Good news across the political spectrum on teen pregnancy

[B-Fly]

The teen pregnancy rate has dropped to its lowest level in two decades.

There has been a decrease in the number of high school students having sex.

And among those having sex, there's been an increase in the percentage using contraception.

The number of teen pregnancies is still too high, but as for the trends, yay, all around.

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/05/teen-pregnancy-rate-lowest-in-two-decades/?hpt=T2

[B-Fly]

As a snarky political aside, it has just come out that Bristol Palin made $262,000 in 2009 for her work in raising awareness about teen pregnancy. Sadly, this is not a joke.

Well whatever Bristol is doing, within the grand scheme of what everybody else is doing, is apparently working. So I won't begrudge her the paycheck.

[DMT]

As a snarky political aside, it has just come out that Bristol Palin made $262,000 in 2009 for her work in raising awareness about teen pregnancy. Sadly, this is not a joke.

She was scheduled to make $10K at my alma mater, Washington University, but was canceled after after student and alum protests.

This is good news indeed, must be all those abstinence-only programs. (where are all the smilies?)

[nots]

She was scheduled to make $10K at my alma mater, Washington University, but was canceled after after student and alum protests.

This is good news indeed, must be all those abstinence-only programs. (where are all the smilies?)

Assuming the topic had something to do with teenage pregnancy, why would people protest that? She certainly can provide a viewpoint on the issue that most in the audience can't and would be a good balance in a panel discussion.

[Kevin Seitzer]

Assuming the topic had something to do with teenage pregnancy, why would people protest that? She certainly can provide a viewpoint on the issue that most in the audience can't and would be a good balance in a panel discussion.

The celebrity teen mom viewpoint?

[B-Fly]

The celebrity teen mom viewpoint?

LOL. C'mon, nots, wouldn't they be able to get a teen mom whose experience is more typical and relevant to provide her viewpoint for a lot less than $10,000?

[DMT]

Assuming the topic had something to do with teenage pregnancy, why would people protest that? She certainly can provide a viewpoint on the issue that most in the audience can't and would be a good balance in a panel discussion.

It was to promote abstinence...and no.

[GwynnInTheHall]

and here I thought this thread was about Fresno Bob starting to go after only those women over 21..........

[nots]

LOL. C'mon, nots, wouldn't they be able to get a teen mom whose experience is more typical and relevant to provide her viewpoint for a lot less than $10,000?

So the protest was over the amount she was paid or was it over who her mother is or was it over her abstinence views?
And aren't celebrity voices a little louder than a 'typical teen Mom' especially if you are trying to resonate with other teenagers?
I agree $10K seems high, but I don't think that's the issue here. If I'm wrong, then I apologize.

[nots]

It was to promote abstinence...and no.

Abstinence, as well as contraception, should be promoted more often and at any earlier age. I'll never understand why both sides of the issue can't realize the other side has a very valid argument (though I guess based on the improved numbers Fly quotes, maybe there is more cross promoting than I think there is).

[B-Fly]

So the protest was over the amount she was paid or was it over who her mother is or was it over her abstinence views?
And aren't celebrity voices a little louder than a 'typical teen Mom' especially if you are trying to resonate with other teenagers?
I agree $10K seems high, but I don't think that's the issue here. If I'm wrong, then I apologize.

I think $10k for a random accidental celebrity to speak at a college is nuts. This is a not-for-profit institution of higher learning. That's simply not the right way to spend budget funds.

Whether that was the primary motive for the protest, I don't know. Of course, one also could play the "was it over who her mother is?" question both ways. If her mother wasn't Sarah Palin, there's no way she would have been offered $10k to speak about abstinence in the first instance.

[GwynnInTheHall]

would they give an ex junkie 10K to speak on the merits of not doing drugs? Probably not.

[nots]

I think $10k for a random accidental celebrity to speak at a college is nuts. This is a not-for-profit institution of higher learning. That's simply not the right way to spend budget funds.

Whether that was the primary motive for the protest, I don't know. Of course, one also could play the "was it over who her mother is?" question both ways. If her mother wasn't Sarah Palin, there's no way she would have been offered $10k to speak about abstinence in the first instance.

Well, there's one thing I'm sure of: with one of the highest tuitions in the country and a massive endowment lil' ole not-for-profit Washington University can afford the 10K rounding error, lol.

[B-Fly]

Well, there's one thing I'm sure of: with one of the highest tuitions in the country and a massive endowment lil' ole not-for-profit Washington University can afford the 10K rounding error, lol.

Give it as a scholarship to a student who was a pregnant teen.

[nots]

would they give an ex junkie 10K to speak on the merits of not doing drugs? Probably not.

I'm not sure it's fair to equate an unplanned pregnancy to drug use. My college recently had a symposium on drunk driving where the speaker had killed his girlfriend and then spent 5 years or so in prison---it was very powerful.