Texas Newspapers Call For Comprehensive Sex Education To Address Teen Pregnancy

Two Texas newspapers recently published editorials and an opinion piece responding to a recent Child Trends report that ranked Texas No. 1 in the U.S. for repeat teen pregnancies. According to a recent Dallas Morning News article, despite Texas' high teen pregnancy rate, the state has some of the most restrictive policies in the nation regarding minors' access to prescription birth control. Summaries appear below.

Corpus Christi Caller-Times: The "dismal teen pregnancy rate" in the Corpus Christi area has been "well-documented," a Caller-Times editorial states, adding, "Now is not the time to cut funding for programs aimed to curtail teen pregnancies." The editorial notes that "Texas received more federal dollars than any state to support abstinence education with no money for comprehensive sex education." It adds, "That approach has been an abject failure." According to the editorial, "Insisting on abstinence for teen mothers having their second or third babies, without fact-based knowledge about condoms and other contraceptives, is public policy with blinders on" (Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 9/8).
Houston Chronicle: "We need to face the obvious: Teenagers are having sex. And some of them are having it in middle school -- with repercussions, both public and private, that will last for generations," a Chronicle editorial states. It adds that although sex education is "parents' job, of course, ... astounding numbers show that many parents need help." The editorial continues, "Our schools need to discuss sex and contraception -- and they need to start in middle school." According to the editorial, schools should teach "comprehensive sex ed" because it "helps teenagers to delay intercourse" and "makes them more likely to use condoms if they don't delay." The editorial recommends that the state Legislature pass a law next year requiring schools to provide "medically accurate" information regarding contraception, in addition to promoting abstinence. According to the editorial, "parents should be able to opt out of school sex ed for their kids," but the "default" in schools should be "straight talk about sex" (Houston Chronicle, 9/8).
Texas State Sen. Rodney Ellis/State Rep. Ellen Cohen, Houston Chronicle: "There's been virtually no impact on the reduction in teen pregnancy and births despite more than $1 billion in taxpayer funds invested in teaching young people that they should abstain from sexual relationships," Ellis (D) and Cohen (D) write in a Chronicle opinion piece. They continue, "Clearly, this single-minded approach is failing our teens and taxpayers." Ellis and Cohen write that a bill titled Education Works, which died during the committee process in the last legislative session, "was written to directly address the growing problem of teen pregnancy and births in Texas." According to Ellis and Cohen, the bill "would ensure that teens learn about abstinence, healthy relationships, positive self-image and about birth control so they can protect themselves from a pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease." They add, "The current approach is simply not working for young people, taxpayers and ultimately the state of Texas" (Ellis/Cohen, Houston Chronicle, 9/8).
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