Governor Blames Teens For His Failed Abstinence Only Policies, Says They ‘Do Not Care’ About Birth C

[Drale]

Even though the increased numbers of young women using effective forms of birth control have contributed to a steady decline in the teen birth rate over the past decade, Mississippi has retained the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the nation. At an event this week to address the issue of unintended pregnancy in the state, Gov. Phil Bryant (R) told reporters he believes that although most adolescents do know how to obtain and use contraception, “the problem is teenagers do not care enough” about using birth control.

The GOP governor cited an education campaign that his administration sponsored this year as an example of the steps he’s taking to address the problem:

Bryant appointed a group earlier this year to study ways to reduce teenage pregnancy, and it has also sponsored town-hall meetings in Jackson and Lexington. The group has posted several billboards around the state with a photo of a pregnant belly, complete with stretch marks, next to the slogan: “Scars may fade. A baby is FOREVER.” [...]

Bryant told The Daily Leader that town-hall meetings to discuss teen pregnancy are important. “The road to success is in having an open, frank discussion and saying we need to stop this,” Bryant said.

Bryant has said repeatedly that he believes abstinence-only is the best approach to teaching young people about sex. It’s the approach that’s been used for years by the school districts that already were teaching optional classes about sex education.

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/11/30/1264421/mississippi-teens-care-birth-control/

I was born, raised and still live in Illinois and in High School the only thing our health/sex ed teacher told us not to do was have anal sex because as she put it "Nothing is supposed to go in that way, stuff is only supposed to come out". She gave us the information that we needed if we choose to have sex and never once told us not to do it or wait for marriage or anything like that. We did have to watch a video of a baby being born and I bet that made many of the girls really really see why they needed to use birth control. lol

[renie408]

1. I was born and raised in the south and I would be willing to put my IQ

up against yours any day.

Actually, I think there is just something wrong with assholes who make generalizations....'lol'...

[Bandit]

2. What does IQ have to do with education?

Saying you have a high IQ does not mean you are well educated....It means your ability to learn is much higher..

[renie408]

3. Nothing. But it relates to stupidity. And reading comprehension.

The OP states that there is something going on with Southerners other than religion which makes them 'stupid'.

Or did you not read that?

"There is something seriously wrong with the South and I don't think it can just be religion. It has to be all the pollution building up in their systems or their unhealthy diet or something that is making them so stupid."

[ceile]

4. That's what you came away with? That southerners are stupid? n/t

[sakabatou]

5. Ah yes, more abstinence only lessons. That'll fix it!

[Scuba]

6. Hey Guv, it was your job to make them care. Fail. Not being accountable? Fail two.

[Mariana]

7. Religion is certainly a major cause of this kind of stupidity.

And there sure is plenty of this kind of stupidity to go around. Wherever Republicans have control, in any region of the country, they do everything they can to make it difficult or impossible for women to obtain and use contraception, and then they're shocked when women don't obtain and use contraception. It's crazy.

It will be interesting to see the reaction to his remarks. I predict that Mr. Bryant is going to be publicly criticized by some conservative and religious leaders for even suggesting that teens should use birth control.

[kestrel91316]

8. Dear Gov. Bryant: They are avoiding birth control perhaps because you people

keep telling them how it's murder and a horrible crime, and that girls who use BC are sluts.

WTF DID YOU EXPECT TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS KEPT SCREECHING THAT MESSAGE???????