Don't Mess Around in Texas

[marmar]

Published on Saturday, October 3, 2009 by CommonDreams.org
Don't Mess Around in Texas

by Suzanne Ehlers


When I graduated from high school in San Antonio, Texas, I can remember at least two dozen girls (out of a class of 600) pregnant or already with babies. It may seem astonishing now, but it was fairly normal in 1991: so normal, in fact, that our high school had responded with an academic track geared toward expectant and young mothers.

Based on this history, I wasn't totally shocked to learn that President Bush's abstinence-only program led to a 57 percent rise in student pregnancy in the Lone Star state.

What was truly shocking were the recent headlines that some Texas schools are abandoning abstinence-only education! No kidding, guys, what tipped you off that it wasn't working?

Abstinence-only programs were big in Texas. The state received more program funding than any other state in the nation. But the biggest experiment of this idea demonstrated the biggest failures. Classic Texas. What can we learn from this?

First, let's be real. Kids are doing it, and they're better off if we admit it and inform them properly. Even though I was in a particularly zealous phase of "I'm waiting until I'm married," my parents suspected otherwise and connected me to information and resources. "Just in case, be safe" was my Catholic mom's mantra. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/10/03-0

[MineralMan]

1. My high school class (1963) of 106 had four pregnancies during

high school. The problem existed then, too. There were probably more than that, though...those were just the ones we knew about, and one doctor in town quietly performed abortions.

[Igel]

5. My class of 400 had one over four years.

And she transferred in from W Va because she was pregnant.

Other pregnancies may have happened and been terminated.

As for the OP, the problem is that there have been shifts in demographics and within-demographic shifts in culture. Unless you control for them, all you have is a bit of outrage-inducing post-hockery.

[Arugula Latte]

2. Well, when President Palin gets in, she'll git to restorin' those there programs right quick!

You know, 'cuz they worked real good for Bristol and all ...

[sam sarrha]

3. hell.. she'll jail women for having periods, for aborting a potential pregnancy. they'll need lots

of soldiers for Joel's Army

[Fearless]

4. Amen.