In an article on CNN, it's noted that the teen birth rates are up 3%, but they aren't making any forgone conclusions as this might be a statistical blip in the scheme of things.
This little snippet has revived arguments against 'abstinence-only sex education' as the report, released Wednesday, quickly took on political implications as 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-Colorado, who is pushing for more comprehensive sex education.
My comment is this: This raises a question about pawning off responsibilities in the home. Doesn't decision making and other factors start at home with the parents? I agree that sex education needs to be available and needs to cover more topics in addition to abstinence. The average age of initial 'encounters' ranges from 14 to 17, depending on who or what you read. It's going to happen some day, no matter what the age and our youth should be made aware of as many options as possible, but to depend on external sources to teach our children, just confuses me.
Sites like http://www.teensource.org/ and http://www.sexetc.org/ can be good resources when a responsible youth is looking for answers but doesn't want to embarrass themselves publicly but I think it all starts with how we communicate.
This little snippet has revived arguments against 'abstinence-only sex education' as the report, released Wednesday, quickly took on political implications as 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-Colorado, who is pushing for more comprehensive sex education.
My comment is this: This raises a question about pawning off responsibilities in the home. Doesn't decision making and other factors start at home with the parents? I agree that sex education needs to be available and needs to cover more topics in addition to abstinence. The average age of initial 'encounters' ranges from 14 to 17, depending on who or what you read. It's going to happen some day, no matter what the age and our youth should be made aware of as many options as possible, but to depend on external sources to teach our children, just confuses me.
Sites like http://www.teensource.org/ and http://www.sexetc.org/ can be good resources when a responsible youth is looking for answers but doesn't want to embarrass themselves publicly but I think it all starts with how we communicate.
If you want to read the whole article, check out the cnn link at the start of my post.
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