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Filed under: In The News, Weird But True, Extreme Childhood
Credit: jupiterimages
According to CBS2, the school boasts the dubious honor of one pregnancy in every seven female students. But this isn't simply a Chicago problem. Statistics from the National Campaign, a non-profit organization that works to stamp out teen pregnancy, put Illinois at No. 22 in state-by-state rankings of teen pregnancies per 1,000 girls ages 15 through 19. And despite evidence that the teen pregnancy trend was decreasing nationwide up until 2005, the numbers began climbing again that year.
The issue began taking real hold on parental concerns in mid-2008 with the Gloucester teen pregnancy pact in Massachusetts, and the pregnant teenage daughter of Sarah Palin when the former Alaska governor was thrust into the spotlight as the Republican vice-presidential candidate. But according to statistics from the Council on State Governments, Illinois remains a state where abstinence-only education is the norm, and sex education is not required. Challenged by scientists time and again, including a controversial study in the Journal of Adolescent Health in April of last year, abstinence-only education is losing its backers.
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ReaderComments (Page 5 of 5)
10-17-2009 @ 8:44PM
annie said...I teach in a middle school and have been teaching a fairly long time. The way that the girls dress and act around the boys is sad. They allow the boys to grope and push and even hit and the girls just giggle and think it's a good thing. The parents won't address the way their daughters dress..."they don't want to fight that fight." The parents also feel that it's just a phase..in spite of learning that their little darlings are giving/receiving bj's in the bathroom. A lot of parents turn blind eyes to the problems and so do school administrators. I think the push for self esteem brought about a whole new generation of selfish overstimulated mini-adults. Sad.
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10-17-2009 @ 8:59PM
SweetP said...These stupid kids need to think about the financial hardship that's imposed on both sets of parents & the community (welfare?)
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10-17-2009 @ 10:33PM
goop said...As A parent of three daughters I find this article disgusting.More that so many girls today still feel so bad about themselves that they think having a baby will so how make them love themselves.
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10-18-2009 @ 12:57AM
Mike said...The school is almost all black -- as if the 1 in 8 stat didn't make that obvious -- and yet the article is accompanied by a picture of a white girl. What, Jupiterimages has no stock pics of black teenagers?
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10-18-2009 @ 7:06AM
Holly said...Regardless of whether or not sex education is taught, idiotic teenage girls are still going to go out and get themselves pregnant. It is required in my state, and there are still plenty at my school that are sleeping around without a care. Besides, last time I checked, no form of "protection" is 100% effective.
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10-18-2009 @ 10:22AM
SKL said...Has anyone checked on the validity of the claim that Chicago schools have abstinence-only sex ed? I do not believe that for a moment. I'll bet that 100% of those girls had knowledge of contraceptives before they got pregnant, and most of them probably had access too.
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10-19-2009 @ 3:07AM
Elizabeth said...Having knowledge of contraceptives doesn't necessarily mean they had access to them. Planned Parenthood clinics are being run out of towns at an alarming rate by people who mistakenly think they only provide abortion services, and for many kids this is their only means of obtaining birth control, which, without insurance can cost upwards of 50 dollars a month. For many people their nearest clinic is going to be at least an hour or two away--pretty long walk for a kid who doesn't have a car. And many stores now lock up their condoms, and really, what teenager is going to be brave enough to ask for the key to get condoms? It's an embarrassing situation for anybody, and arguably yes, if they can't brave buying condoms, maybe they shouldn't be having sex. But on the flipside, why would you make getting condoms so difficult, since their benefit has long been proven? It's easy enough for adults to obtain them-there are condom machines in bars and even some bars and stores (usually in areas that have a large gay population) will hand them out. But teenagers aren't supposed to be in bars, and unfortunately most schools don't hand out condoms. Neither do most churches, or other places teenagers go. If on the other hand the schools took out the soda machines and put in condom and birth control machines, there would be absolutely no excuse other than laziness.
10-19-2009 @ 3:07AM
Elizabeth said...And I just wanted to add, I don't condone these girls getting pregnant, because each of us has a responsibility to ourselves to protect ourselves and our partners from unwanted pregnancy and disease when we become sexually active. However, I do acknowledge that teenagers have a difficult time doing this, whatever the reason--lack of parental involvement, lack of education, lack of self respect.
10-19-2009 @ 9:47AM
SKL said...In the city of Chicago, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have to walk two hours to find condoms. And I am equally sure they have Planned Parenthood offices in town. Obviously there is something else going on.
Now when I was a teen, we had just as many hormones, and a lot less access to contraceptives, but we knew how to keep our legs together. That doesn't cost anything, and you don't have to walk anywhere for it. Something is definitely wrong with these kids' education, but it isn't a lack of products for sexual intercourse.
Elizabeth, it sounds like you believe we ought to go and personally distribute condoms to every teen in Chicago. That is quite insulting to those who do not want to be viewed as animals who have no self-control or self-respect.
