States with ‘abstinence-only’ sex ed programs rank highest in teen pregnancies

[nitroz]

A study has shown that while the U.S. is currently enjoying a steady decline in the number of teen pregnancies, states with sex ed and health classes that stress “abstinence-only” education rank the highest in the numbers of underage pregnancies, according to a post at Think Progress.

The current rate of teen pregnancies, about 35 per 1,000 girls between the ages of 15 and 19, is the lowest on record since the CDC began to track these statistics in 1940. The CDC attributes the improvement to pregnancy prevention efforts and education.

However, 37 states currently mandate that all sex education include information on abstinence, 26 of whom insist that abstinence be taught as the main method of pregnancy prevention. Studies have indicated that abstinence-only programs may end up deterring contraceptive use among teens who do have sex, whereas teenagers who have been taught a comprehensive sex ed curriculum are “60 percent less likely” to become pregnant or get someone else pregnant.

Additionally, a 2007 federal study indicated that abstinence-only education ultimately had “no impacts ” at all on rates of sexual abstinence.

The two states with the highest rates of teen pregnancies are Mississippi and New Mexico. Neither state requires that sex ed be taught in schools. Mississippi law stipulates that when sexual education is taught, that abstinence be the main method of contraception proscribed by educators, whereas New Mexico has no rules about reproductive health criteria at all.

The state with the lowest rate of teen pregnancies is New Hampshire, which requires comprehensive sex ed in schools that includes information about condoms and other forms of birth control in addition to abstinence.

States with ‘abstinence-only’ sex ed programs rank highest in teen pregnancies | The Raw Story




Religion fail.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

The state with the lowest rate of teen pregnancies is New Hampshire, which requires comprehensive sex ed in schools that includes information about condoms and other forms of birth control in addition to abstinence.

The power of knowledge, allowing each individual to make informed, intelligent decisions about his personal life.

No wonder conservatives are opposed to it.

 

[nitroz]

The state with the lowest rate of teen pregnancies is New Hampshire, which requires comprehensive sex ed in schools that includes information about condoms and other forms of birth control in addition to abstinence.

The power of knowledge, allowing each individual to make informed, intelligent decisions about his personal life.

No wonder conservatives are opposed to it.

yep.

It's a shining example why religion in government isn't doing anyone any good.

 

[Avatar4321]

This coming from the people who want to micromanage every aspect of our life.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Abstinence-only is a stupid policy. Anyone with an ounce of common sense can see how illogical it is.

 

[nitroz]

This coming from the people who want to micromanage every aspect of our life.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

This coming from the people who want to micromanage every aspect of our life.

Yes, giving people access to birth control options is micromanaging their lives.

But I suppose the world would be a better place if every 5th high school girl was pregnant and forced to carry the baby to term at point of a gun.

 

[Dr.Drock]

Good post, anyone who's the least bit in touch with the real world knows abstinence-only has no chance in hell of working. I have no idea why people keep pretending it does, it's not like unprotected teenage sex is some new phenomena. If you're younger than most rocks, unprotected teenage sex has been abundant in your generation.

 

[eflatminor]

Get the government out of the education business. Choose the school that teaches sex ed as you would like. Problem solved.

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Get the government out of the education business. Choose the school that teaches sex ed as you would like. Problem solved.

Oh yeah, I'm sure that would solve the problem. Definitely.

I also solved poverty. Poor people just need to get more money, then they won't be poor. Problem solved!

 

[Dr.Drock]

Get the government out of the education business. Choose the school that teaches sex ed as you would like. Problem solved.

Oh yeah, I'm sure that would solve the problem. Definitely.

I also solved poverty. Poor people just need to get more money, then they won't be poor. Problem solved!

Don't be stupid, poverty is solved by welfare. Look at how many people on welfare who end up with great economic success, the numbers have to be almost a dozen!

 

[OohPooPahDoo]

Get the government out of the education business. Choose the school that teaches sex ed as you would like. Problem solved.

Oh yeah, I'm sure that would solve the problem. Definitely.

I also solved poverty. Poor people just need to get more money, then they won't be poor. Problem solved!

Don't be stupid, poverty is solved by welfare. Look at how many people on welfare who end up with great economic success, the numbers have to be almost a dozen!

Jamal H. is a 28 year-old head of household for a family of seven. The family was issued a WtW voucher in June 2000. On August 1, 2000, they were able to rent an apartment in a complex in Ashburn, Virginia, where they are now receiving rental assistance through the WtW voucher program.

