Teen Pregnancy
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It is without a doubt that when it comes to the issue of teenage pregnancy, the majority of people are going to agree that it is not a positive thing, and that the current rates are too high. While this may be true, the underlying question is; who, or what, is to blame for teen pregnancy? Some may feel that teen pregnancy is caused by a lack of parental guidance, lack of planning, the media, peer pressure, or because the teenager wants a quick fix to relationship problems. The real answer is, teen pregnancy is caused by lack of education that they could have received in the one place teenagers spend most of their time: school.
North Carolina is consistently ranked ninth in the nation for teen pregnancy rates and continues to hold steady. (NC Healthy Schools, “Teen Pregnancy Prevention”) In North Carolina, HIV sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy prevention educated teaches that the expected standard for all school aged children is Abstinence until Marriage. (NC Healthy Schools, “Teen Pregnancy Prevention”) The problem with this is, not every teenager will choose abstinence. In fact, 47% of teenagers will not choose abstinence. (Alford) This is why it is imperative that comprehensive sex education be taught alongside abstinence in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools.
In the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior survey conducted within Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, a shocking 35% of middle school aged children reported that they had never been talked to by their parents or other adults in the students family about what they expect the student to do or not to do when it comes to sex. (Youth Risk Behavior Survey) It is apparent that not all children are getting the information they need at home, so they need to be taught in school.
Parents may feel that their child is too young to be taught about pregnancy prevention or sex in general. They may claim that they plan to inform their children in the privacy of their own homes. These alleged claims are the reason why 35% of children reported they had never been spoken to about sex by their parents. Most teens would say that talking to their parents about sex or prevention is the last thing they want to do. Embarrassment is a factor, to the point there they may choose not to talk about it at all, and this is a problem. In the environment of a classroom, teens feel safe and as if they are engaging in the learning process, instead of just having an awkward conversation. 78% of teenagers reported that they do not talk to their parents about sexual health because they are too embarrassed. (SexSmarts)