The problem with Abstinence Only education was not the Abstinence, it was the Only. The most effective message, as evidenced in every other industrial country with teen pregnancy rates far lower than ours, is to advocate postponement of sexual activity while providing full and complete information on contraception, decision-making and disease prevention.
Point 1: The writer point is that we should carry out comprehensive programs that also teach about birth control and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
However, I do not entirely agree with this point. The problem with parents allowing their kids to have birth control is that it sends a message that it's alright for them to have sex. Although it is true that if one is more informed about the consequences(through comprehensive education) of having sex before marriage, they will know why and how they are suppose to prevent that from happening. Yet again, we start to question our true purpose in carrying out sex education. Are we discouraging them to have sex before marriage? Or are we encouraging them to practice safe sex before marriage so that there will be lower risk of getting pregnant? No matter how good the results are when the country advocates the postponement of sexual activity by providing complete information, it depends on whether the society see it as morally right
and take it to consideration.
The increased emphasis on abstinence in the past 15 years has been one factor in pushing back the age at which kids have their first sexual encounters, reducing the number of partners they have and lowering both the teen abortion rates and pregnancy rates (though this year has seen a small uptick).
Point 2: The writer is telling us that emphasis on abstinence in past 15 years is one of the factor which is helping the society reduce the number of children taking part in sexual activity.
However, the writer is asserting her point without any clear edvidence. Firstly, there is no edvidence provided that shows that emphasis on abstinence is an effective policy to curb sexual activity in youths. Hence, we cannot assume that emaphsis on abstinence is one of the reason why there is decreasing trend in youths participanting in sexual activty before marriage. Also, even if it plays a role in helping to posepone sexual activity in youths, how great is its role in educating and reducing sexual activity amongst youths?
This message isn't hard; it just isn't as tidy as Just Do It or Just Say No. So Bristol Palin, in all her complexity as target and role model, sitting there with the beautiful baby she wishes hadn't been born for another 10 years, is a perfectly natural messenger.
Point 3: The writer agrees that Bristol is a suitable messenger to spread the message of postponement of sexual activity amongst youths. Despite that, she did not practice that message herself even being the daughter of the first female vice presidential candidate.
I do not agree with the writer entirely. Even if she is regretful and is trying to make up for her wrong-doing, society may not accept her as a rightful messenger to advocate the message of postponement of sexual activity in youths. As her mother (Sarah Palin) being the candidate for vice presidential position represents the to-be government of the country. Briston actions not only affect Sarah’s reputation, it also creates problem for the government to address the irony here (The state discouraging early sexual activity amonst youths is not practicing the message as seen in Sarah Palin’s daugther case). So, by allowing her to advocate the message, it may bring about cynical remarks from the people. The message pass down to the people wil not be as clear as having it pass down by a non-government associated group of people.
Happy reading everyone! Do not forget to comment!
I agree with Yue Fang on point 3 that Bristol is not a suitable messenger to educate teens on postponement of sexual activity. This is because she herself does not set a good example, yet she is educating the teenagers by telling them to abstain from sex. As an educator, she must first set a good example before she can expect others to follow. Since Bristol did not abstain from sex, the teenagers will not be convinced by her views. In fact, they might get the wrong message and think that pre-marital sex is acceptable. Although Bristol had pre-marital sex, she still received support from her family members and others. The teenagers may then misinterpret it as having pre-marital sex is an acceptable behavior.
ReplyDeleteThe author mentioned that teenagers should be taught to abstain from sex. At the same time, the author agrees that full and complete information on contraception, decision-making and disease prevention should be provided. This is an irony as the teenagers are taught to abstain from sex, yet they are taught how to have safe sex. The information provided is unclear, and the teenagers would have difficulty digesting the information and making sound decisions.
-Anna