Prior to entering the WtW voucher program, Jamal and his wife were struggling to pay their rent, utilities, and other bills. Because of insufficient funds to purchase a car, transportation was also a problem and left Jamal without a reliable way to get to work. Jamal also lacked the money to enroll in a training program that would help him to develop more marketable skills needed to support his family.

As a result of the WtW voucher program and coordination with other assistance, the family's financial circumstances are much improved. Since entering the WtW voucher program, Jamal has earned a certificate for Web development and is starting a program for e-commerce. He has also maintained full-time employment and enrolled in the Family Self-sufficiency (FSS) program. Through the efforts of his FSS counselor, Jamal has obtained a car from "The Car Ministry" in Falls Church, VA. He has also received help from the Employment and Training Section of Loudon County Social Services. The social services office made arrangements for Jamal's training and obtained a computer for him. (Before he received his WtW voucher, that same agency helped to keep the family from becoming homeless.)

As of December 2000, the family still receives Medicaid for the children, but no other public assistance. They are now able to pay their bills, are working to improve their credit, and are striving toward the final FSS program goal of homeownership. Jamal has also been offered a job at a computer firm where he will be able to use his new skills and increase his income.

Want me to find more?

Success Stories - Promising Program Practices - Welfare to Work Vouchers - HUD

Or is the real world irrelevant?

Moving closer to opportunity
Agency: Phoenix (AZ) Housing Department

Anna L. is a 20 year-old single parent of two children. She was referred to the Phoenix Housing Authority's Welfare to Work (WtW) voucher program by the State's TANF program. In July, 2000, Anna used the voucher to find a decent, safe apartment that is close to the city's public transportation system and within walking distance of her childcare center. She pays $354 per month of the $700 rent.

Anna initially found a temporary job that paid $6.56 an hour. Her income has since increased by 59 percent to $10.45 per hour. She is now free of welfare assistance and works full time for the City of Phoenix as a Customer Service Clerk. Anna has also enrolled in the Housing Authority's Family Self-sufficiency program and is taking computer courses to make her more competitive for advancement opportunities.

Anna credits her success to the Welfare to Work voucher program. She says, "I never would have been able to do any of this without the Welfare to Work voucher - living in a nice apartment close to daycare and the bus to get to work."

Maybe you didn't get the memo - but back in '96 when the right wing was actually reasonable and willing to work with the left to make progress - Clinton and the Republican Congress passed welfare to work

Success of the 1996 welfare reform offers lessons today - latimes.com

and its worked.

 

[whitehall]

Be very careful of phrases like "studies have indicated". Translated it means there were no studies or if they were they are too faulty to be taken seriously or the studies indicated the opposite of what we thought so we feel free to editorialize them. A little detail that is left out is that there are no "abstinence only" programs except maybe in home-schooled kids who are usually better educated than union based systems. Abstinence is taught along with ordinary Trojan on a cucumber classes that democrats seem to salivate over.

 

[eflatminor]

Get the government out of the education business. Choose the school that teaches sex ed as you would like. Problem solved.

Oh yeah, I'm sure that would solve the problem. Definitely.

I also solved poverty. Poor people just need to get more money, then they won't be poor. Problem solved!

non se·qui·tur/ˌnän ˈsekwitər/
Noun:
A conclusion or statement that does not logically follow from the previous argument or statement.

Want to try again?

 

[Dr.Drock]

Oh yeah, I'm sure that would solve the problem. Definitely.

I also solved poverty. Poor people just need to get more money, then they won't be poor. Problem solved!

Don't be stupid, poverty is solved by welfare. Look at how many people on welfare who end up with great economic success, the numbers have to be almost a dozen!

Jamal H. is a 28 year-old head of household for a family of seven. The family was issued a WtW voucher in June 2000. On August 1, 2000, they were able to rent an apartment in a complex in Ashburn, Virginia, where they are now receiving rental assistance through the WtW voucher program.

Prior to entering the WtW voucher program, Jamal and his wife were struggling to pay their rent, utilities, and other bills. Because of insufficient funds to purchase a car, transportation was also a problem and left Jamal without a reliable way to get to work. Jamal also lacked the money to enroll in a training program that would help him to develop more marketable skills needed to support his family.

As a result of the WtW voucher program and coordination with other assistance, the family's financial circumstances are much improved. Since entering the WtW voucher program, Jamal has earned a certificate for Web development and is starting a program for e-commerce. He has also maintained full-time employment and enrolled in the Family Self-sufficiency (FSS) program. Through the efforts of his FSS counselor, Jamal has obtained a car from "The Car Ministry" in Falls Church, VA. He has also received help from the Employment and Training Section of Loudon County Social Services. The social services office made arrangements for Jamal's training and obtained a computer for him. (Before he received his WtW voucher, that same agency helped to keep the family from becoming homeless.)

