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'Abstinence only education' clearly doesn't work.

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posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 12:42 AM
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While teen pregnancies continue to decline in the nation overall, there are a number of states that continue to lag behind the rest of the nation when it comes to unwanted teen pregnancies. Most of these states have two things in common, Republican controlled governments that continue to heavily promote abstinence only education. Texas for example:


Everything's bigger in Texas: One of the most interesting and notable examples of this phenomenon comes out of Texas, which, according to ThinkProgess, has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the country and a track record of strict abstinence-only education. Even with declining birth rates nationwide, the Lone Star state has lagged behind, but that didn't stop them from doubling down their efforts on something that was already not working.

Last year, Texas reportedly spent $1.2 million on a website aggressively preaching abstinence-only education, omitting any mention of contraception.

mic.com...

Mississippi is another State, holding the number one title for teen pregnancies in the United States. Fortunately they are beginning to see the mess abstinence only education is causing:

Mississippi has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country, with 50 births per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19 in 2011 — compared with 31 per 1,000 nationally. A third of all babies born in Mississippi are to teenage mothers. Access to contraceptives is low, especially in some rural areas where drug stores have been known to refuse to sell condoms to minors.

Alarmed by the high poverty and low education rates tied to teen pregnancy, the business community pushed the Legislature to pass a bill compelling districts to implement sex education by the 2012-13 school year.

But parts of the law designed to appease conservatives in this deeply religious state have stymied those who want to teach about safe sex.

articles.latimes.com...

Arizona:

Teen mothers are much more likely to drop out of high school and to skip college entirely. They struggle more financially and emotionally. Not to mention the fact that preventing teen pregnancies in Arizona could save the state $180 million a year.

Who else joins us at the top of the list? New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi. What do we all have in common? Beautiful sunsets and abstinence-only education. Since I’m pretty sure the sunsets aren’t to blame, let’s talk about sex (education).


The stats are clear, it doesn't work:

1. A 2007 federal study on abstinence education found that these programs had no impacts on the rate of teen sexual abstinence.
2. The United States leads the world in teen pregnancy rates and teen birth rates. Compared to France, the US numbers are more than tripled.
3. Teens in states that prescribe more abstinence education are actually more likely to become pregnant.
4. Only 13% of teens in the United States have had sex by the age of 15.
5. By the age of 19, 70% of teens have engaged in sexual intercourse at least once.
6. 82% of the teen pregnancies that occur every year are unintended and 59% of them end in a successful birth.
7. Every year, roughly nine million new STIs occur among teens and young adults in the United States.
8. 1 in 4 teens in the US receives information about abstinence without receiving any information or instructions about birth control.
9. Among teens aged 18–19, 41% report that they know little or nothing about condoms.
10. 75% say they know little or nothing about the contraceptive pill.

healthresearchfunding.org...

So why do people continue to promote abstinence only Education? What does it even teach kids?? It baffles me. One would think the best way to minimize the rate of abortions and unwanted pregnancies is to ensure people have the knowledge and access to contraceptives? This goes right back to many who wish to close down essential providers like Planned Parenthood, who by the way devout the vast majority of their time to preventing unwanted pregnancies from happening in the first place.

While I am pro-choice, I believe in the end it's the choice of the woman as it's HER body, I'd still much prefer avoiding unwanted pregnancies from happening in the first place. Like it or not, we're humans, we're creatures of habit, we're susceptible to our urges. Nothing is going to change this. Telling people simply 'not to do it' and making efforts to bar them from taking necessary precautions only makes the situation worse. I don't understand why people continue to ignore this very apparent fact.
edit on 6-2-2016 by Southern Guardian because: (no reason given)



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 12:50 AM
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Because the general public is a Democracy now which means, "mob rules" and the media perpetuates it into the heads of all the soft headed TV watchers to perpetuate at their school and work.

...otherwise known as, in general, the average person is not very smart on a critical thinking scale....



