Study: Houston leads in births under age 15

[RACER X]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6596047.html

Study: Houston leads in births under age 15

More girls under 15 give birth in Houston than any other U.S. city, according to a new national report, and many of the city's teen moms have additional children before they turn 20.

The report by the research organization Child Trends found that there were 20 percent more babies born to girls 14 or younger in Houston than in New York and Los Angeles in 2006 and that 24 percent of all Houston's teen births were repeat births that year, the latest for which data is available.

“It's cause for concern,” said Jennifer Manlove, a senior research scientist at Washington-based Child Trends, which uses data from the National Center for Health Statistics to produce the annual report. “Teen births are increasing again, both nationally and in Texas.”

The national increase noted in the report marked a second consecutive jump after a 14-year decline. Texas actually improved from possessing the highest teen birth rate in 2005 to the third highest in 2006, but only because its rate didn't increase as much as those of New Mexico and Mississippi.

In addition, Texas' numbers were particularly unsettling in a number of subcategories.

Among all births involving teenage mothers, Dallas had the nation's highest percentage of repeat births — 28 percent. San Antonio was fourth with 26 percent, Fort Worth eighth with 25 percent and Houston and Austin 14th and 15th, respectively, with 24 percent.

The report was seized by Texas child advocacy and health groups as one more indictment of the state's abstinence-only education policy.

“The state of Texas needs to understand that what it's doing isn't working,” said Robert Sanborn, president and chief executive officer of Children at Risk. “No matter how many reports show this kind of data, the Legislature continues to be blind to it.”

Sanborn specifically criticized the 2009 Legislature for rejecting bills that would have required schools to provide “medically accurate information” in addition to promoting abstinence.

Sanborn also said that the number of babies delivered by girls under 15 shows sex is occurring at middle schools and that those schools need to recognize the reality.

He said he's all for emphasizing abstinence but that students who don't follow such teaching should have access to information about contraception.

What drives rate?
A study by the Texas Freedom Network earlier this year found 94 percent of Texas schools don't give students any sex education beyond urging abstinence.

Sanborn said he thought most middle schools don't mention sex at all.

Manlove said Texas' high teen birth rates are particularly driven by the state's large population of Hispanics, in whom teenage motherhood is more culturally accepted than it is in other ethnicities.

But Sanborn and Ruth Buzi of Baylor College of Medicine's Teen Health Clinic said teen birth rates are not as high in other cities with large Hispanic populations but less restrictive sex educationoccur among married couples. The national average is 14 percent.

[HurricaneHeather]

Yep....same old crap year after year. But nothing ever changes. :rolleyes:

How this isn't a serious reality check to our state legislature, I have no idea.

[shmike]

Blame the NOLA's.

[Kaneman]

Blame the NOLA's.

Its actually the Mexicans. 64% in DFW.

[RACER X]

blame the brown people!

[unknownroad]

Wow, two hours and no "Manlove" jokes?

I wonder what the STD figures are to go along with that charming statistic.

[CasterTroy]

blame the brown people!


i am rather brown........

:lol

[tommymac]

I blame rap music :lol:

Tom

[EpyonXero]

Abstinence only policies plus Catholic teachings that many Mexicans follow equals 15 year olds with kids.

[Smittie61984]

This is pretty clear. If we want to beat Houston we need to start having sex with more underage girls.

[Homeslice]

Abstinence only policies plus Catholic teachings that many Mexicans follow equals 15 year olds with kids.

Not to mention "a woman's role in life is to be a mother"

[Papa_Complex]

Abstinence only policies plus Catholic teachings that many Mexicans follow equals 15 year olds with kids.

Catholic teachings that include that having sex before marriage is a sin, you mean?

[EpyonXero]

Catholic teachings that include that having sex before marriage is a sin, you mean?

Sure. But as far as I know all Christian denominations teach that.

[Kaneman]

Catholic teachings that include that having sex before marriage is a sin, you mean?

