Pauley, J. (1995). "Sex, teens, and public schools." NBC.

OVERVIEW

• One million U.S. teenagers become pregnant each year.
• U.S. has highest rates for teenage pregnancies, abortions, and child bearing in the industrialized world.
• In 1970, 70% of U.S. teenage births were to married teenagers.
• By 1990, 70% of U.S. teenage births were to unmarried teenagers.

The U.S. spends $34 billion a year in welfare payments to families headed by teenage mothers.

As mentioned in the documentary, "Nobody, not politicians, not pastors, nor parents know what to do about it." The following statistics are staggering:

• Eighty-three percent of all babies born to teens are born to poor, low-income girls.
• One third of teen mothers gives birth to a second baby within two years.
• Two thirds of all teenage girls who become pregnant have been sexually or physically abused.
• Seven out of ten teens become sexually active while in high school.
• One out of four sexually active teens contracts a STD while in high school.
• Four out of ten girls will become pregnant while teenagers.
• Two out of ten girls will become teenage mothers.
• Eight out of ten teen mothers drop out of school.
• Eight out of ten of their children will grow up in poverty.

Pregnancy was accidental for about 60% of pregnant female teenagers. About 40% planned or hoped for their pregnancy.

The explanation from some who were interviewed is ambivalent. Cynthia Davis is an attractive 9th grade dropout, a fifteen-year-old, white female. She says, "I never thought it could happen to me. We have done it so often. The month we slowed down and were hardly touching each other...I never thought it would happen to me...Yes, I wasn’t using any contraceptive...Yes, I kinda, not really, wanted to get pregnant. I didn’t think it could happen to me; you know, it never had before. But I thought, maybe a baby would help bring us back together and stop the fighting between us."

Many young mothers talk about not having anyone to talk to about preventing pregnancies that come too early in life. Shares one teen mother, "I could never have talked to my mother about it."

Eighty-nine percent of American parents favor sex education in schools. Yet, they are deeply divided as to how this should be taught. One perspective is that "A comprehensive abstinence is the best choice but here are your other alternatives." This may be called an abstinence based, comprehensive philosophy. "Values and Choices" used in 1800 school districts is one example. PSI (Postponing Sexual Involvement) is an abstinence program that supplements the comprehensive "Values and Choices" program. This position is also likely to favor comprehensive health clinics and the dispensing of contraceptives in the school.

Many conservatives argue that this approach is an inadequate approach to the epidemic of reckless teenage sexual behavior. Media and other influences already are giving young people strong negative messages. Conservatives believe that sex education should not be ambivalent, offering students two courses of action: "Be abstinent, but if you can’t be here’s what you should do."

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. What are your emotional reactions to this article?
2. What is your opinion as to the extent of the crisis of teenage pregnancy and as to how our society should respond?
3. Have you talked to teenage friends who are determined to remain virgins until marriage and to teenagers who are sexually active about this issue? What are their opinions?
4. How does your own sexual history influence your approach to this sensitive and controversial issue? What other factors influence your opinion and feelings?
5. Consider the extent to which parents, schools, churches, friends, and the media influence young people in their sexual choices.
6. No matter what your age, what role can you take in promoting healthy growth of young people?

IMPLICATIONS

• Teenage pregnancy confronts this society with a costly and increasingly deadly challenge. Among its greatest dangers are poor homes and inadequate family structure.
• The strength of any culture is only as strong as its families.
• Young people are willing to talk about serious issues and sometimes to change their behavior if they discover a better way for themselves. Many parents, churches, youth leaders are simply failing young people in this regard.
• We must learn to unite and find common denominators around the issues of public school curriculum, sex education, and moral instruction.

Dean Borgman cCYS