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 01:08 AM
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Certain communities don't want to face reality. They feel that if they shield the young from the realities of life, somehow things will work out — which is utter nonsense. It's time to adapt to modern times and teach the young all that needs to be taught to ensure they are well educated and better prepared.



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 01:36 AM
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a reply to: Southern Guardian

These people who are preaching abstinence are doing so knowing full well it does not work and there is a long history of it not working.

The catholic church used the preach this method of birth control, and may still do for all I know, but they preached it for this reason.

The catholic religion is by world standards, a very small religion and they knew/know that if they are survive and grow, they must have something of an explosion in numbers. Their powers that be knew/know that by preaching abstinence or the 'withdrawal' method of birth control, that neither would or do work.

This would mean a high birth rate in the catholic religion, that would meet or exceed the birth rates of other religions.

In other words, the catholic powers that be knew the best way to breed more catholics was/is to preach abstinence or the 'withdrawal' method of birth control.
edit on 6-2-2016 by Azureblue because: z



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 01:38 AM
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originally posted by: Southern Guardian

Mississippi is another State, holding the number one title for teen pregnancies in the United States.


Mississippi also has the highest percentage of black residents in the nation, so be careful with your criticism... some may see it as racist.



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 01:49 AM
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originally posted by: Bone75
Mississippi also has the highest percentage of black residents in the nation, so be careful with your criticism... some may see it as racist.


Yeah, well I don't think anyone was thinking that until you brought it up. After all Texas isn't known for it's huge black population and it was mentioned too.

But now that you threw that in the mix it's not as though we can avoid it.



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 02:16 AM
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a reply to: Bone75

Yep nobody brought up race on here until you did.

Unwanted pregnancies, teen pregnancies, they impact both blacks and whites. The topic here is how useless abstinence education really is when it comes to unwanted pregnancies and abortions. Do you disagree?



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 04:16 AM
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a reply to: Southern Guardian

Next step, Texas will probably be purchasing Chasity belts and distributing them throughout their school system.



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 04:20 AM
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a reply to: Southern Guardian

Is the education really either -- or? Meaning it is abstinence and abstinence only with no other information -- and -- vice versa,"education" highlights all aspects of sexual education? Or is abstinence glossed over?

Honest questions because if that is what it is, its messed up. I prefer an educated classroom promoting abstinence while educating on being smart regarding sexual activity. We can have both; it doesn't need to be an either/or situation.



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 04:50 AM
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What are the parents doing through all of this nonsense.

My kids were educated well before they needed the information.

It should not just be on the State. There are other attitudes at play here.

P



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 05:56 AM
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originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: Southern Guardian

Next step, Texas will probably be purchasing Chasity belts and distributing them throughout their school system.


Dont give them ideas! It will be Ted Cruz first EO




posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 09:25 AM
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originally posted by: Southern Guardian
While teen pregnancies continue to decline in the nation overall, there are a number of states that continue to lag behind the rest of the nation when it comes to unwanted teen pregnancies. Most of these states have two things in common, Republican controlled governments that continue to heavily promote abstinence only education. Texas for example:


Everything's bigger in Texas: One of the most interesting and notable examples of this phenomenon comes out of Texas, which, according to ThinkProgess, has one of the highest rates of teen pregnancy in the country and a track record of strict abstinence-only education. Even with declining birth rates nationwide, the Lone Star state has lagged behind, but that didn't stop them from doubling down their efforts on something that was already not working.

Last year, Texas reportedly spent $1.2 million on a website aggressively preaching abstinence-only education, omitting any mention of contraception.

mic.com...

Mississippi is another State, holding the number one title for teen pregnancies in the United States. Fortunately they are beginning to see the mess abstinence only education is causing:

Mississippi has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country, with 50 births per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19 in 2011 — compared with 31 per 1,000 nationally. A third of all babies born in Mississippi are to teenage mothers. Access to contraceptives is low, especially in some rural areas where drug stores have been known to refuse to sell condoms to minors.

