I can’t say it any better than MOAPP (Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention and Parenting) says it:

Another high profile teen pregnancy has captured our collective attention. While the eyes of the nation are on the Palin family, let’s keep in mind that Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston’s story is repeated almost 750,000 times every year in the United States.

Teen pregnancy occurs in all corners of society—young people from every race, class and family structure are represented in the U.S. teen pregnancy and birth ratesrates that exceed other developed countries by four to 11 times.

Bristol Palin is fortunate to have her family’s support, which can make all the difference in a teen parent’s life. When teen parent families succeed—when teen parents stay in school and make the transition to the work world, when their children are in good quality childcare and are ready to learn when they start school—we all succeed. Unfortunately, we don’t focus enough attention on public policies that support these families.

But this story demands another look at the federally subsidized “abstinence-until-marriage” industry—more than $200 million more will be spent again this year on programs that show NO evidence of working. Federal support for “abstinence” programs has created an ill-prepared sub-culture of young people who lack the tools needed to build healthy relationships, or navigate our sex-obsessed popular culture.

This is why I support comprehensive sex education in the home, school and community.

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