This might make Jane Fonda's head explode (Blog for Democracy)

WOW! I just wonder what will happen in the next 10 years for these girls.

Principal Joseph Sullivan said almost half of the expectant girls, all aged 16 or younger, admitted they became pregnant after making a pact with friends to raise their children at the same time.

This week I got an e-mail from G-CAPP with the following:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released findings from the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Study (YRBS), a nationwide survey that measures health risk behaviors among high school students. Major findings included:

- Almost half (48%) of high school students reported having had sexual intercourse at least once.
- Over 7% of students reported they had sexual intercourse before the age of 13.
- Less than two-thirds (62%) of sexually-active students reported using a condom the last time they had sex.
- Nearly 15% of students reported having had more than four sexual partners.

Overall there was little change in teen sexual behavior from the last survey conducted in 2005, although the proportion of students who reported having sex increased slightly while the proportion of sexually-active students who reported using a condom decreased slightly. This demonstrates that the consistent progress in teen sexual activity measures that occurred in the 1990s is slowing.

In Georgia: Georgia ranks 40th in the nation in overall child wellbeing according to the recently-released 2008 KIDS COUNT report. The ranking is based on 10 indicators that can be compared across states, many of which are highly related to teen pregnancy.

Georgia Ranks:

- 43rd, or 8th highest, in the nation in the rate of births to teens ages 15 to 19.

- 43rd in the nation in low birth weight babies. Children of teen mothers are more likely to be born prematurely and at low birth weight.

- 42nd in the nation in the infant mortality rate. Children of teen mothers are more likely to be born prematurely, raising the probability of infant mortality.

- 45th in the nation in the percentage of children in single-parent families. Evidence demonstrates that unmarried teen mothers are at greater risk for long term single motherhood and poverty for themselves and their children.

- 41st in the nation in the percentage of teens who are high school drop outs. Teen mothers are less likely to complete high school. Also, in Georgia over one-fourth of teen pregnancies are repeat pregnancies. Having multiple children compounds the challenges a teen mother faces to finish school or keep a job.

Comments (6)

innerredneckexposed

I'm not fond of Hanoi Jane.

Posted by innerredneckexposed | June 20, 2008 7:47 AM

Posted on June 20, 2008 07:47

CatherineAtlanta

IRE, do me a favor, pal. If you want to use those tired old cliches go over to PP where they are welcome. They are not welcome here. I'm pretty sure that incident in Hanoi was well before you were born. Let it rest.

Posted by CatherineAtlanta | June 20, 2008 9:07 AM

Posted on June 20, 2008 09:07

JerryT

Careful there IRE. As part of the Olympic support structure, you run the risk of having your name eternally linked to the oppression of Tibet by China.

Posted by JerryT | June 20, 2008 9:29 AM

Posted on June 20, 2008 09:29

Here's my thing.

I don't think Hanoi Jane did anything wrong.

I just like saying Hanoi Jane. Has a good ring and brings a smile to my face. Don't know why. Don't mean to offend. I'm on your side (this time).

Posted by innerredneckexposed | June 20, 2008 10:41 AM

Posted on June 20, 2008 10:41

I like saying Tibetan Thunder. It sounds like one of those Celestial Seasonings teas. Or maybe a covert military operation. Or maybe a particularly good batch of hash.

What? I used to read Rolling Stone magazine.

Posted by JerryT | June 20, 2008 11:39 AM

Posted on June 20, 2008 11:39

odinseye2k

Hmmmm ... hash. I love shredded and fried potatoes in the morning.

Posted by odinseye2k | June 20, 2008 11:48 AM

Posted on June 20, 2008 11:48