Birth Control and Argue Why

¶ … birth control and argue why birth control should be taught in the nation's schools to help America's young people engage in safer sex. A policy of abstinence is abdicated by some as a way to combat premarital and teen sex. However, abstinence is not a viable alternative for most young people. Therefore, birth control should be encouraged and young people should learn about the different forms of birth control in school, so they can have safe choices and knowledge before they face the issue of premarital sex.

While on the decrease, teenaged pregnancy is not going away. One Web Site notes, "8,589 babies were born to teenagers in 2002 (decrease of 6,888 births from 1998). These babies will fill more than 505 kindergarten classrooms in 2007" ("Gift of Life," 2003). Many of these babies will face additional problems and poverty because they were born to children themselves. Many of these young mothers will never finish high school, and face dismal prospects in the job market and throughout life. In addition, the United States "boasts" the highest teen pregnancy rate and teen birth rate in the industrialized world. Even more disturbing is that over 25% of teen mothers will have another child within two years of their first ("Gift of Life," 2003). These figures are disturbing, but they indicate just what a huge problem the U.S. faces in teen pregnancy, and why birth control should be taught in schools around the nation. Making teens more aware of themselves, their bodies, and their reproductive choices could save many teens from a lifetime of parenthood before they are prepared, and in actuality save the country millions of dollars in social programs and health care costs. In addition, most countries around the world advocate birth control choices for their citizens, and so, they have fewer problems with teen pregnancy and premarital sex. The United States often seems Puritanical in its societal beliefs, and sometimes this old-fashioned thinking gets in the way of social progress and reform.

Poverty is also a crushing problem in our country, and sadly, most young, unmarried mothers fall far below the poverty levels in America. Life can be very hard for these young families, and it can be incredibly difficult for them to climb out of poverty and into the middle class, which offers more educational and economic opportunities. Not only do many teen mothers face a life of poverty and difficulty after they give birth, they also place an additional burden on the social services of the country. Many young mothers cannot work, because they dropped out of high school to have their baby and they simply do not have the skills necessary to get decent employment. They end up on welfare and food stamps, and this is a drain on social services for everyone. Some of these young mothers will manage to better themselves, but many will not, and that affects all Americans.

There is another very compelling reason to push for birth control education in the schools. Today, even teens that have access to birth control do not use it all the time. One reporter notes that a National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy study shows, "Nearly nine out of 10 teens say it's important to use birth control every time they have sex. [...]Yet the Child Trends data show that 31% of sexually experienced teens used no birth control at their most recent sexual intercourse" (Wetzstein, 2002, p. 3). Thus, the educational implications are strong. Birth control education is not a one-time aspect of education. This education should continue throughout middle- and high-school, and it should be reiterated that birth control must be used every time a couple engages in sex. Reporter Wetzstein continues, "Teens - especially boys - need to hear that contraceptives have to be used every time they have sex to avoid pregnancy" (Wetzstein, 2002, p. 3). Therefore, birth control education can be quite successful in helping teens choose birth control methods but it must be a continual, rather than a one-time process in education.

There are many conservative opponents to birth control and birth control being taught in the schools, including President George W. Bush. Opponents feel birth control, and they include abortion, simply condones premarital sex and sex among America's young people. They feel a more viable solution is to teach abstinence to young people. Some reports indicate that abstinence may be working in some cases, and that is why teen birth rates have fallen lately in the country (Wetzstein, 2002, p. 3). However, abstinence is simply not a viable option for all young people, and they should be educated to understand their rights and their bodies. In addition, many state lawmakers have attempted, and are still attempting, to pass their own versions of the "Birth Control Protection Act" that would limit abortions and give pharmacists more rights in withholding birth control prescriptions if they do not believe in birth control. Another study indicates that 63% of evangelical Christians "believe birth control is immoral" (McCarthy, 2001, p. 19), and so, birth control and birth control education face stiff opposition from millions of Americans.