I believe the point being made is that the current sex education system coupled with catholic teachings foster ignorance toward sexual activity.

[Papa_Complex]

I believe the point being made is that the current sex education system coupled with catholic teachings foster ignorance toward sexual activity.

I understand the implication, but to consider the one point in a vacuum is to be disingenuous. It is taught in Catholicism (all sub-denominations I'm aware of) that sex outside of marriage is a sin. If you're going to blame one aspect of the religion for causing the problem, then you have to also recognize the aspect that should counter balance that.

The problem is teens having sex.

[Homeslice]

The problem is teens having sex without protection.

the Pope still hangs on to his lame opinions against birth control.

[Kaneman]

I understand the implication, but to consider the one point in a vacuum is to be disingenuous. It is taught in Catholicism (all sub-denominations I'm aware of) that sex outside of marriage is a sin. If you're going to blame one aspect of the religion for causing the problem, then you have to also recognize the aspect that should counter balance that.

The problem is teens having sex.

What Catholicism teaches is completely unrealistic. They're making sex into an extreme taboo and therefore making teenagers want to have sex THAT much more. If they (the church) treated teenagers with respect and offered intelligent advice to avoid teen pregnancy while still encouraging them not to have sex I believe the numbers would be lower.

The church is definitely not the only problem, but they're up there at the top. Real education can be a long term fix in most problems and this is one of them. These kids learn about sex by doing it, not through proper education. Many will say it is not the churches role to teach sex education and I agree, but they put themselves in the game by demanding abstinence only programs in the face of ever rising STD and pregnancy rates. Now that they're in the ball game its time to change the game plan.

Kids are going to fuck, period. Some of those lil Mexican girls are smoking hot and you can see the line of boys, boners protruding, waiting to stick it in. Archaic religious beliefs only intensify that by making it taboo. Lets get these kids some education and some free condoms and let 'em have it...because that's what they're doing now...only without the condoms.

[Papa_Complex]

What Catholicism teaches is completely unrealistic. They're making sex into an extreme taboo and therefore making teenagers want to have sex THAT much more. If they (the church) treated teenagers with respect and offered intelligent advice to avoid teen pregnancy while still encouraging them not to have sex I believe the numbers would be lower.

The church is definitely not the only problem, but they're up there at the top. Real education can be a long term fix in most problems and this is one of them. These kids learn about sex by doing it, not through proper education. Many will say it is not the churches role to teach sex education and I agree, but they put themselves in the game by demanding abstinence only programs in the face of ever rising STD and pregnancy rates. Now that they're in the ball game its time to change the game plan.

Kids are going to fuck, period. Some of those lil Mexican girls are smoking hot and you can see the line of boys, boners protruding, waiting to stick it in. Archaic religious beliefs only intensify that by making it taboo. Lets get these kids some education and some free condoms and let 'em have it...because that's what they're doing now...only without the condoms.

Much of what you say applies to one hell of a lot of the various Christian faiths, and yet Catholicism is constantly singled out.

[Kaneman]

Much of what you say applies to one hell of a lot of the various Christian faiths, and yet Catholicism is constantly singled out.

Because that's what most of the reproducing Mexican children in question are.

[karl_1052]

This is pretty clear. If we want to beat Houston we need to start having sex with more underage girls.

If you can't beat them, join them.

Any houses for sale down there?

[EpyonXero]

Much of what you say applies to one hell of a lot of the various Christian faiths, and yet Catholicism is constantly singled out.

Most of Christianity teaches that sex before marriage is wrong. But Catholic churches also add that contraception is wrong too. The difference between the two rules is that while the first can be ignored by kids without anybody finding out, the second rule can only be broken with the consent of the kids' parents, doctor, pharmacist, and others in their life. Thats one reason why rule #2 is harder to break than rule #1.

[Apoc]

when I was 14 I had my first gf. A hot, but completely simple 18 year old redhead.

The first time I stayed at her house, I went to shoppers drug mart(a canadian pharmacy chain) to buy condoms.

