlet. She bled 24/7 each time she got it. So, since she hates to have sex while bleeding(I'm of the "throw a towel down" mentallity myself), it was a very effective method. Another problem was that her breasts were extremely sensitive. I couldn't walk past her without her smacking me for hurting her breasts. They were sore all the time.
2. The pill. Threw her cycle off completely, she'd bleed for 3 weeks, then not at all for 2 months. Plus, it didn't work. Either I have super-semen or it just didn't work with her chemistry.
3. Depo-provera. Another completely out of whack cycle form of birth control. Her doctor kept saying her cycle will return to normal, after 2 years, it never did. Not to mention the fact that most insurance companies don't cover it, well neither mine nor my wife's did anyway and that's about half of the available insrance companies used by most companies here in Reno. Both norplant and depo are extremely expensive.
These side effects were bad enough for a full grown woman, I can't imagine how a teenager would react to some of them.
QUOTE(erratic_energy @ Jul 28 2003, 10:38 PM)
I don't think that you should call contraceptive education "abortion prevention" but instead "pregnancy prevention"...what a person chooses to do once pregnant and the things that effect that would be those that directly affect the abortion decision. Direct "abortion prevention" would require education of alternatives such as adoption (by a family member or unrelated person) or raising the child with the support of whomever. As far as I can tell the decision to abort or carry to term is often based on the knowledge of alternatives and support or lack there of of family members and friends.
erratic,
There is a thread here at AD called language police or something like that. I believe there is legitimacy in the concept of changing attitudes by language control.
Forgive me for categorizing, but selling sex education in schools to the conservative community could be accomplished by changing one word in a two word phrase - pregnancy prevention becomes abortion prevention.
Whatcha think?
QUOTE(beladonna @ Jul 29 2003, 11:16 PM)
QUOTE(erratic_energy @ Jul 28 2003, 10:38 PM)
I don't think that you should call contraceptive education "abortion prevention" but instead "pregnancy prevention"...what a person chooses to do once pregnant and the things that effect that would be those that directly affect the abortion decision. Direct "abortion prevention" would require education of alternatives such as adoption (by a family member or unrelated person) or raising the child with the support of whomever. As far as I can tell the decision to abort or carry to term is often based on the knowledge of alternatives and support or lack there of of family members and friends.
erratic,
There is a thread here at AD called language police or something like that. I believe there is legitimacy in the concept of changing attitudes by language control.
Forgive me for categorizing, but selling sex education in schools to the conservative community could be accomplished by changing one word in a two word phrase - pregnancy prevention becomes abortion prevention.
Whatcha think?
you make a good point there...however, I think that many conservatives would argue that teaching about sex will simply increase the likelihood of adolescents having sex (although more might do so safely). I don't myself agree with this statement but I believe it is an argument that is/would be made. They would say that if it increases the likelihood of teens having sex that it is not effective "abortion prevention." I think that pointing out the possibility of preventing pregnancy and thus abortions, provided one could cite studies to negate this argument (that a greater percentage of sex educated students have sex), would be adequate to convince many conservatives.
I think that it is valid to distinguish between pregnancy and abortion prevention though. IMO sex education COULD be correctly termed indirect abortion prevention.
YES!
I find it incredibly strange how many of my friends are ignorant about birth control. One of my friends said about the pill "I thought they wanted you to take it at the same time everyday just so you'd remember"! I am also upset about the advertising done for the pill, as there are so many people who read about Ortho-tricyclen and think its the ONLY pill that helps your skin (when all of them do), and they will specifically ask for this high-estrogen pill, and when it screws with their system, end up giving up on the pill. I wonder how many women would fare better witha low-estrogen pill, and just dont realize their options?
And I still hear people say they dont use condoms because they dont "feel" anything.
I find it incredibly strange how many of my friends are ignorant about birth control. One of my friends said about the pill "I thought they wanted you to take it at the same time everyday just so you'd remember"! I am also upset about the advertising done for the pill, as there are so many people who read about Ortho-tricyclen and think its the ONLY pill that helps your skin (when all of them do), and they will specifically ask for this high-estrogen pill, and when it screws with their system, end up giving up on the pill. I wonder how many women would fare better witha low-estrogen pill, and just dont realize their options?
And I still hear people say they dont use condoms because they dont "feel" anything.
QUOTE(kimpossible @ Jul 29 2003, 07:20 PM)
I find it incredibly strange how many of my friends are ignorant about birth control.
Teens tend to be frivolous with any type of birth control. Birth control failure rates for teens is very high.
teen sex and pregnancy
The Diagram has a 31 percent failure rate, and the pill and astounding 11 percent!
