เมษายน 13, 2007 - 3:09am — madFusion
The issue.
How about we lay out the issues and facts first, then we go from there.
Anybody care to get some information on:
abortion rates
teen suicide
divorced families
child abuse
domestic violence
poverty levels within the US
Schools will teach you to protect yourself, not to refrain from it. Why is this?
It's a free country so what are the problems with it?
For one your not the only one in the world, your bringing in new life to the world that doesn't deserve to suffer from your mistakes.
Bring on the debate!
Re: The issue.
I'm interested in what aspect your comment "It's a free country so what are the problems with it?" is referring to. Teen pregnancy?
Re: The issue.
Well I'm from Texas so this comment is completly untrue:
Schools will teach you to protect yourself, not to refrain from it.
It's a big debate here of why schools are teaching students about abstinance to kids already sexually active. Then again Texas is very very conservative, thank god I'm from Austin (in Travis County - the only county in Texas that voted democrat in 2004, lol!).
And I know you're trying to spur debate, but this comment really gets me going:
For one your not the only one in the world, your bringing in new life to the world that doesn't deserve to suffer from your mistakes.
I am close to many teen mothers because I went to an alternative high school where, among other kinds of people, teen parents would go because they had a day care on campus - the only high school in Austin that does I believe. And Garza was lenient enough to allow you to leave class to check on ur kid or only spend half the day cause you got to work to provide for you child. And it is this matter that I really hate the above comment. I didnt see one child "suffer" because of their parent's "mistake." For one, there are many supports out there that can help you and your child and two, just because you cant afford a mini van (for example) doesnt mean your child suffers. Money doesnt mean everything - a person can be perfectly happy and survive without much money, even just making ends meet.
And, just to set the record straight, I am very much for abortion rights. If a mother is not ready to have a child, then it seems obvious to me that she should have a choice wether or not to have the child. Yes you dont want to bring a child into an environment where they will be neglected. And yes you could just give the child up for adoption but that brings on a slew of other arguements. Im sure that once you have the child and feel the feeling of emmense joy, it will be extremly difficult to give the child up, even if you aren't prepared to have one. And then there are outside pressures (like parents) who believe that you got pregnant so you should go through the responsibility of having this child. But since this responsibility can affect a whole other person (your baby) then you have to really think hard about even having it.
And now that thats off my chest, I'll shut up.
Re: The issue.
Don't worry about creating an argument. That's what were here for!
In California here ( the so called liberal state...) and schools he or at least some of them teach you to just be "safe" they do not teach of abstinence. Maybe it's just the schools I've been too...
Michael D. Costigan
madFusion Lead Venture / CEO
MCostigan@madFusionOnline.com
www.madFusionOnline.com
9582 Hamilton Avenue Suite 146
Huntington Beach California, 92646
714-656-3932
Re: The issue.
I am from western pa originally, and let me assure you that they do NOT teach you how to protect yourself. All I remember from health class (we didn't have sex ed, just a unit of health class) was the creepy football coach showing us what seems like millions of pictures of stds and using other such scare tactics to make us not want to have sex.
And you know what? it didn't work.
People still had sex, girls still got pregnant.
It might have turned out differently if "condom" hadn't been treated like such a dirty word.
I think that in order for us to create a society in which teen pregnancy and abortion are not issues, we need to give young people (all people) the information that they need to make good, healthy sexual decisions. We need to empower them to recognize how they feel and what they want. And almost as important as that, we should be teaching them how to communicate those things to their partners and friends.
If I had understood my desires and been able to communicate them, I would have been a lot better off. As it is, I still struggle.
Re: The issue.
We had the same slide show in the 9th grade! It was not information based, like you said. The unit on sex ed was meant to scare teenagers into not having sex. All this went down in Texas, so it's not surprising that the school managed to incorporate the dominant culture's opinion by presenting abstinence as the only option. There was a small mention of using a condom if you do decide to have sex, but like you, leanne, the word "condom" was treated like a dirty word.
Re: The issue.
Girls still got pregnant at my school. Some stayed in school, and others dropped out. I wonder if treating teenage pregnancy like a crime against humanity influenced these girls to drop out of high school instead of staying in and finishing high school.
Re: The issue.
I can also agree with that. One big point is if girls drop out of high school it certainly is not helping them to be a better parent, it's keeping them from college, and from being an educated parent.
Re: The issue.
I like the idea of having social services for babies and kids of teenage moms. That way, the mother can still go to school if she wants and create more opportunity for herself and her family.
Re: The issue.
I can try to acquire statistical data information of poverty levels and teen suicide, but i need to know if you want a specific region or what area do you want me to cover witht he statitistical data for for what time frame and when do you need this data.
Jasmine'
Re: The issue.
Don't worry, you don't have to find statistical data. I was just throwing that out there if people wanted to. If you look at the statistics say for example of divorce rates. It is somewhere between 51 and 52 percent last I checked. Of course one could argue if this means something other than just what is shows on the surface.
