Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site umcp-cs.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!umcp-cs!liz From: liz@umcp-cs.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Birth control and education Message-ID: <1180@umcp-cs.UUCP> Date: Wed, 27-Jul-83 16:12:24 EDT Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.1180 Posted: Wed Jul 27 16:12:24 1983 Date-Received: Thu, 28-Jul-83 15:03:26 EDT References: <885@ittvax.UUCP> Organization: Univ. of Maryland, Computer Science Dept. Lines: 23 I realize that there are a lot of factors involved in teenage pregnancy and the changing attitudes towards sex in our society have caused an increase in the number of teenage pregnancies. I'm just pointing out that education on birth control is not necessarily the best solution. Teenagers may well read this as societal approval or encouragement of sexual activity. If we really want to reduce teenage pregnancies, we better work on it from some other directions. Now, most of you are not going to accept the idea of discouraging teenagers from having sex, so what alternatives would you suggest? I would like to point out that between media emphasis on sex and peer presure in schools, kids are becoming sexually active earlier than even they feel comfortable with. At the Pregnancy Aid Center where I work, some kids are relieved to hear that a perfectly acceptable option is to refrain from being sexually active until they are ready. Adolescents are not the most mature people in the world and could use some guidelines. Anyone want to suggest some? What kind of guidelines can be presented in the school? -- -Liz Allen ...!seismo!umcp-cs!liz (Usenet) liz.umcp-cs@Udel-Relay (Arpanet)