Roundup: Texas Legislators Argue for Comprehensive Sex Ed; Crisis Pregnancy Centers Under Further Scrutiny

Sep 9, 2009, 11:23am

Texas State Representatives argue for passage of legislation that would replace abstinence-only-until-marriage programs in the state with comprehensive sexual health education; Feminist blogs take on crisis pregnancy centers. And more news....

Abstinence-only programs failing Texas Youth, say State Reps

"It’s a safe bet," write State Senators Rodney Ellis and State Representative Ellen Cohen of Texas in the Houston Chronicle:

that most people who read the front page headline
proclaiming that Houston leads the U.S. in teen births for young women
under the age of 15 probably choked on their morning coffee. That was
likely followed by what we felt — shock and disappointment, and then a
need to do something.

"For too long," they state, "Texas has led the nation in teen pregnancies, teen
births, and repeat teen births."

They argue that it is time for Texas to take a fundamentally different approach to reducing teen pregnancy and improving health outcomes for all teens.

In 2005, Texas ranked highest in
teen births in the nation, and third in 2006. Currently, Texas follows behind Mississippi
and New Mexico because increases in teen pregnancies in those two states have
increased more than in Texas, not because of declining teen pregnancy in Texas per se.

"Texas relies on
the “just say no” program in dealing with teen sexuality," write the policymakers.

Since 2000,
Texas has received more than $1 billion in “Abstinence
Only Until Marriage” funding, more than any other
state.

"Unfortunately,
during that same time period," they write, "Texas’ teen pregnancy and birth rates
have remained among the highest in the nation. 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."

The Reps argue that the Texas legislature must make passage of the Education Works bill a priority for its 2011 session. This bill, which provides for comprehensive sexual health education for all Texas students, failed to pass in the last legislative session.

"We should all
agree that helping young people avoid teen pregnancy is a good thing
and something we must do," conclude Ellis and Cohen. "The current approach is simply not working
for young people, taxpayers and ultimately the state of Texas. It’s
time to put sound programs in place with a focus on comprehensive sex
education because what we do know is that Education Works."

Crisis Pregnancy Centers Under Further Scrutiny

Crisis pregnancy centers are receiving increasing scrutiny regarding their adoption practices.

"They’ll tell you that you’re going to be sterile if you get an
abortion," writes Serena at Feminists for Choice, "and that you’ll get breast cancer, wind up depressed and
addicted to drugs, and find yourself living on the street. Abortion,
depression, and drugs, oh my!"

Jezebel references the case of Carol Jordan, whose story was profiled in full in an excellent article by Katherine Joyce at The Nation and who when pregnant faced pressure by employees of a crisis pregnancy center to carry to term.

While waiting to give birth, Jordan was taken into the home of a
"shepherding family" the agency hooked her up with, where — despite the
fact she hadn’t yet decided on adoption — she was referred to
exclusively as a "birth mother." Says Jordan, "I felt like a walking
uterus for the agency."

Yet funding still flows to these centers and the Obama Administration has not ruled out continued funding for them.

SEPTEMBER 8

LifeSiteNews: Hundreds of Pro-Life Demonstrators Converge on Vienna City Hall to Protest Abortion Party

Blog for Global Health: Small Child Survival Program Shows Building Sustainability Goes Beyond Health

CNS News: ‘Pillering’ Women

Houston Chronicle: Focus on abstinence alone is failing Texas teenagers

Catholic Review: Respect Life program for 2009-10 shows diversity of pro-life concerns

FOX News: Why Obamacare Will Fail and the Media Will Fail to Notice Its Flaws

The Bulletin: King Calls For Abortion Investigation By Department Of Justice

Americans United for Life: A Pro-Life Look at the Health Care Reform Bills Currently in Congress

Townhall.com: Head-counting begins as Obama prepares address

Feminists for Choice: The Crisis Pregnancy Center Adoption Racket