Re: The issue.
On the abortion topic i am against it i feel it is almost like murder. After 28 days the fetuses heart statrts beating so by getting an abortion to me it feels like legal murder. I think if oyu go yourself into the mess you should keep the child and live with oyur mistake. There are many options for you. My friends older sister got pregnant at 15 and her father kicked her out she came back with a job still in highschool and made the desicion to give her son to her grandparents. A hard desicion but very much the right one. Her boyfriend dumped her and left her to go through the whole process on her own. It was very frightening for her. I keep saying i will not have sex untill im ready and stable on my own. But there is so much pressure. When many of your friends are doing it and saying its great just use a condom and when your boyfriend is pressuring you. True friends will understand and a boyfriend who loves you will too. It's just a sad thing when this happens. But also can be a very happy and amazing process. When they say "having a baby changes everything" it is completly true.
Re: The issue.
It is not very simple to control teen abortion but it is easy to prevent it. The onus is on our parents and teachers. They have to be open and tell us the truth about everything that may cause harm to our lives and we have obligations to obey our parents. Otherwise, if we continue to keep a deaf ear, the future is nowhere to be seen and we shall be perishing slowly by slowly. Take a lead in fighting against Teen Abortion and see what rewards you get. Enjoy the ride but cruze on the right track.
Re: The issue.
Sometimes awful things happen like girls getting raped... what are your thoughts about abortion in those cases??
Re: The issue.
One of the most interesting books I ever read was about the differences and similiarities between women activists (in Fargo, ND of all places) who either supported abortion choice or did not believe in abortion. In the end, the book found that the biggest differences between the women were demographic (age, etc), and NOT issues based! Activists from both "sides" of the arguement (and this was in the 90s when abortion clinic riots were fairly common) were both talking about corporate and societal respect for family and respect and rights for women and their bodies. If we were all able to come together on these issues, it is likely the great dividing power of the abortion debate could be laid to rest. I'm down with the talkin' (its a crazy important subject, life and death and what's inbetween), not with the rendering useless thousands of active, insightful people because they are too busy hating their neighbor.
Re: The issue.
My project works closely with teen mothers and the issue is definately not about "suffering children" .We work with in and out of school moms to understand their daily struggles and offer help. I am currently working with public administration departments in my country(South Africa) that will offer work related training and encourage drop outs to go back to school.I think the question should be what is society doing to improve the lives of young mothers.Are you condeming them for their "actions"?.Most young mothers have support structures after the baby is born
One more thing---for as long as natures hormones start raging at 9, teens will want to figure out what is going on with their bodies.Peer pressure excluded.a teacher or parent can only advise you on how t o live your life -not live it for you.Since the course of history we have always had teen mothers(Mary-Jesus mother) It wont change just because we have advanced technology.Natures call will always prevail. The main theme in my project is how do we get the young mothers to stick to having one child and continue with their education.What support do we offer this girls and their boyfriends who decided to stick around..This are just some of the issues i am continuosly faced with running my project.
P.s I am also a young mother....!
Love and light
Re: The issue.
Teenagers will definitely have sex ...protected or not.
Abstenance should be preached yes... I totally agree
But with all that most teens still make " the mistake" and then face the consequences
Soooooooooooo since it is evident that a lot ot teens still make "the mistake"
should abstenance still be the core of our message???
No ... because it does not seem to be working
Yes.... because it is still the best cure and we provide realistic ways or methods of abstaining; despite their hormones... maybe it would work better
Yes ... cos their bodies are the temple of God
Re: The issue.
Abortion should be stopped... how can you kill a child... a gift... a unique creation from God... Why ????
Plz have the child and if you can't care of it, let who can help you do your job as a parent !!!
Re: The issue.
I just found this website: http://www.teenpregnancy.org/
The National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is May 7th.
Re: The issue.
A couple of weeks ago there was a story in the news about a group of teens in Massachusetts who secretly planned to get pregnant. All of the girls were under the age of 16. The girls made a pact with each other to try to become pregnant! I think that many young girls are influenced by the recent Hollywood baby boom. Its seems like every female celebrity is getting pregnant!(Ashley Simpson, Angelina Jolie and Gwen Stephanie are just a few!) Do you think that celebrity influence may have played a part in the case of the teens in Massachusetts? Does the media make it seem like having child is the "cool" thing to do? I wanted to know some of your opinions!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080619/hl_nm/usa_pregnancy_teens_dc_3
Re: The issue.
Where I went to school, there were health classes and sex ed classes that taught high school kids how to be "safe" and that they should abstain from having sex until they are mentally and physically ready. I agree with people who say that no matter what kids are going to do what they want to do. I think that it might hit home for more people if schools could get a program going where teen mothers and fathers visited a classroom and talked about their experience.
Does anyone go to a school where they've seen something like this?