Teen Pregnancy: The need for a Comprehensive Sexual Education Program in Massachusetts

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[...] Process development, how I developed my recommendations: Personal experience with a comprehensive sexual education During my study abroad in Australia last year I had the opportunity to take a course entitled “Love Sex & Relationships” it was unlike any course I have ever had before and it was the most comprehensive sexual education class I could have imagined. After going through the course every day many of the students who were American felt as if they had just learned something they were supposed to have learned a long time ago. [...]

[...] Work with Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-choice Massachusetts, and National Organization for Women, other Massachusetts interest groups to The National campaign to prevent teen pregnancy, establish a coalition between these groups Setup informational sessions for the legislature: Use the lobbyists for these groups to implement the plans outlined in this memorandum Obtain public support Have public write letters to legislatures regarding the need for comprehensive sexual education. Obtain media support Establish a coalition with the interest groups to obtain legislative support of the plan of action as outlined in this memorandum. [...]

[...] Sexually active adolescents in those schools were twice as likely to use condoms.”[6] Policy recommendations for older urban communities and areas with high rates of teen pregnancy: Recently Maine went under fire after voting to make birth control pills available to students at one of the middle schools in Portland. This decision was made after 17 reported pregnancies in the three middle schools over the last four years. The school board decided that students who went to the “student health center” could be given birth control pills after undergoing a gynecological exam, they could be given the pills without their parents consent; however they need their parents written permission to use the student health center.[7] A health center should be established within the schools with high rates of teen pregnancy. [...]

[...] Recommendations for what a comprehensive sexual education curriculum should cover: Fifth Grade: Puberty, changes in the body Let it be known to the females that if they ever need a “feminine hygiene” product during the school day, they may see the school nurse. How babies are made / Reproductive Health; brief touch upon contraceptives, emphasis in abstinence Basic knowledge of the anatomy of sexual organs Masturbation, what happens, what it is, that it is normal Healthy relationships, family, friendships, crushes (brief on domestic violence) Brief overview of STD's (dangers of touching each others private parts) Seventh Grade: More puberty Let it be known with statistics that a very low number of people this age engage in any sort of sexual activity. [...]

[...] Accessed October http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/factsheet/fshistoryabonly.htm Blake Susan; Ledsky, Rebecca; Goodenow, Carol; Sawyer, Richard; Lohrmann, David; and Windsor, Richard, “Condom Availability Programs in Massachusetts High Schools: Relationships with Condom Use and Sexual Behavior” American Journal of Public Health June; 955–962.ea Mass Alliance on Teen Pregnancy, “International Comparisons,” Accessed October www.massteenpregnancy.org/data/international.html Bajos, Nathalie and Durand, Sandrine, “Teenage Sexual and Reproductive Behavior in Developed Countries: Country Report for France”, the Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York and Washington, November 2001. Danielsson, Marie, Rogala, Christina, and Sundstorm Kajsa, “Teenage Sexual and Reproductive Behavior in Developed Countries: Country Report for Sweden”, the Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York and Washington, November 2001. [...]