Alarmed by the high poverty and low education rates tied to teen pregnancy, the business community pushed the Legislature to pass a bill compelling districts to implement sex education by the 2012-13 school year.

But parts of the law designed to appease conservatives in this deeply religious state have stymied those who want to teach about safe sex.

articles.latimes.com...

Arizona:

Teen mothers are much more likely to drop out of high school and to skip college entirely. They struggle more financially and emotionally. Not to mention the fact that preventing teen pregnancies in Arizona could save the state $180 million a year.

Who else joins us at the top of the list? New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi. What do we all have in common? Beautiful sunsets and abstinence-only education. Since I’m pretty sure the sunsets aren’t to blame, let’s talk about sex (education).


The stats are clear, it doesn't work:

1. A 2007 federal study on abstinence education found that these programs had no impacts on the rate of teen sexual abstinence.
2. The United States leads the world in teen pregnancy rates and teen birth rates. Compared to France, the US numbers are more than tripled.
3. Teens in states that prescribe more abstinence education are actually more likely to become pregnant.
4. Only 13% of teens in the United States have had sex by the age of 15.
5. By the age of 19, 70% of teens have engaged in sexual intercourse at least once.
6. 82% of the teen pregnancies that occur every year are unintended and 59% of them end in a successful birth.
7. Every year, roughly nine million new STIs occur among teens and young adults in the United States.
8. 1 in 4 teens in the US receives information about abstinence without receiving any information or instructions about birth control.
9. Among teens aged 18–19, 41% report that they know little or nothing about condoms.
10. 75% say they know little or nothing about the contraceptive pill.

healthresearchfunding.org...

So why do people continue to promote abstinence only Education? What does it even teach kids?? It baffles me. One would think the best way to minimize the rate of abortions and unwanted pregnancies is to ensure people have the knowledge and access to contraceptives? This goes right back to many who wish to close down essential providers like Planned Parenthood, who by the way devout the vast majority of their time to preventing unwanted pregnancies from happening in the first place.

While I am pro-choice, I believe in the end it's the choice of the woman as it's HER body, I'd still much prefer avoiding unwanted pregnancies from happening in the first place. Like it or not, we're humans, we're creatures of habit, we're susceptible to our urges. Nothing is going to change this. Telling people simply 'not to do it' and making efforts to bar them from taking necessary precautions only makes the situation worse. I don't understand why people continue to ignore this very apparent fact.


While I totally get the concept that we shouldn't encourage our kids to engage in sexual acts early on, I also think it is terribly naive to think that in their teens the only option is abstinence. Nature, instinct, or if you are religious "design" has made us sexual beings after puberty. In old times people would often be married after puberty for this reason. I remember that in my late teens and early twenties that urge was so strong it was almost more than I could control.

Too many people that are trying to deny any sexuality do not prepare themselves for when those encounters happen, i.e. having birth control on hand. I've known even adults that fall in to this.

For these reasons, we need to get over ideology and educate teens on sex and how to practice safely if they choose.
edit on 6-2-2016 by Quetzalcoatl14 because: (no reason given)



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 09:37 AM
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originally posted by: ownbestenemy1
a reply to: Southern Guardian

Is the education really either -- or? Meaning it is abstinence and abstinence only with no other information -- and -- vice versa,"education" highlights all aspects of sexual education? Or is abstinence glossed over?


Some of these states don't require sex education at all, but when schools teach it, they teach abstinence-only. It's the standard in Mississippi, and sadly, my state of New Mexico, which has the second highest rate of teen pregnancy in the country, has no requirements.


Additionally, research shows that abstinence-only strategies could deter contraceptive use among teenagers, thus increasing their risk of unintended pregnancy.