Go to the aisle, after much embarrassment and nervous choosing, I picked up a box, and rushed to the counter.

There was a short, fat woman in her fourstieswearing a cross, at the counter. The conversation went something like this:

her: Hello, did you find everything you were looking for?

me: Yep (head down, let me pay and get out)

her: Can I see some ID?

me: I dont have ID, im fourteen..

her: I cant sell you these without your parents permission?

me: You have be a certain age to buy condoms?

her: No, but children shouldn't be having sex, and I cant sell you these unless they know!

Me, already embarrassed enough: Fuck you bitch.

Then I left and walked to my girlfriends. My horny, 2 minute lasting 14 year old ass fucked her barebone about a dozen times in two days(that was the very weekend I lost my virginity). She was on the pill thankfully, but I coulda got her knocked up because some cunt at shoppers decided I was too young to have sex? Thats just fucked up if you ask me.

[unknownroad]

If you can't beat them, join them.

Any houses for sale down there?

I donno... if they've already got stretch marks, herpes, and enough experience to know you're a crummy lay, what's the point? :idk:

[shmike]

Most of Christianity teaches that sex before marriage is wrong. But Catholic churches also add that contraception is wrong too. The difference between the two rules is that while the first can be ignored by kids without anybody finding out, the second rule can only be broken with the consent of the kids' parents, doctor, pharmacist, and others in their life. Thats one reason why rule #2 is harder to break than rule #1.

Condoms can be bought at any gas station.

They work just as well as any pill.

You guys contend that these kids are having sex despite what the church teaches yet don't wear condoms because the pope says it's wrong? :scratch:

:lol

[Homeslice]

Good point. Then either "these kids" are just stupid, don't have the discipline to use protection, or they subliminally WANT a baby for whatever reason.

[Papa_Complex]

Condoms can be bought at any gas station.

They work just as well as any pill.

You guys contend that these kids are having sex despite what the church teaches yet don't wear condoms because the pope says it's wrong? :scratch:

:lol

Bit of a disconnect there, no?

[Kaneman]

Condoms can be bought at any gas station.

They work just as well as any pill.

You guys contend that these kids are having sex despite what the church teaches yet don't wear condoms because the pope says it's wrong? :scratch:

:lol

I'm suggesting what the church teaches contributes to both.

[shmike]

Bit of a disconnect there, no?

Just a bit.

[Homeslice]

Just a bit.

Unless, as Kaneman suggested, constant preaching that premarital sex is bad and taboo to talk about causes kids to want it even more.

[shmike]

Unless, as Kaneman suggested, constant preaching that premarital sex is bad and taboo to talk about causes kids to want it even more.

Fair enough.

The same should hold true for contraceptives should it not?

[Papa_Complex]

Fair enough.

The same should hold true for contraceptives should it not?

You would think.

"Premarital sex is evil!"

"Contraception is evil!"

If one is forbidden fruit, then so is the other.

[Homeslice]

I would argue that using contraceptives isn't a "forbidden fruit", because it's not a "fruit" in the first place. Unlike having sex, it's nobody's goal in life to wear a rubber. :lol:

[Papa_Complex]

I would argue that using contraceptives isn't a "forbidden fruit", because it's not a "fruit" in the first place. Unlike having sex, it's nobody's goal in life to wear a rubber. :lol:

And it isn't to take the pill and screw like a mink?

[Homeslice]

And it isn't to take the pill and screw like a mink?

No form of contreceptive is a "fruit", it's simply a means to more safely enjoy the "fruit" (sex)

Kaneman's original line of reasoning was, if you keep preaching that sex is bad, and you refuse to give kids information about it, they'll see it as something mysterious and therefore even more desirable than it already is. But you can't say that about taking contraceptives. Nobody develops a yearning to use contraceptives, they develop a yearning to have sex.