QUOTE
Currently, 44% of sexually active teens use the Pill, 38% use condoms, 10% use Depo-Provera (injectable), 4% use withdrawal, and 3% use Norplant (implant). ["Teen Sex and Pregnancy," Facts in Breif, AGI, 1998]
* Among sexually active teenage girls aged 12 to 18, 20% of oral contraceptive users became pregnant over a mere six months. [LM Dinerman et al, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Med, 149(9):967-72, Sept 1995.]
* Among sexually active teenage girls aged 12 to 18, 20% of oral contraceptive users became pregnant over a mere six months. [LM Dinerman et al, Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Med, 149(9):967-72, Sept 1995.]
I think this is important to remember when we look at education and birth control as an 'abortion alternative'. Teens who are promiscuious and subsequently get pregnant aren't necessarily ignorant of birth control methods. I believe that (in addition to birth control) NFP (natural family planning) should be taught. Of course, the teacher would need instruction first!
The benefits are many. First, the 'user' is completely in control of their 'birth control', there are no dangerous or mood altering hormones, it requires a great deal of body knowledge and discipline (it is a discipline strengthening birth control method). All of these are good things for a teen. As of now, NFP isn't taught at all to teens or adults, and is considered synonymous to the 'rhythm method' which is inaccurate. I would estimate about 2 percent of the population even knows about it or has ever practiced it...most are devout Catholics. A woman should know exactly when she is ovulating. The fact that this isn't taught in every sex ed class is simply wrong, as one cannot assess the effectiveness of their birth control method without knowing the extent of their fertility. This method worked for me for eight years, and when I did have a 'surprise' pregnancy, I knew I was playing with fire at the time. I used the method another year and a half (part of the time between pregnancies) and got pregnant again the month I planned it.
side note...The pill isn't very effective if taken with antibiotics, and many people don't know that (especially teens, who would be more inclined to take antibiotics to control acne).
QUOTE(Mrs. Pigpen @ Jul 30 2003, 06:58 AM)
I believe that (in addition to birth control) NFP (natural family planning) should be taught. Of course, the teacher would need instruction first!
MrsP, I think this would be a fantastic addition to the sexual ed curriculum.
I first learned about this from a friend of mine in Kuwait where it is used frequently, and it does require a great amount of knowledge about your own body. It would be valuable to teenage girls, if for no other reason than being aware of their own bodies and how they work.
QUOTE(cyan @ Jul 30 2003, 10:33 AM)
I first learned about this from a friend of mine in Kuwait where it is used frequently, and it does require a great amount of knowledge about your own body. It would be valuable to teenage girls, if for no other reason than being aware of their own bodies and how they work.
This method worked quite well for me and my wife for a good while. But sometimes primal passion can overrule your ability to pay attention to what time of the month it is..
...but none the less I love my son more than anything in the world.
QUOTE(Sleeper @ Jul 30 2003, 08:37 AM)
QUOTE(cyan @ Jul 30 2003, 10:33 AM)
I first learned about this from a friend of mine in Kuwait where it is used frequently, and it does require a great amount of knowledge about your own body. It would be valuable to teenage girls, if for no other reason than being aware of their own bodies and how they work.
This method worked quite well for me and my wife for a good while. But sometimes primal passion can overrule your ability to pay attention to what time of the month it is..
...but none the less I love my son more than anything in the world.
It doesn't have to be the ONLY method of birth control.
There are, of course, other ways to have sex which don't lead to pregnancy, too. I think it would be nice for teen girls to have a good idea of when exactly they're ovulating. It seems to me a lot of teens tend to 'roll the bones' and take a chance when they shouldn't, because they simply don't know when it's the most dangerous time.
QUOTE(Ataal @ Jul 29 2003, 07:29 PM)
2. The pill. Threw her cycle off completely, she'd bleed for 3 weeks, then not at all for 2 months. Plus, it didn't work. Either I have super-semen or it just didn't work with her chemistry.
3. Depo-provera. Another completely out of whack cycle form of birth control. Her doctor kept saying her cycle will return to normal, after 2 years, it never did. Not to mention the fact that most insurance companies don't cover it, well neither mine nor my wife's did anyway and that's about half of the available insrance companies used by most companies here in Reno. Both norplant and depo are extremely expensive.
These side effects were bad enough for a full grown woman, I can't imagine how a teenager would react to some of them.
3. Depo-provera. Another completely out of whack cycle form of birth control. Her doctor kept saying her cycle will return to normal, after 2 years, it never did. Not to mention the fact that most insurance companies don't cover it, well neither mine nor my wife's did anyway and that's about half of the available insrance companies used by most companies here in Reno. Both norplant and depo are extremely expensive.