For example, take the states with the highest and lowest teen pregnancy rates. Mississippi does not require sex education in schools, but when it is taught, abstinence-only education is the state standard. New Mexico, which has the second highest teen birth rate, does not require sex ed and has no requirements on what should be included when it is taught. New Hampshire, on the other hand, requires comprehensive sex education in schools that includes abstinence and information about condoms and contraception.


Source

Parents are sticking their heads in the sand and crossing their fingers.

And phoenix358 is right. It's not the state's responsibility to teach kids about sex, but if they're teaching them health, social issues and biology, having babies (and how to prevent pregnancy) can hardly be ignored, IMO, if only for the parents who can't bring themselves to face the facts of life.



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 09:54 AM
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a reply to: Southern Guardian

I didn't rely on the UK education system to teach my son to wear a condom and never believe a girl if she says she's on the pill.
That's stuff I always spoke naturally with him from when he first became sexually aware.
Crappy parents and crappy parent/child relationships I call blame on, and blame falls on their crappy parents before them as well, it's generational now.

...I relied on school to teach my son Maths, English, Science and the like, but morals, ethics, philosophy, life skills, nah, they're the parents job.

edit on 6.2.2016 by grainofsand because: typo



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 10:09 AM
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but in these school they are getting involved in the discussion, they are telling the kids to just not have sex, and that's it. Just don't have sex until you are married. After marriage, well, who cares what happens I guess because they certainly don't say anything about that one. Just don't have sex till after you are married, we don't want the humiliation!
Well, beyond the fact that mommies and daddies along with churches and societies have been telling kids that since the beginning of time, and history will show that many just did not listen, I thought schools were supposed to prepare kids for the adult world. I betcha none of these adults that want abstinence only in schools are practicing is and avoiding sex when they decide they don't want kids. they are either taking their chances and probably ending up with families much larger than can afford, or they are taking the time to find the resources and knowledge to prevent pregnancy probably after their family has grown to the point of that their needs are close to being beyond their budget's capability.


(post by CB328 removed for political trolling and baiting)

posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 10:41 AM
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a reply to: Southern Guardian



Self Control.

People may want to check it out some time.

Abstinence works.


On the flip side,

Even the people that are educated still get HIV and have abortions.

Human nature is to try and bypass the rules.

When the education changes from "don't do it until you are married" to "do it this way" the new rules, are still rules, and people want to bypass them.

Rules aren't "cool".




edit on 6-2-2016 by dusty1 because: (no reason given)



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 11:01 AM
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originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: Southern Guardian

Next step, Texas will probably be purchasing Chasity belts and distributing them throughout their school system.


Well I personally love a challenge so bring on the belts!



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 04:38 PM
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a reply to: dusty1


Self Control.

People may want to check it out some time.

Abstinence works.


And I'd like to live in a world filled with chocolate, gum drops and gummy bears too.

We're talking about kids and young adults here. Insisting they should just use 'self control' and then ignore the rates of unwanted pregnancies (with some resulting in abortions) isn't going to make the issue go away. What you're saying above is comparable to somebody digging their head in the sand when it comes to this issue.

And yes abstinence does work. You know what else works for society? People not committing crimes. So lets just tell people not to commit crimes anymore and get rid of our police force and then the issue will go away. 'Self control' right? How's that logic? Exactly the same.


Even the people that are educated still get HIV and have abortions.


Proponents and supporters of sex education and birth control don't claim that these will prevent pregnancies, abortions 100%. It does however have a far better affect at minimizing these things from occurring compared to 'abstinence only education'. The stats are clear about this.



posted on Feb, 6 2016 @ 04:51 PM
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what gets me is that while we have enraged parents fighting the idea that their kids should be taught about birth control in their schools.... we have anti-abortion protesters chasing kids down the sidewalk as they walk home from school, trying to coerce the school, the parents, and yet even the kids into taking a stand against planned parenthood... telling the kids that they kill babies across the street.
hey anyone who can force the topic of abortion on three year olds can just suck it up and accept that their kids might be taught about birth control in their teens!

thinkprogress.org...




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