Contraception in schools

Baby-_-Girl-_-19 · Dec 4, 2007, 07:16 PM

For school we're having to write a persuasive paper on a topic of our chosing. I recently had to switch mine because, i was having issues finding information on my other topic. The topic i got switchted to is 'Contraception in schools' basically whether or not school nurses should or should be allowed to give out contraceptives, confidetially and at low cost. Just out of curiosity more than anything i was wondering what Other people thought about this topic. Any of your opinions would be apretiated, and/or imformation that could help me with my paper...

speechlesstx · Dec 6, 2007, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickJ
I say stop letting the schools take decisions like this away from the parents. Schools should be giving education, not contraceptives.

Another ditto from me. I cannot fathom schools such as those in Maine and Denver wanting to give prescription birth control and even emergency contraception to teens, and at least in the case of Denver the responsibility falling to "High school principals in consultation with health centers' staff."

I thought principals were educators, not doctors. The proponents of this nonsense are "pro-choice" and yet their goal is to take choice away from the parents that are responsible for raising these children, and that is unacceptable.

speechlesstx · Dec 6, 2007, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlotte234s

Yeah, abstinence only sex ed is just propagating ignorance and putting kids lives at risk because they know nothing.

Can anyone prove that? If so, how? How many kids do you think don't know about condoms?

jillianleab · Dec 6, 2007, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speechlesstx

Can anyone prove that? If so, how? How many kids do you think don't know about condoms?

I haven't read all of this, but you might want to check this document out for the problems with abstinence only education.

http://oversight.house.gov/Documents...2153-50247.pdf

They're lying to the kids, speech; they aren't giving them the information they need to make healthy decisions. And just because you know about condoms doesn't mean you know enough to use them properly. Poke around on the pregnancy and sexuality forums here, and you'll see just how UN-educated teens are about sex, contraception and pregnancy. That's the result of current education systems not working.

speechlesstx · Dec 6, 2007, 09:23 AM

Quote:

First Rise in U.S. Teen Births Since '91

By MIKE STOBBE – 15 hours ago

ATLANTA (AP) — In a troubling reversal, the nation's teen birth rate rose for the first time in 15 years, surprising government health officials and reviving the bitter debate about abstinence-only sex education.

The birth rate had been dropping since its peak in 1991, although the decline had slowed in recent years. On Wednesday, government statisticians said it rose 3 percent from 2005 to 2006.

The reason for the increase is not clear, and federal health officials said it might be a one-year statistical blip, not the beginning of a new upward trend.

However, some experts said they have been expecting a jump. They blamed it on increased federal funding for abstinence-only health education that doesn't teach teens how to use condoms and other contraception.

Some key sexually transmitted disease rates have been rising, including syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. The rising teen pregnancy rate is part of the same phenomenon, said Dr. Carol Hogue, an Emory University professor of maternal and child health.

"It's not rocket science," she said.

At the same time, some research suggests teens are using condoms far more often than they did 15 years ago.

The new teen birth numbers are based on the 15-19 age group of women, which accounted for most of the 440,000 births to teens in 2006. The rate rose to nearly 42 births per 1,000 in that group, up from 40.5 in 2005. That translates to an extra 20,000 births to teen mothers.

In 1991, the peak year for teen births, there were nearly 62 births per 1,000.

The new report is based on a review of more than 99 percent of the birth certificates from last year by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report, released Wednesday, quickly took on political implications.

Opponents of abstinence-based programs seized on the data as evidence of wrong-headed government policy.

"Congress needs to stop knee-jerk approving abstinence-only funding when it's clear it's not working," said U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., who is pushing for more comprehensive sex education.

The new report offers a state-by-state breakdown of birth rates overall. Many of those with the highest birth rates teach abstinence instead of comprehensive sex education, according to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

And research has concluded that abstinence-only programs do not cause a decrease in teenage sexual activity, Planned Parenthood officials added.

"In the last decade, more than $1 billion has been wasted on abstinence-only programs," said Cecile Richards, the organization's president, in a prepared statement.

Decreased condom use and increased sexual activity are two likely explanations for the higher teen birth rate. But not all data supports those theories, said John Santelli, a professor of population and family health at Columbia University's school of public health.

For example, a biannual government survey of high school students found that the percentage of those who said they used a condom the last time they had sex rose to 63 percent in 2005, up from 46 percent in 1991.