As of December 2000, the family still receives Medicaid for the children, but no other public assistance. They are now able to pay their bills, are working to improve their credit, and are striving toward the final FSS program goal of homeownership. Jamal has also been offered a job at a computer firm where he will be able to use his new skills and increase his income.

Want me to find more?

Success Stories - Promising Program Practices - Welfare to Work Vouchers - HUD

Or is the real world irrelevant?

Moving closer to opportunity
Agency: Phoenix (AZ) Housing Department

Anna L. is a 20 year-old single parent of two children. She was referred to the Phoenix Housing Authority's Welfare to Work (WtW) voucher program by the State's TANF program. In July, 2000, Anna used the voucher to find a decent, safe apartment that is close to the city's public transportation system and within walking distance of her childcare center. She pays $354 per month of the $700 rent.

Anna initially found a temporary job that paid $6.56 an hour. Her income has since increased by 59 percent to $10.45 per hour. She is now free of welfare assistance and works full time for the City of Phoenix as a Customer Service Clerk. Anna has also enrolled in the Housing Authority's Family Self-sufficiency program and is taking computer courses to make her more competitive for advancement opportunities.

Anna credits her success to the Welfare to Work voucher program. She says, "I never would have been able to do any of this without the Welfare to Work voucher - living in a nice apartment close to daycare and the bus to get to work."

Maybe you didn't get the memo - but back in '96 when the right wing was actually reasonable and willing to work with the left to make progress - Clinton and the Republican Congress passed welfare to work

Success of the 1996 welfare reform offers lessons today - latimes.com

and its worked.

Poverty in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Poverty levels have increased since the mid 90's. You can say it works that's fine, but it's not something facts line up with.

It's a great gov't scam that's costed trillions. Broke people have nothing, get on welfare, still have nothing, and have their motivation killed by it.

 

[catzmeow]

This coming from the people who want to micromanage every aspect of our life.

I was actually quite impressed with my daughter's HOPE class. It taught all aspects of health, including sexual health. I definitely think it transmitted the "don't get an STD" message loud and clear.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Jamal H. is a 28 year-old head of household for a family of seven. The family was issued a WtW voucher in June 2000. On August 1, 2000, they were able to rent an apartment in a complex in Ashburn, Virginia, where they are now receiving rental assistance through the WtW voucher program.

Jamal is the exception, not the norm. Furthermore, what the hell business did he have fathering five children he couldn't afford to take care of? So because he was reckless and irresponsible he got to live for less, get a free car, and get a free education, whereas I've always paid my own way and am now paying back $70k in student loans.

Guess I should have gone on welfare.

 

[nitroz]

This coming from the people who want to micromanage every aspect of our life.

I was actually quite impressed with my daughter's HOPE class. It taught all aspects of health, including sexual health. I definitely think it transmitted the "don't get an STD" message loud and clear.

yeah, HOPE was a very informative course.

 

[nitroz]

Get the government out of the education business. Choose the school that teaches sex ed as you would like. Problem solved.

Ehh, not quite.

The government should be able to do stuff like sexual education in school.
If you don't like it, take your kids to a private school.

Education is a privilege, not a right.
Nor should government cater to religious beliefs.

 

[Cammmpbell]

This coming from the people who want to micromanage every aspect of our life.

I was actually quite impressed with my daughter's HOPE class. It taught all aspects of health, including sexual health. I definitely think it transmitted the "don't get an STD" message loud and clear.

yeah, HOPE was a very informative course.

Wanna know why abstinence doesn't work. It's called nature. A natural desire to reproduce with a mate of one's choosing has been with us from the first single cell life form and you can bet telling some healthy teens not to phuck ain't a gonna hack it. Since the beginning a hard weenie and a wet slit have craved one another.

One of my proudest conquests was the daughter of a Presbyterian minister. She was gorgeous and some times I would pick her up after choir practice. I had a new 1954 aurora red convertible and we used it many times. Right up till the time she selected her fiancee.

Keep in mind that in the 50's the risk of pregnancy was much higher by a long shot than it is now...or even 40 years ago for that matter.

Ever notice that older people are the ones who are concerned about kids getting pregnant

Know Why

It scares the schit out of them when they remember how they felt when they were young.