[Papa_Complex]

No form of contreceptive is a "fruit", it's simply a means to more safely enjoy the "fruit" (sex)

Kaneman's original line of reasoning was, if you keep preaching that sex is bad, and you refuse to give kids information about it, they'll see it as something mysterious and therefore even more desirable than it already is. But you can't say that about taking contraceptives. Nobody develops a yearning to use contraceptives, they develop a yearning to have sex.

And it may be as badly flawed as another theory that was floated not too long ago. What is the mean income of the families, of these fecund teens?

[Homeslice]

Fecund :lol:

What theory are you referring to? The race and crime one?

I do think ethnicity does have an affect on many things. Different ethnic groups have different values, that can't be explained by differences in income alone. For example, Mexicans tend to throw big birthday parties for their kids, regardless of their income level. People from certain Asian countries tend to emphasize education, regardless of their income level. Germans tend to be more stoic than Italians, regardless of their income level.

[fasternyou929]

The church has been there for generations and its stance on pre-marital sex hasn't changed. Why is it suddenly the root-cause?

Who on this board hasn't noticed 15 year olds look a bit different than they did 20 years ago? If they're physically aging sooner, doesn't it makes sense that sex drive would follow suit?

Times change. If policies and education don't adapt, they'll be seen as dated and will become irrelevant. But to imply the church is somehow making teens want to have sex more is failure by desperately trying to pin the blame on some entity.

[Kaneman]

The church has been there for generations and its stance on pre-marital sex hasn't changed. Why is it suddenly the root-cause?

Who on this board hasn't noticed 15 year olds look a bit different than they did 20 years ago? If they're physically aging sooner, doesn't it makes sense that sex drive would follow suit?

Times change. If policies and education don't adapt, they'll be seen as dated and will become irrelevant. But to imply the church is somehow making teens want to have sex more is failure by desperately trying to pin the blame on some entity.

As it relates to this conversation its because over the past 20 years we've been invaded by Mexicans whom the majority of are Catholic. There is a direct connection there. The church leads the charge for abstinence only sex-education, which I feel is partially responsible for the rising teen pregnancy rates.

Why there can't be objective education is completely beyond me.

[Papa_Complex]

As it relates to this conversation its because over the past 20 years we've been invaded by Mexicans whom the majority of are Catholic. There is a direct connection there. The church leads the charge for abstinence only sex-education, which I feel is partially responsible for the rising teen pregnancy rates.

Why there can't be objective education is completely beyond me.

Born Again Christians also teach abstinence only. I wonder what their rate of teen pregnancy is?

[shmike]

Born Again Christians also teach abstinence only. I wonder what their rate of teen pregnancy is?

Stop with the logic.

We're talkin' about Catholics.

Dirty, Messican Catholics.

[Kaneman]

Born Again Christians also teach abstinence only. I wonder what their rate of teen pregnancy is?

Other Christian denominations don't put such an emphasis on not using birth control.

And Shmike is right, we're talking about dirty messicans here.

[Papa_Complex]

Other Christian denominations don't put such an emphasis on not using birth control.

And Shmike is right, we're talking about dirty messicans here.

No, they just don't talk about sex at all.

[Homeslice]

A study by the Texas Freedom Network earlier this year found 94 percent of Texas schools don't give students any sex education beyond urging abstinence.

Didn't see this until now.

[Kaneman]

Didn't see this until now.

Not sure where the statistic comes from, but I can say that's what we were taught in public school.

I believe this ideal of abstinence is obviously one of religious origin, that is my chief complaint.

And when Mexicans don't flush their toilet paper....

[Papa_Complex]

Didn't see this until now.

"The Texas Freedom Network - A Mainstream Voice to Counter the Religious Right"

I wonder how that 94% of schools breaks down by percentage of student population?

[Homeslice]

The report was seized by Texas child advocacy and health groups as one more indictment of the state's abstinence-only education policy

Another relevant quote.

[fasternyou929]

As it relates to this conversation its because over the past 20 years we've been invaded by Mexicans whom the majority of are Catholic. There is a direct connection there. The church leads the charge for abstinence only sex-education, which I feel is partially responsible for the rising teen pregnancy rates.