These side effects were bad enough for a full grown woman, I can't imagine how a teenager would react to some of them.
I have heard of these side effects. Occasionally it has something to do with a poor practitioner. I knew a women who took Depo and bled for 3 months straight, ouch! But sometimes if the levels are adjusted right it can have positive side effects. Particularly for irregular women who have painful cramps naturally, the pill can help them have a regular cycle with less of the discomfort. I do think it is surprising that insurance companies won't cover birth control yet they will cover Viagra. Are they trying to send a message?
I think teens should definetely be more educated about entering a sexual relationship and they should understand how there bodies work and what it does. I do not think abortion should be used under any circumstances and if you are going to have sex, do it because you want a baby or if not with proper protection using contraceptives.
This is an interesting point, maybe everyone should sit exams on sex (written and practical) and than be issued with a breeding lisence.
Everyone knows how to have kids, but do they know how to care for them afterwards. This is what we should teach children, how to be responsible, taking responsibility for their actions. Not enjoy life while you can, do what you want and pick up the pieces later.
QUOTE
It's ridiculous that you have to take a test to drive a car, but not to have a kid.
This is an interesting point, maybe everyone should sit exams on sex (written and practical) and than be issued with a breeding lisence.
Everyone knows how to have kids, but do they know how to care for them afterwards. This is what we should teach children, how to be responsible, taking responsibility for their actions. Not enjoy life while you can, do what you want and pick up the pieces later.
I BELIEVE 100% in sex education, in the sense of how our bodies work, how to prevent STD's and pregnancy, I even believe in free condoms in schools/together with sex education. I had it and I have had geat benefit from it. I knew scientifically that those trickling dripping things, and my father told me the rest about boys, could get me into big trouble, too soon and change my life forever.
I have a problem with prescribing birth control to teens without parental knowledge. First of all it does not prevent STDS, and secondly can have really adverse side effects as mentioned by many. I would not want my child to be prescribed birth control without my knowledge. I would hope my child would talk to me about it , but that is me as a liberal. I realize some parents are so absurdly out of touch that they dont understand that their 16 year olds are having sex, and some parents cannot be talked with, or the kids given some removed kind of abstinance lecture, then without help these teens are lost and likely to get into trouble. I still think parents should have a say, pehaps not until 18, but 16?
Zeb, its hard to teach children responsability. Youth always has the feeling of immortality and a lack of reasoning to dire circumnstances. We try to teach them so much, but often they dont believe us, often because we dont practice what we preach. What youth does believe is, enjoy while you can because adult life sucks, Paaartaay!
We can no longer impart puritan ethics, so we'd better watch out for for our kids.
We cant pretend that children are what we were when we were young. Adults have to open their minds. In Texas they are STILL fighting against sex education in schools, and my female friends from there never knew the most basic things about their body, it was shocking.
Anti-sex education is completely hypocritical to abortion prevention.
You cannot keep people, especially youth, in the dark about how the reproductive system works, refuse to support birth/STD control (condoms) AND refuse to support unwanted/teen births, AND refuse to support abortion rights. Something has got to give because this is a painted into an impossible corner situation unless some still believe the ludicrous idea that people will abstain from sex, hey, when hell freezes over.
Its one or another, educate or pay for the results, a much longer term investment.
I have a problem with prescribing birth control to teens without parental knowledge. First of all it does not prevent STDS, and secondly can have really adverse side effects as mentioned by many. I would not want my child to be prescribed birth control without my knowledge. I would hope my child would talk to me about it , but that is me as a liberal. I realize some parents are so absurdly out of touch that they dont understand that their 16 year olds are having sex, and some parents cannot be talked with, or the kids given some removed kind of abstinance lecture, then without help these teens are lost and likely to get into trouble. I still think parents should have a say, pehaps not until 18, but 16?
Zeb, its hard to teach children responsability. Youth always has the feeling of immortality and a lack of reasoning to dire circumnstances. We try to teach them so much, but often they dont believe us, often because we dont practice what we preach. What youth does believe is, enjoy while you can because adult life sucks, Paaartaay!
We can no longer impart puritan ethics, so we'd better watch out for for our kids.
We cant pretend that children are what we were when we were young. Adults have to open their minds. In Texas they are STILL fighting against sex education in schools, and my female friends from there never knew the most basic things about their body, it was shocking.
Anti-sex education is completely hypocritical to abortion prevention.
You cannot keep people, especially youth, in the dark about how the reproductive system works, refuse to support birth/STD control (condoms) AND refuse to support unwanted/teen births, AND refuse to support abortion rights. Something has got to give because this is a painted into an impossible corner situation unless some still believe the ludicrous idea that people will abstain from sex, hey, when hell freezes over.
