Texas Is Number One (Sadly)

Once again, Texas finds itself in the position of leading all other states -- but this number one ranking is not one that should make any Texan proud of the state. For the sixth year in a row, Texas leads the nation in the number of repeat teen pregnancies.

While Texas has gone from first to third in the number of teen pregnancies (still nothing to take pride in), it continues to lead the nation in repeat teen pregnancies. The statewide figure for repeat teen pregnancies is 23%. The figures were compiled and released by Child Trends, a Washington D.C.-based group.

The group also breaks the figures down by the 73 largest cities, and it shows the worst percentages are in the major urban areas. Here are the figures for Texas cities included in the report:

Dallas.......28% (leads the nation)

San Antonio.......26%

Fort Worth.......25%

Houston.......24%

Austin.......24%

El Paso.......21%

Arlington.......19%

Texas also leads the nation in another statistic -- the number of teen pregnancies for girls under the age of 15. Houston leads the nation in this statistic.

Why is Texas doing so badly in the area of teen pregnancies? Of course, part of the blame must rest with parents (or lack of parents), but I doubt that Texas is any different than any other state as far as parental involvement and responsibility is concerned.

But schools are another matter. Texas schools are doing something different. About 94% of all Texas schools are teaching their students absolutely NOTHING BUT ABSTINENCE! This is a shameful avoidance of their duty to educate their students about sex and contraceptives.

The religious fundamentalists control the state school board and most local school boards, and they are convinced that Texas students are stupid. They believe if you teach the truth about sex and contraceptives, then those students will all run out and have sex.

The truth is that these fundies have it backwards. The states that teach good sex education with instructions on the use of contraceptives, have much lower teen pregnancy rates that states that teach abstinence-only. Regardless of what they are taught (or not taught), teens will have sex when they are ready to do so. Those who have received real sex education will at least have the knowledge of how to protect themselves and prevent pregnancy.

As Robert Sanborn, president and CEO of Children at Risk, says, "The state of Texas needs to understand that what it's doing is not working." We should take religion out of Texas schools and let those schools educate their students about the real world (where they're going to have to live).