Many pregnant teens are not only unprepared to be mothers, but are not ready to financially support their child. Without these Comprehensive Sex Education programs to help prevent these early childhood pregnancies the government will have to help pay for the child. Unplanned pregnancies in teens are more than likely associated with low income resulting in 80% of them relying on welfare. Each year taxpayers contribute around $7 billion to public assistance, child health care, foster care, and involvement with the criminal justice system due to teen pregnancy. Medicare will cover the gynecologist visits and the health care necessary for the young child. Also Medicare covers STD testing. If the government were to help the funding of these Comprehensive Sex Education programs teenagers could become more aware of such consequences resulting in fewer Medicare clients.
The government should support programs through schools to help prevent unsafe sex and the rising number of adolescent pregnancies. Not only do teen pregnancies affect the at home life, but also in the young mothers education. According to womanshealthchannel.com, which is a physician developed website, only about one third of teen mothers receive a high school diploma. At such a young age teen mothers are prone to complications during delivery, and can put the baby at risk. Most teens are unaware of this. By making Comprehensive Sex Education a requirement of schools teens can be taught how to prevent these after-effects. In the United States only 69% of school districts teach some form of sex education. 89% of those districts teach the Abstinence program. Teens need to be informed if they are going to be sexually active of how to avoid risky behavior and the proper use of contraceptives. The government should enforce these programs to see effective results.
A member of the National Abstinence Education Association stated "Abstinence programs offer a holistic approach, teaching teens how to build healthy relationships, increase self-worth and set appropriate boundaries in order to achieve future goals." From this idea one could argue that teens should not be preached to just about the concept of abstinence, but also to make aware of using protection and the possibility of contracting STDS. Both of those issues are made apparent in the Comprehensive Sex Education programs. In Europe this type of program is started in preschool and is effectively shown in their low teen birthrate of 6.9 per 1,000 woman ages varying from 15–18. This rate is the lowest in the world and 8 times smaller than in the U.S. Because of such a high number in teen pregnancies each year it is obvious that the commonly used Abstinence programs are not as effective.
With all the stress, complications, and the financial burden that go along with teen pregnancy it is obvious that the government should step up and try to effectively change this issue. An easy solution is by making a required course in every school on the subject of Comprehensive Sex Education. This would help lower Medicare clients and the number of families on welfare, it would teach students the proper way of being "safe", and would overall be more effective then abstinence programs.
-TitansGirl-
Works Cited
SIRS researcher. ProQuest. 20 Mar. 2009
Teen Pregnancy. 01 Nov. 2000. 20 Mar. 2009
16 comments:
Unfortunately the logic of abstinence is still being lost on America's youth. America needs morals, not sex education; however sex education is what we get because it's easier and offends less people.
I can't believe that the number of high school grads was that high. I thought they would drop out to take care of the child...
Schools and parents can only teach kids so much. It is then left up to the child to make the right decision. Parents can only hope that what they have taught their kids is enough for them to make smart decisions because adults are not always there to tell them what to do.
Abstinence just tells us to wait until we are married but it doesn't really scare or convince us to not engage in that behavior before marriage. I think we need a mix of abstinence with some scientific facts to help motivate us to be smarter.
If they drop out then it would only be that much harder to care for the child. And Sex education offends more people by the way. Its controversial in many religions because the frown on the use of birth control, condoms and etc... Also if you promote sex education that is promoting safe sex. Religions frown on that also because they think it should be straight abstinence. I believe we should have morals but you have to realize that todays society has degraded and that most abstinence programs don't work. If kids are going to have sex then at least do it the smart way and be safe.
Not all girls need to drop out to finish high school. Several schools have day care programs so that the mothers can still graduate from high school. Though most would only be able to do this if they had enough of an income and support to take care of the child. Sex education is not going to be the only solution, and it is nowhere near the best. Students know about STDs and many are using birth control. I wonder how many teenagers get pregnant when they've been drinking alcohol at parties... It's not like teenagers don't know the risks of having sex. It's just that usually, at the moment, they aren't thinking about them. No amount of education is going to change that.
With how laws like the safe haven law used to be in Nebraska, it was kind of easy for kids to graduate High School after they had their kid, though. All they had to do was just take the baby to the hospital, drop them off, and leave and never have to worry about it again. But I do agree, something needs to be done about the sex education of teens and youth in our country today. Teen pregnancys are rising constantly and something needs to be done about it.
Again, Teens just are not educated enough on the repercussions of sex. Abstinence classes should teach on the possible outcomes of unprotected sex, while telling teens to be safe.
In junior high, abstinence was taught as an option.. but how much can you elaborate on it seriously kids that want to do it, will. You have to help the kids that dont have the parents to lead them or tell them the consequences. I agree with Goldfish all of the way. Lovable Loser...just because they are not YOUR morals does not mean that they are bad morals. Neither way is an easy out. You are either pounding your morals into someone's head or trying to convince teens to be responsible over their hormones.. lets face it neither is easy to do. Trying to force your ideals on people can be taken just as offiensively.
Right and wrong are definitive absolutes. If you say that all morals are acceptable, then you make an absolute statement that leaves out value systems with exclusive ideologies (i.e. the ones that do not allow for all viewpoints as "truth"). The argument of moral relativism is self-defeating, since the idea itself is absolutely incorruptible in the eyes of its adherents.
I'm curious. What was the teen pregnancy rate in the 1900's? When parents were still the ones to teach their children about the birds and the bees? And warn their own precious kids about the dangers that are hiding in the shadows out there? Government is literally trying to get into bed with us by regulating this kind of education.
Having sex in high school isn't necessarily immoral. Not everyone's morals are the same, they are subjective. Abstinence only programs obviously aren't working. Teenagers are going to have sex and there needs to be a way they can learn how to be safe about it. Just telling a kid they should wait to have sex until after they are married isn't the answer to teen pregnancies and STDs.
Teaching tips on safe sex aren't necessarily answer because pregnancy can still happen. I think the results of sex need to be shown more real. Taking home a fake baby that cries every hour on the hour will definitely make abstinence more appealing.
I absolutely agree with goldfish.. all we can do is provide young adults with both sides of the story. by providing them with both abstinence programs and safe sex programs. it may not please everyone bc it doesn't go along with their religion. but at least we will know that we have provided them with the safest options out there. its up to the teens to listen to these programs.
I agree, education and awareness is important for teens to understand the consequences of their actions. I feel it is very important to educate the students so they have all of the information they need to make an informed decision.
I think that teaching abstinence is a better way to prevent teen pregnancy, not safe sex. You know what they call couples who use condoms? Parents. Condoms break. Also, abstinence is the only 100% safe alternative. I understand it is not a realistic alternative that teens would chose, but that's because today's standards on what a teenager can do are really low. It IS possible for a teen to chose abstinence, they just refuse because they want the "easy way out" due to their laziness and lack of living up to their potential. Seriously, would you want to promote those low standards of teens by showing they can't stay abstinent, or do you want to prove society wrong by teaching teens to control themselves and their future?
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