"Education, not isolation"

If you're in the Massachusetts area (and probably outside too), I'm sure you've heard about the so-called pregnancy pact scandal in Gloucester. In a town where the average teen pregnancy rate was at 4 per year, they had 17 this year. That's more than quadruple the norm. What was shocking about this number besides the increase is that there was a supposed pregnancy pact where the teens, most under 16, agreed to get pregnant and raise their children together.

As details emerged, a few points popped out at me. One, the school nurse had tried to implement a program to supply contraceptives at the school. She was overruled, and she resigned in protest. Second, the closest medical facility is supposedly miles away. So there really is no other way for the teens to get contraceptives. Then some are arguing that movies like "Juno" and "Knocked Up" are glamorizing pre-marital pregnancies, and celebrities like Jamie Lynn Spears are making it worse. Now, I sure as heck am not a supporter of Jamie Lynn Spears, but to blame the film industry for "corrupting" our kids is just plain silly.

Personally, I think the lack of education is contributing to the increase of teen pregnancies. I understand that providing contraceptives might come off as supporting teen sex, but guess what, the teens are doing it either way. As one observant teen from Gloucester said in this article, http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/16692720/detail.html, 17 teen pregnancies proves that teen sex is happening. So why not provide contraceptives. If anything, why not spend some money and teach abstinence, BUT also let them know to use contraceptives when abstinence cannot be adhered to? A lot of places either cut sex ed (I know of one city that's done it) or teach abstinence without providing contraceptives. Most people spend so much time shielding their children from "adult" things that most teens don't know how to deal with situations when it comes up. I mean, how dumb do you have to be to not realize that you can get pregnant if you don't use a condom? But as a 14 or 15 year old with no exposure, that can happen ("When she's on top, she can't get pregnant. It's gravity!").

In closing, I say talk to your children early. Or have your schools implement a program where they teach abstinence but also provide contraceptives. Besides, kids nowadays are spending money on clothing and cell phones. So let's make it easier for them to prevent pregnancies.