Posted on 02/25/2009 11:35:33 AM PST by AJKauf
When I, a parent of a 17-year-old daughter due to graduate from high school this May, originally read about Bristol Palin’s pregnancy during the presidential campaign, I shared the same sense of indignant outrage expressed by many upon hearing the news. Why on earth is a girl that age having sex, particularly when she was raised by a mother who staunchly supports abstinence-only education? Didn’t she listen?
Yes, I’ll admit my first reaction upon learning of a pregnant teenage girl is to think that it really should be that simple: telling one’s child “don’t have sex until you’re married” should be enough. Never mind the whole virginity pledge thing; explaining the risk of STDs, AIDs and teenage pregnancy should be sufficient rationale. And, just in case it isn’t, then the threat of an angry parent with “a 12-gauge double-aught buckshot” should be enough incentive for teens to “keep their britches on.” And yet, obviously, it isn’t. The Bristol Palins and Jamie Lynn Spears are proof enough that “just say no” doesn’t always sink in....
(Excerpt) Read more at pajamasmedia.com ...
Aside from getting her networks mixed up, a pretty good article. Kids are only human.
The left, and their “father” (of lies) want there to be no standards -
do what thou will shall be the whole of the law.
Abstinence: Responsible self-control.
Abortion: “Guiltless” irresponsibility.
Abstinence doesn’t work for everyone.
OTOH, abortion kills...every time.
Hold on.....are you saying her mother was being an irresponsible parent because she was having a child of her own? One child per married couple? If that is the case I guess you have a point because Bristol never would have been born to begin with.
SEX is preached EVERYWHERE today....it’s saturated into children....sure people got pregnant in the 50’s (and before)....but usually they got married and made a family! Now....the “culture” says...have sex...don’t get married....do what pleases YOU....I still can’t figure out why Bristol and the father have NOT married....there is no excuse, unless they never plan(ned) to.
Let's all just accept unacceptable behavior instead of teaching our kids not to do it.
Society is just going to behave however the way that they behave, so learn it, love it, live with it.
I’m wondering if anyone can give me a cite where Sarah Palin said she believes in “abstinence only” education. I have heard this said by people attacking her, but never from her. Could this be propaganda?
The standard is great. I think the point is to give them a backup education in case they don't meet the standard.
“.....I’m pro-contraception, and I think kids who may not hear about it at home should hear about it in other avenues. So I am not anti-contraception. But, yeah, abstinence is another alternative that should be discussed with kids. I don’t have a problem with that. That doesn’t scare me, so it’s something I would support also.”
Sarah Palin, 2006 radio interview
I’m really disappointed to see Pajamas Media pushing this tired old slur.......
"Which antler shall I hang your scrotum from, son?"
Mom + video of live child birth = Abstinence Education (for her)
"Episiotomies are fun, dear!"
Hypocrisy does NOT mean what you imply it means.
Hypocrisy is claiming to believe in a standard that you really don’t believe in.
It does NOT mean not living up to that standard (and therefore, the standard need not be valued).
It was easy to teach no sex before marraige when most people got married at 15-20 years old. Now we expect them to go to college, make a career and never have sex until they are near 30.
While I think teen sex is entirely too young, I think it’s silly to not explain the concept of contraceptive. Not that it will always work, but by God let them know that is an option. While explaining why it’s better to wait, let them know that getting pregnant is beyond irresponsible. As I said, not that it always works.
Just my opinion and reflection on my years in high school. Maybe I just went to a ‘bad’ high school.
And also as a terrified mother of three girls, two of which are teens.
Playing devil's advocate here (and I know you're being sarcastic above), isn't abstinence education the equivalent of telling a kid "Don't drive drunk" while contraception education is the equivalent of giving the kids seat belts and crash helmets?
Yeah, I’m sure that they didn’t know about birth control. That information isn’t available ANYWHERE...
Many of us here a Christians and we promote the good message and it's teachings. But we are still sinning every day. Falling short of an ideal (and in this case it was her daughter, not herself), doesn't make neither her wrong, nor the ideal wrong.
WTH? So it’s Sarah Palin’s fault for having a baby?
I’m sorry to tell you, you are not going to be with your 17 year old 24 hours a day.
Seeing as I never offered any implication of a definition, your comment doesn't apply to my post.
It does NOT mean not living up to that standard (and therefore, the standard need not be valued).
Never said it did.
Please read before posting. If you don't understand a post, ask.
Have you even seen her interview? They will finish school and marry. Their timeschedule is not our business.
One cannnot teach abstinence the way one teaches algebra. On the other hand, kids fail to learn the lessons of abstinance for the same reason they fail to learn algebra: too many other kids think it is impossible, or even unnatural—weird, in other words.
Fifty years ago, BTP, most kids felt the same as they do today, and boys tried to do pretty much what they do to day, but for boys the idea was that if one has sex with anyone except a whole, one ought to think —at least—of marriage. Most girls also thought of marriage, but there was also the fear of pregnancy, and the shame attendent to being an unwed mother. There was also the shame attendent to boys of shame at getting a girl pregnant when marriage was no practical option.
I went to a Catholic boys High School and learned the greatest lesson about pre-marital sex imaginable — all the priest told us was the approximate cost to raise a child to the age of eighteen.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.