Contraceptive-focused sex education is still common, and the new teen birth numbers reflect it's failing, argued Moira Gaul of the Family Research Council, a conservative advocacy organization in Washington, D.C.

Condom use among teens has risen 17 percent and yet teen births and STD's are rising. Furthermore, according to government reports back in July, fewer teens are having sex.

Quote:

In 2005, 47 percent of high school students -- 6.7 million -- reported having had sexual intercourse, down from 54 percent in 1991.

If more kids are using condoms and fewer kids are having sex, why are teen births and STD's rising? Note this report from Contraceptive Information Resource on teen birth control failure rates.

8.1 percent use no method of birth control.
8.5 percent use male condoms, 17.7 fail after one year, 27.5 percent fail after two
16.7 percent us oral contraceptives, 8.6 fail after one year, 14 percent fail after two
0.6 percent use contraceptive patch, 8.6 fail after one year 14 percent fail after two 4.4 percent use Depo-Provera, 4.3 fail after one year, 8.5 percent fail after two
56.2 percent use abstinence, there are zero failures

jillianleab · Dec 6, 2007, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speechlesstx

Condom use among teens has risen 17 percent and yet teen births and STD's are rising. Furthermore, according to government reports back in July, fewer teens are having sex.

Kids lie, especially teenagers. Also, condoms aren't 100% effective, everyone knows that. Teens especially are going to be more likely to use them inconsistently or improperly. They also might use condoms that are expired, don't fit, or otherwise should not have been used.

Quote:

56.2 percent use abstinence, there are zero failures[/indent]

Of course abstinence has a zero failure rate. But that doesn't mean that current abstinence only education is the right way to be educating our kids. Read the link I posted; you can see for yourself the medical inaccuracies and manipulation of statistics in those programs. Should kids wait until adulthood or marriage before having sex? Absolutely. Should they be given accurate, factual information about contraceptives, STDs and pregnancy? Absolutely. Abstinence only programs DON'T DO THAT.

NeedKarma · Dec 6, 2007, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speechlesstx

56.2 percent use abstinence, there are zero failures

Did you know that 100% of people who don't drive cars do not have car insurance?????

parttime · Dec 6, 2007, 10:16 AM

again I say, facts are useless, they can be used to prove anything.

speechlesstx · Dec 7, 2007, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parttime

again I say, facts are useless, they can be used to prove anything.

With all due respect that's just plain silly. Facts are that which is actually true.

speechlesstx · Dec 7, 2007, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillianleab

Kids lie, especially teenagers. Also, condoms aren't 100% effective, everyone knows that. Teens especially are going to be more likely to use them inconsistently or improperly. They also might use condoms that are expired, don't fit, or otherwise should not have been used.

I've already conceded previously that kids lie, and I'd be foolish to believe there are kids that don't know how to use a condom, but that does not justify any outside organization undermining parental authority, rights and values.

Quote:

Of course abstinence has a zero failure rate. But that doesn't mean that current abstinence only education is the right way to be educating our kids. Read the link I posted; you can see for yourself the medical inaccuracies and manipulation of statistics in those programs. Should kids wait until adulthood or marriage before having sex? Absolutely. Should they be given accurate, factual information about contraceptives, STDs and pregnancy? Absolutely. Abstinence only programs DON'T DO THAT.

I have never said I support "current" abstinence education. In fact, I believe public schools should be teaching reading, writing and arithmetic and leave the rest for responsible parents to decide. Yeah, I know that leaves those kids who don't have responsible parents and that is a problem, but for the millions of responsible moms dads out there the government has no business intruding in personal areas such as sex and teaching or espousing values that run counter to the parents.

That's what the very proponents of sex education expect when it comes to religion and political values in school - and the "right to choose" (or right to privacy, however they look at it today) for both minors and adults - it's only fair and consistent for them to respect the right of parents to choose how to raise their children as well without interference and subversion.

charlotte234s · Dec 7, 2007, 04:21 PM

Can anyone prove that? If so, how? How many kids do you think don't know about condoms?

George Washington University did a study on the results after abstinence only sex-ed and found it to be failing. And honestly, in my high school there were abstinence only sex ed and some kids did not understand proper condom usage or thought that one birth control pill would protect them from pregnancy. It was an outrage, theywere screwing these kids by not teaching them right.



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