First, my daughter is 16, a good age to be discussing birth control and sex. She is not naive and
several girls at her school have already been pregnant and had their babies.
I guess Alabama must have one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates of any state.
Here is a quick fact check, by the State.
State of Alabama*
Alabama ranks among the top ten states in the country with the highest teen pregnancy rates.
8,589 babies were born to teenagers in 2002 (decrease of 6,888 births from 1998).
These babies will fill more than 505 kindergarten classrooms in 2009.
There were 12,542 known pregnancies to teenagers in 2002.
Alabama's teen pregnancy rate is one of the highest in the nation with 39.3 pregnancies (10-19 year olds) out of every 1000.
Alabama spends more than $1.4 Billion each year in lost earnings and tax revenues, Welfare/Care, and Juvenile Justice costs.
Here in Alabama the only sex education the school offers is some bogus film made
by a Christian group pushing abstinence only birth control. As you noted the statistics
above the fold, it ain't working.
They want you to sign a permission slip for this edgy film on don't have sex. I always
say no for that choice. My oldest son had to sit on the ground outside with the other
kids who didn't want to see the stupid worthless film, put out by some right wing
Christian group. It was like they were punishing my son, why couldn't he stay in the
library and read.
Well, i guess they got a few complaints, because when the film came up again for my
other son, and now my daughter, they did let them go to the library. And the kids
that did watch the film, were really disappointed. No hot sex scenes or anything.
Just those crazy charts that show Abstinence is 100% effective against STDs and
pregnancy. The problem is the kids aren't always abstinent, and the ones that
aren't , are usually the most sexually active.
My daughter explains that they are mad at the pregnant girl at first, then when
she has the baby everyone is happy. Oh the precious gift from god line..
So my daughter wanted to know why condoms are a liberal or democratic idea.
I explained it like this: First you are never supposed to have pre-marital sex ever.
So the girl or guy does not need a condom, since we assume they are not going
to go against god and have sex before marriage.
Second: If you are married, then the only reason you have sex every time is
to procreate. So why would you need a condom, when you are supposed
to be having as many babies as you can.
"But they have sex anyway!" my daughter exclaims! Well, who ever said
conservatives or the religious right had a lick of sense. Not me.
So that is why the Republicans went nuts when they saw the family planning money
in the stimulus package. Condoms, the horror, the horror, family planning, fuck it!
STDs, pregnancy are much better outcomes for teenage girls, why help them get
an education about their choices, and their bodies, let's just let them keep pumping
out those babies, and we can keep paying for their care out of tax dollars.
At least that is what they do here in Alabama..And they wonder why they have one of
the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the country.