Its one or another, educate or pay for the results, a much longer term investment.
Let me first say that my view of teens is somewhat different from most of you, since I work with troubled adolescents. Now, first off, the majority of teens don't get pregnant and don't get abortions. It is the minority that we worry about, and making sure our own children aren't IN that minority.
That being said, about 99.999% of the kids I see are usually sexually active, for one of three reasons A) they are abused by their own parents (and yes, you would just cringe to know how many mom's abuse thier boys as well)
thier parents are so strict and controlling that they do it just to see what all the fuss is about C) thier parents keep them in a box so they don't know how to react when thier hormones react around another atractive teenager.
In the kids I deal with, A, unfortunately, is the majority. Many of the girls have had abortions because family members got them pregnant. Teaching them that what good/appropriate sex and sexual relationships in the future is a real challenge. I recently had a kid whose mom watched porn with him there since he was six and then introduced him into a "relationship" (her words) with another teenage boy, for her own fantasy fulfillment. I wouldn't tell you this except in this debate, you must know that there is a large group of kids that the "nice" sunny world we live in does not exist, and we must be very truthful and up front and hide nothing from these kids, and try to save them while we can.
In dealing with kids that have a reasonable relationship with the world and thier parents (notice I didn't use the psych buzz word of "dysfunctional-functional), teaching what a good relationship is, and giving them high expectations of what is good and appropriate, plus a basic knowledge of thier bodies, seems to work pretty good in the counseling I have performed. Children learn how to behave in relationships by watching thier parents. Girls pick guys that was thier father figure, guys pick girls that are like thier mother figure. I am not talking in looks or likes, but in relationship behavior. If Dad is a respectful guy to his wife and a good provider and father, she rarely excepts less than her Dad, not to say she won't make mistakes and overestimate the guy, but she will aim for it, and so will boy for mother. Once again I am not talking Oedapedial stuff here, just relationship behavior. This is why the "cycle of violence" and what not continues. Also, the children learn to behave towards the opposite sex from thier same sex role model in relationships. So if paw beat maw, son will look for a maw that acts like maw in the relationship, and he will act like paw in the relationship.
So the best way to prevent abortion is to set a good example of a relationship as you can in your own!
That being said, about 99.999% of the kids I see are usually sexually active, for one of three reasons A) they are abused by their own parents (and yes, you would just cringe to know how many mom's abuse thier boys as well)
thier parents are so strict and controlling that they do it just to see what all the fuss is about C) thier parents keep them in a box so they don't know how to react when thier hormones react around another atractive teenager.In the kids I deal with, A, unfortunately, is the majority. Many of the girls have had abortions because family members got them pregnant. Teaching them that what good/appropriate sex and sexual relationships in the future is a real challenge. I recently had a kid whose mom watched porn with him there since he was six and then introduced him into a "relationship" (her words) with another teenage boy, for her own fantasy fulfillment. I wouldn't tell you this except in this debate, you must know that there is a large group of kids that the "nice" sunny world we live in does not exist, and we must be very truthful and up front and hide nothing from these kids, and try to save them while we can.
In dealing with kids that have a reasonable relationship with the world and thier parents (notice I didn't use the psych buzz word of "dysfunctional-functional), teaching what a good relationship is, and giving them high expectations of what is good and appropriate, plus a basic knowledge of thier bodies, seems to work pretty good in the counseling I have performed. Children learn how to behave in relationships by watching thier parents. Girls pick guys that was thier father figure, guys pick girls that are like thier mother figure. I am not talking in looks or likes, but in relationship behavior. If Dad is a respectful guy to his wife and a good provider and father, she rarely excepts less than her Dad, not to say she won't make mistakes and overestimate the guy, but she will aim for it, and so will boy for mother. Once again I am not talking Oedapedial stuff here, just relationship behavior. This is why the "cycle of violence" and what not continues. Also, the children learn to behave towards the opposite sex from thier same sex role model in relationships. So if paw beat maw, son will look for a maw that acts like maw in the relationship, and he will act like paw in the relationship.
So the best way to prevent abortion is to set a good example of a relationship as you can in your own!
Honestly, as a student, if I even mention birth control and my name or me in the same sentence, my parents start freaking about how I had better not get pregnant and what they'd do if I did. Don't get me wrong, my parents are ok and they just want what's good. I think that if the people wanna have sex, they'll have sex. No matter who tells em anything. Telling parents who would have silmilar reactions to birth control like mine that their kid is on the pill will stop them from getting the pill, but it probably won't stop them from sex.
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