Dr. I agree with you that parents should teach abstinence in the home, however, I live in a rural county where our parents are just not informed enough (or may not even care enough) to educate their children. As a community, I do believe that we should stand together and use our available resources to spread the abstinence message to all. I tend to question...is "safe sex" safe enough? We should give our children ALL the facts so they will be able to make an informed decision. We should NOT tell them just to say "no" but we should tell them why they should say no. Condoms reduce the risk, however they are still not 100% nor do they make a condom to prevent a broken heart, worry/guilt, regret, depression, all the extra baggage that comes with it. I believe that our kids are safest if they choose to wait.

I am glad we are talking about this, teenage pregnancy is sad, scary, and doesnt' work most of the time And we hear about so many grandparents raising grandparents. My experience has been most parents just want to look the other way. But a LOT of our unwed unplanned pregnancies are due to drugs and alcohol. Our nation is facing an epidemic of unplanned pregnancie, children born in poverty, sometimes do not even know who the father is...We will all suffer for this, must mostly the children will and are suffering. We need FREE birth control, thats easy to get. NOW.

i'm a teen mother. i got pregnant at the age of 17 and i am now 19. it's difficult at times but i have my family and his family including him to help me along the way. I just wanted to say to not just look at us and what we are doing, but look at television and how much sex is on it. From simple commercials to actual talk shows. during our middle and high school years we are greatly influenced, and with there being sex everywhere we turn we are destined to try it. So please don't blame just us and our curious mind, but also look at what is shown on television daily, and then think about how you can solve the teen pregnancy rate and it's increase.

As a youth pastor, it's always interesting to hear the arguments because I do see kids getting in trouble even if they hear the abstinence message. I do agree that they need more information such as statistics, disease, and baggage if they choose to involve themselves in sex. I know of no one that has stayed the course of abstinence that has actually gotten pregnant though (except to continue the argument that proves the virgin birth). "Safe sex" is still sex and is not 100% security for birth control. It is even less safe for disease, and 0% safe for the issues that confront teens in senior and junior high when sex is part of a relationship or just a "hookup". Even the "we didn't have intercourse" crowd (thanks President Clinton) has to deal with the ramifications of the personalness of their actions and the "drama" that follows. Unfortunately this has been a sexist issue because girls and guys reputations are viewed way differently. But the problems are still there. This is on of the core values that we teach, purity is saving of yourself for the one person you are going to marry. It sounds old fashioned, but to me is the only way to solve pregnancy, disease, and baggage.

Well it's not exactly being a teenager these days. Everything going on makes it seem like sex is a normal part of life and you're a loser if you aren't in that kind of a relationship. Every "role model" character has some romantic/sexual side to them. Before I graduated high school all the "cool" people were in relationships and you'd hear about whoever couple and someone told someone else that they're having sex and what not. Yes, people do get pregnant every so often but for the most part the people I know have safe sex. There is also a conception that if you don't have the option to have sex aka you're in a relationship or you hook up at parties you don't have much "social leverage". If anything, all of society is encouraging sex at earlier ages, and then everyone tries to put the brakes on the phenomenon by telling teens they're not educated.

keep your legs closed...

I've been a high school teacher for 39 years. Kids don't pay attention in English, in Social Studies, in math, in science. Why would anyone imagine that they would pay attention in Health class when sex education is being taught?

I am a teen mother, i got pregnant at 15. My daugher will be 4 in december. Her father and I have raised her on our own, without the help of her grandparents. Yea its hard...but my little girl is my world and i wouldnt trade her for anything.

Hey, there's no need to call anybody names! If you can't be civil, please keep your mouth shut.

@September 9, 2008 8:34 AM Steve Cobss wrote:

"( ) This is on of the core values that we teach, purity is saving of yourself for the one person you are going to marry. It sounds old fashioned, but to me is the only way to solve pregnancy, disease, and baggage."

Dear Sir,

What do you teach? "Purity is saving of yourself for the ONE person you are going to marry". One person? According to the data below nearly one in two marriages in the USA ends in a divorce. So what is society teaching the children? Practice what you teach or teach what you practice?

Face the facts, teach those kids to do it safe!

from http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/p70-80.pdf :
"The National Center for Health Statistics recently released a report which found that 43 percent of first marriages end in separation or divorce within 15 years."

more information: http://www.divorcereform.org/rates.html

I had my child (1995) @ 19 the father was 17. My plans for college were gone. We got married after our second child was born (1996). It was not working out cuz we were too young. Then had our third child on (1998)so we stayed together. After our third child we decided for him to have a vasectamy. I can honestly say my kids are happy kids but neither of us have been happy with each other for years. We have stayed together for the wrong reasons (kids) until now. (Jan.2008). We finally called it quits. Now wut? I'm 33 & i have to start all over again. (Teenage love doesn't last forever) We both have great jobs now finally after so many dead end jobs. Our kids are 13, 12, & 10 we don't want them to go through with what we've been through. I make sure i watch t.v with my kids they are not allowed to watch reality shows. We watch a lot of life time anything to make questions come up and they do and I answer them as best as I can. I bought them the old Degrassi and Degrassi High those are good to answer a lot of questions my kids had. I tell my kids to wait so they wont have regrets, guilt, heart broken and depression. I am as honest as possible.