After instituting abstinence-only sex ed., Texas has the highest teen birth rate in America

I didn't really know where to put this, so move it if it's in the wrong forum.

Texas, like the catholic church, could be said to have an irrational fear or hatred of condoms. It looks as though this futile, attempt at trying to curb (teenage) pregnancies has completely failed.

Texas lawmakers cut sex ed from two six-month courses to a single unit of "abstinence only" education. But early indications showed that the program wasn't working. In fact, teens in almost all high school grades were having more sex after undergoing the abstinence only program. By 2007, Texas had the highest teen birth rate in the nation.

I remember watching an intelligence squared debate with Stephen Fry talking about contraception and the AIDS epidemic in Africa. I'm going to probably paraphrase here because I can't remember the exact words. He said that there is a simple three step way to combat unwanted pregnancies; that is ABC. Abstinence; Be Faithful and Condoms

Instead of providing fact-based information, the programs use fear and Jesus -- over-emphasizing the risks of sexually transmitted diseases leading to cervical cancer, radical hysterectomy and death, together with Christian morality.

There is no denying that abstinence works, but you also have to teach kids about the benefits of contraception/condoms (and also to being faithful) if you truly want to get this problem under control.

The results? Teen pregnancy in Texas went up -- higher than before "abstinence only," and more than 50 percent higher than the national average. Even more troubling was that repeat teen pregnancy went up -- to the point that it, too, led the nation. It turns out that Texas kids thought that "if birth control doesn't work, why use it?"

After instituting abstinence-only sex ed., Texas has the highest teen birth rate in America

When you tell somebody not to do something, they will go do it. What can go wrong will go wrong.

Frankly, if the parents want to get their kids to not have sex, they should encourage it...kids love doing the opposite of what their parents tell them.


Anyhow, for a serious answer, I seriously laugh at people saying abstinance only works...Especially in a oversexed western culture. nonsense..we have the internet and can quickly look up the endless false statements and fear tactics used.

It is however, a good way to get kids less caring about religion...Eventually they will have sex, and they will have that back fear that jebus just cried...so they will stumble across alternative views on religion, and voila...mission accomplished.

So...keep it up texas,
Your doing far more to progress the atheist movement than we can using reasonable discussions.

Abstinence should not include absence of sex ed! Sure it is good encouragement, but practically impractical on it's own. Proof is in the pudding now, thanks.

spec

Originally posted by Griffo
There is no denying that abstinence works, but you also have to teach kids about the benefits of contraception/condoms (and also to being faithful) if you truly want to get this problem under control.

I think the real way to teach sex ed is to stress the importance of maturity, responsibility on both parts, etc...then teach them about alternatives.
Ultimately you got to make a choice...are you trying to stop unwanted pregnancys, disease, or jebus brownie points.

The first two will resonate with kids...the third is a dealbreaker...so, teach them both safe sex practices, and more importantly, alternatives (hand, oral, etc.). It may be a awkward conversation to have with your teen, but it may save someone from being knocked up with the info...

Love, safety, and end results without losing virginity. (they are horny, they will be doing something to releave that)

Well no cr@p! This has nothing to do with the anti sex education or the Catholic religion. It can solely be traced to the large immigrant population. Its almost common here to see a 20 year old Mexican girl here with 3 or 4 children. I can assume California and Arizona are pretty high if not 2,3, on that list too.

reply to post by SaturnFX


Unfortunately, it's impossible to teach maturity. It's an attitude that has to be reached on its own.

I'm glad that there's more proof that abstinence-only education doesn't work. It's something people with fully functional rational minds have known forever.

Who else is waiting for someone to allege that this is actually because of some kind of satanist gay conspiracy to undermine abstinence-only sex ed?

This makes me laugh. The idiots who initiated this program actually thought it would work I'm sure. These idiots need a hard smack in the face from reality. It's sad that some people are so stupid.

Personally, I believe the only way to halt the problem of teen parents, is to teach self esteem, emotional awareness and most importantly, teach these kids how to think rationally!!!!!!!!!

While lads believe sex is what men do and girls believe that you have sex to keep a guy, stds, grandparents of 30 years old and all the other evils are going to keep on contaminating our society.

Our kids are no longer ashamed to have sex before marriage, or to be a single parent, which to a point is a positive move forward, but it has gone to far now, its a bag of honour in some areas, for teens.

They are being taught the practical stuff, with no attention at all paid to emotional well being. That I believe is the responsibilty of the parents firstly, then it should be backed up at school, church and other organisations youngesters belong too.

