Americans have a problem educating young people about sex. The US has some of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the industrialized world, and young people are four times more likely to have chlamydia or gonorrhea than the rest of the population.

Past administrations have increased funding for abstinence-only sex education, but these programs have been proven ineffective at lowering teen pregnancy and STD rates. The Obama administration recently provided funding for evidence-based comprehensive sex education (as well as funding for abstinence-only education).

Comprehensive sex education does not teach teens that they should have sex, contrary to popular belief. It teaches that abstinence is the best and only fool-proof option for preventing pregnancy and STDs, but also educates young people on how to protect themselves if they do choose to have sex. It is the difference between giving teens all the information available, or just a portion of it.

In St. Louis, the teen birth rate is higher than the state and national average. Teen mothers are more likely to drop out of high school, hold low paying jobs, and live in poverty.

State and local officials need to take advantage of funding for comprehensive sex education and must stop withholding information from teens-information that could significantly impact their lives.

Bethany Lord

St. Louis