10-19-2009 @ 10:31AM
Elizabeth said...SKL, I was speaking on broader terms, not necessarily on Chicago itself, and as far as handing out condoms, why not do it? It has nothing to do with thinking that those kids are animals with no self control. It's a matter of wanting them to be prepared when and if the time should come, and helping them to do it. And for those kids who are "insulted" and don't want to take one, they don't have to. It's like getting a flu shot. Flu shots don't necessarily prevent you from getting the flu, but they decrease your chances of dying, and helps your recovery time if you do. Condoms are the same way--they're not 100%, but they do help. Why not offer that to kids? In the past you have expressed that you do not want to continue to pay taxes for those on public assistance. Handing out condoms to sexually active kids will greatly reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies, and the number of people on public assistance.
And to turn this around, it sounds like you are saying that every teen who has sex is a slut who "can't keep their legs together" which I know would insult people more than assuming they have no self control.
10-19-2009 @ 10:44AM
SKL said...Elizabeth, if you study your history, you will learn that before the "sexual revolution," not only were contraceptives unavailable to unmarried teens, but they were illegal in many states. One of the biggest arguments for the "sexual revolution," including birth control and abortion, was that it would reduce the number of undesireables born in our country. Well, the opposite has happened. Even the early proponents of abortion were shocked at the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions that began to happen once "sexual freedom" became a popular concept. Sure, there were always mistakes in the past, but not anything like today.
So you say, give them condoms and there will be significantly fewer welfare babies. I say, prove it. History indicates otherwise.
10-18-2009 @ 2:46PM
SKL said...I do not believe they have abstinence-only education in the Chicago public schools. Not for one minute. Prove it to me, if they do. Then we can argue about whether these kids got pregnant because they never heard of condoms. HA! What a joke. It amazes me that people are falling for this.
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10-18-2009 @ 4:45PM
SKL said...I just did a little research on the Internet and found that they do indeed have "comprehensive" sex ed in Chicago and have for years. So folks, you are going to have to find another bogeyman. Maybe these kids just aren't learning to respect themselves.
Here's an excerpt from one article, which is consistent with other articles:
"On April 26, [2006], the Chicago Board of Education unanimously passed the Family Life and Comprehensive Sexual Health Education policy submitted by Chicago Public School ( CPS ) administrators, according to a press release from the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health ( ICAH ) . The policy requires schools to teach comprehensive and age-appropriate sex education programs.
Students in the sixth grade and higher take a sex education course next year that covers birth control. The courses will include, among other things, instruction on how to prevent pregnancy through abstinence and contraception, as well as consequences of premarital sex and pregnancy."
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10-18-2009 @ 6:39PM
DOALLEN said...WOW - and where was our oh so wonderful President from???? What educational system did he TRY to help with some of us ridiculous community programs???? YEP - you guessed it CHICAGO!!! Just yet ANOTHER example of how America was DUPED when they voted for this CLOWN!
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10-19-2009 @ 10:41AM
Andrea said...Chicago Public Schools don't even allow abstinence-only education, so you really can't blame the high rate of teen pregnancy at Robeson on teaching abstinence.
Seriously, do some research before using sad statistics to back your political agenda.
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10-19-2009 @ 10:51AM
Elizabeth said...Andrea, the question for the poll was "Do you think SCHOOLS should go beyond abstinence teaching?" It did not mention Chicago specifically, as you have. I was merely commenting on that, not about the school in question. Perhaps you ought to read more carefully. And protecting kids from unwanted pregnancies and diseases has nothing to do with politics, since all political parties have children who have unplanned pregnancies and contract diseases. My comment had nothing to do with politics, why bring it up at all?
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10-22-2009 @ 2:42PM
robert said...SEX IN HIGH SCHOOL MUCH LESS IN GRADE SCHOOL, NO WAY WE HAVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS, TELL THEM HOW TO DO IT AND THEY WILL, WE ARE KILLING 4500 UNBORN CHILDREN EVERY DAY, WHAT THE HELL IS IN YOUR MINDS . SEX EDUCATION BELONGS IN THE HOME NOT IN SCHOOL OR IN THE STREETS. STOP THE KILLING NOW.
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10-19-2009 @ 11:25PM
Jess said...As a former Chicago Public Schools teacher, we cannot blame the sex education practices of the district on the pregnancy rate at one high school. Teen pregnancy rates are up around the country no matter the type of sex education provided or lack there of. The problem starts in the home. A school or school district cannot be expected to raise every child that walks through its doors. It is up to the parents to impress their views upon their child. Schools can only help to reinforce what a child has been hearing from the adults they look up to, if any, in their homes. Furthermore, it is ignorant to blame the pregnancy rate at Robeson High School on Arne Duncan, the former CEO of Chicago Public Schools and the current Secretary of Education. One man cannot prevent the unsafe practices of thousands of teens nor was he responsible for the decision to enact comprehensive sex education in Chicago. In a district so large there are so many people that factor into every decision made. Political debate is wonderful but blanket statements without research provide no basis for conversation.
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