The Virginia Department of Health released a report on the top 10 cities for teen pregnancy rates--Petersburg and Hopewell were on the list.
Middle school and high school students in Hopewell receive abstinence education through their family life courses in school.In Petersburg, a health outreach worker has been visiting five of the city's elementary schools to talk about abstinence with fifth-graders. "We're looking to expand to be in the middle schools and the high schools with this program," [Mattlyn] Debrick said. "You have to be really careful about what is stated. We want the youth to know the benefits of being abstinent ... We all need to come together to make a difference in the teen pregnancy rate."
And clearly telling them nothing about birth control is doing wonders. Viva la chastity!
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Is it possible that they went to teach abstinence only education because of the high teen pregnancy rates? I really know nothing about the issue, but am curious.
"In Petersburg, a health outreach worker has been visiting five of the city's elementary schools to talk about abstinence with fifth-graders. "We're looking to expand to be in the middle schools and the high schools with this program,"
Unless the fifth graders are the ones running up the teen pregnancy rate, your herring will remain red. Better luck next time, Miss J.
If you re-read the post you'll note that high school and middle school students in Hopewell already receive abstinence-only education. It doesn't seem to be doing a whole lot of good there, but for some reason they want to expand the programs in Petersburg.
And if you read the link, you will note the following:
"Petersburg as No. 1 with 162.36 pregnancies per 1,000 teenage girls ages 15 to 19"
"Hopewell ranks eighth in the state with 110.79 pregnancies per 1,000 teenage girls ages 15 to 19... Last year, the city was sixth on the list."
"...Better Beginnings Coalition, a grant-funded group that promotes abstinence before marriage.
Colonial Heights had 41 pregnancies per 1,000 teenage girls in 2004, as opposed to 58 per 1,000 in the previous year."
Abstinence education correlates to a reduction in the teen pregnancy rate? Oh no! Dogs and cats living together! Jews and Gentiles kissing! Ragnarock!
Snark for snark.
Correlation? Are you assuming, then, that the program has only been running for a single year?
In any case, I don't think the numbers are generally in dispute: areas with sex education have lower teen pregnancy and STD rates than areas that attempt to teach abstinence. Areas that switch from abstinence education to sex education see drops in teen pregnancy and STD rates. Areas that do the reverse see a rise.
See the 1995 review of sex health education in the British Medical Journal, for instance.