Personally, I say to fck everyday (with a suitable partner), smoke a blunt everyday, & drink a beer everyday. Do I care if anyone disagrees with this philosophy, not in the slightest. This is how people should live, carefree, in this fcked up world we now live in.

reply to post by Griffo


...found this via your posted source, which is really about rick perry and his disingenous practices...

www.educationworkstexas.org...

Texas receives more federal abstinence-only-until-marriage funding than any other state in the nation. In 2007, Texas received $18,213,472 in federal funding, a full 27 percent more than the next highest state.

...when it comes to politicians, it always about how much money they can lie their way into - always...

...and back to your initially posted source...
www.huffingtonpost.com...

Perry's willingness to base policies that affect millions of children on his personal opinions even when they are contradicted by overwhelming evidence suggests a governing style that would not be constructive for dealing in reality

...yep... no shock value there...

Illegal immigrants don't get sex education...
Second line.

reply to post by Shadys321


Such common sense responses "Shady". School is back in session soon right?

But is this ad hoc fallacy?

Is this supposed to be implying that most high school students don't know what condoms are and why they're necessary because no one ever told them in their sex ed class? Does anyone really believe that?

Or could it have more to do with the demographics in Texas instead?

reply to post by IamCorrect

no one ever told them in their sex ed class?

That's just it, most of these abstinence only areas restrict sex-ed because it is sinful, hence the irony.

reply to post by Shadys321

Personally, I say to fck everyday (with a suitable partner), smoke a blunt everyday, & drink a beer everyday. Do I care if anyone disagrees with this philosophy, not in the slightest. This is how people should live, carefree, in this fcked up world we now live in.

In moderation me thinks, because who will have to carry the burden of unwanted/nurtured kids by parents that can't take care of them? Society will....
Personal responsibility does have it's merits.

Originally posted by eccentriclady
Personally, I believe the only way to halt the problem of teen parents, is to teach self esteem, emotional awareness and most importantly, teach these kids how to think rationally!!!!!!!!!

. . .

They are being taught the practical stuff, with no attention at all paid to emotional well being. That I believe is the responsibilty of the parents firstly, then it should be backed up at school, church and other organisations youngesters belong too.

While I agree with much else of what you say, I don't think "teaching self-esteem" is really an effective way to fix it. "Self-Esteem" is, in fact, taught in elementary schools (and up) all over the place, and it's dangerous. While Cracked.com isn't exactly a scholarly source, they are generally pretty reliable, accurate, and smart. Point 5 on this list explains the dangerous of teaching Self-Esteem in a vacuum. I think instead what should be taught are "positive ways to earn self-esteem". Teach kids how to find what they're good at, or how to get better at things.

I definitely agree about emotional awareness and rationality, though.

reply to post by Solasis


agree 100%, I don't always find the right words, expecting people to understand what I am getting at. I guess thats my point about sex education, its taught in a vacum, with no sense of emotional awareness nor personal responsibilty.

Kids nowdays don't seem to be taught to think for themselves, they lack the self esteem to be different fromt their peers, they are also far to protected from the consequences of their actions. If parents allowed children to take the consequences far more at a young age, they would learn much more quickly about social and personal responsiblity

Since the article presented in the OP relates this "explosion" to fundamental and spiritual beliefs of things like Teh Jezus, as well as pointed shots at Gov Perry, I decided to do a little research on my own using something that I truly believe in, called DATA.

Using the US Census Bureau data (item # 16, Resident Population by Age and State) we see the following trends

Texas is second only to California in the number of residents ages 15-24 (using 2009 datasets). Looking back to previous years shows the same trending but also 1 additional figure - the population of Texas is growing across all age-segments as people move from other parts of the country, South.

I think any teen-birth statistics then have less to do with who's in office or what book people read on Sundays and more to do with the number of teens of the localized society.

reply to post by TXRabbit


EDIT: All of the below is pointless; I opened up the pamphlet that they linked to with the 2009 statistics, and it is calculated Per Capita.Dig it.

Although the article in the OP doesn't explicitly say so, I would assume that they are talking about "per capita" teen pregnancies. Otherwise, I can't think of a way that the statistics in the following paragraph would be at all meaningful.

The results? Teen pregnancy in Texas went up -- higher than before "abstinence only," and more than 50 percent higher than the national average. Even more troubling was that repeat teen pregnancy went up -- to the point that it, too, led the nation

Specifically, "more than 50% higher than the national average." If that just meant that there were 50% total more total teen pregnancies -- I don't know, that's just a very confusing statistic. If you're right, though, then it's important to note that Texas would have (roughly) 3.6 times as many 15 - 19 year olds as the national average. But that's very rough.