Why there can't be objective education is completely beyond me.

That points more to culture than to Catholocism, wouldn't you think? They behave like those they're surrounded by.

[Kaneman]

That points more to culture than to Catholocism, wouldn't you think? They behave like those they're surrounded by.

Yes, but I would contend that religious beliefs fostered the culture and that they are intertwined.

[fasternyou929]

Yes, but I would contend that religious beliefs fostered the culture and that they are intertwined.
Fair enough. But was the teenage birth rate disproportionately high for Catholics in the US 20 years ago?

[Kaneman]

Fair enough. But was the teenage birth rate disproportionately high for Catholics in the US 20 years ago?


Hell no, there weren't all the Mexicans.

This calamity has two components. Mexican + Catholic = Overpopulation.

[Tmall]

I was raised catholic.

I know of maybe 2 or 3 teen pregnancies when we were growing up. And only one was under 15. But, she's gone on to pump out 4 or 5 kids in 10 years and is on welfare.

Most of us dirty Catholics are smarter than you make us out to be. We know to put it in the butt, and we were taught sex education throughout most of my school years.

We even learned how babies were made as far back as grade one.

Blame the education of the kids, not their religious denomination.

[Apoc]

I was raised catholic.

I know of maybe 2 or 3 teen pregnancies when we were growing up. And only one was under 15. But, she's gone on to pump out 4 or 5 kids in 10 years and is on welfare.

Most of us dirty Catholics are smarter than you make us out to be. We know to put it in the butt, and we were taught sex education throughout most of my school years.

We even learned how babies were made as far back as grade one.

Blame the education of the kids, not their religious denomination.

I dont think its as big of a problem up here. We have a little better grasp on the subject. Nowadays kids dont even have to buy condoms, most clinics/health centers give them away.

[Papa_Complex]

I dont think its as big of a problem up here. We have a little better grasp on the subject. Nowadays kids dont even have to buy condoms, most clinics/health centers give them away.

We don't have the streak of fundamentalism that you find in many places, in the US. There's a little bit of that out in the Prairies, but that's about it.

[Apoc]

We don't have the streak of fundamentalism that you find in many places, in the US. There's a little bit of that out in the Prairies, but that's about it.

alberta has a lot of small religious communities.

The daughters of the religious people are usually the ones stripping in the makeshift strip joint in a barn on the outskirts of town somwhere.

[Homeslice]

Hell no, there weren't all the Mexicans.

This calamity has two components. Mexican + Catholic = Overpopulation.

Or, something else about Mexicans (income, education, value systems, parenting styles, beliefs about children) is the primary driver.

And then you have Texas' abstinence-only education policy.

Recipe for FAIL.

[Kaneman]

Or, something else about Mexicans (income, education, value systems, parenting styles, beliefs about children) is the primary driver.

And then you have Texas' abstinence-only education policy.

Recipe for FAIL.

Agree with that as well.

[shmike]

Agree with that as well.

So, does the Texas abstinence only program come from Texas' historically high Catholic population?

[Homeslice]

So, does the Texas abstinence only program come from Texas' historically high Catholic population?

I'd like to know how long it's been in place.............If it's been there awhile, then I doubt Catholics had anything to do with it........Texas white folks is mostly Protestant........So it was probably just Suth'un consuhvuhtive valyooz at work. Or a powa trip. Hafta prevent those kids from humpin' so that we kin git revenge on them fo' lookin' hotta than us old folk.

[shmike]

I'd like to know how long it's been in place.............If it's been there awhile, then I doubt Catholics had anything to do with it........Texas white folks is mostly Protestant........So it was probably just Suth'un consuhvuhtive valyooz at work. Or a powa trip. Hafta prevent those kids from humpin' so that we kin git revenge on them fo' lookin' hotta than us old folk.

I'm guessing it's been a while. ;)

[Particle Man]

in other news, Texas chicks put out.