Blog Anaylsis – Grade Inflation

Blog Link: http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2010/03/grade-inflation.html

Title: Grade Inflation: Mean GPA Rises .1 Per Decade (From 2.5 in 1950s to 3.1 in 2000s) Excerpt from Author Stuart Rojstaczer’s related blog entry

Author:  Stuart Rojstaczer

The general layout of the blog is professional and simplistic. There are only two primary colors – black and purple, arranged in such as way that the content doesn’t feel too cluttered. The site is easy for new users to navigate, branching off to related topics and issues. Though the blog is edited and operated by different people, their reputation gives credibility to both the site and its contents. The author of the blog included at that link offers some direct feedback on the issue.

The link to TafProf Blog isn’t centered on grade inflation but features the statements of Stuart Rojtaczer, owner of http://www.gradeinflation.com. He offers a glimpse into the climbing trend of grades throughout the past decades. Not only does he make the climb that the average GPA has been climbing steadily and he offers several links to support this assertion, which within themselves are valuable resources when considering the issue. The sources are also reputable, relying on the perspective of professors and deans to debate the issue.

When questioned about the blog he operates and its role in the greater issue, Stuart Rojtaczer was able to give some direct feedback on his affiliation with grade inflation. Though most of his work is part of the public forum, his personal blog isn’t as well known as that of the policy he is working with. Not all of his posts are concerned with grade inflation, allowing for a broader span of topics to be displayed on his personal blog. As his life is more varied and would confront him with a large scope of issues, his blog reflects that. Started as a personal journal that eventually grew into a public digital record, his blog is still very much his own, despite a constant fervor for grading fairness.

In terms of his approach to the topic, he considers blog posts related to the issue more of a standing notebook. He keeps the data he’s working on handy through public blog posts, which also puts them in the public eye. There is no emphasis forcing him to go out and blog about the issue, no deadline that he’s governed by or significant secondary agenda.

This sort of loose approach to the blog in general separates his work from the strict academic journals of professional use and applies a more personable and human approach. The concept of managing the blog itself is also something Rojtaczer doesn’t concern himself with. He summarized, “I just type about 800 words as fast as I can and call it a post”. By relying on his stream of consciousness, Rojtaczer is able to preserve the thoughts in his mind as they occurred without consideration to political agenda or appropriateness.

The blog that I linked to is more of a stepping stone between resources, allowing for plenty of links to potential data as well as establishing a tone of professionalism. Having contact with the owner of gradeinflation.com is an invaluable resource for our issue, especially seeing his laid back approach to blogging. From the examples here, not every blogger need be obsessed with the issue at hand, and there is nothing wrong with a bit of variety from time to time. As Rojstaczer admits, only one out of five posts tend to relate to the grade inflation issue, despite his role as site owner. I think this blog is a useful tool for information and research with so many reputable sources attached to it. The layout is simple, but effective, maintaining the professional tone that the contributors hoped to establish.

Sex Education – Beyond the Classroom

Michelle Buhn, 19, excitedly displays the progress of her pregnancy. Due in September, she is roughly three months along.

The education system of Oregon understands that there’s a problem. As does the state and the legislature. And they’ve finally gotten together to take steps to battle teen pregnancy rates.

Michelle Buhn, 19, discovered she was pregnant two months ago. Having decided to keep her child, she’s working with the state to set up a plan for the coming months. When asked what was her biggest regret about her sexual experiences to date, she could not be clear enough on her disappointment.

“We never were taught how to put a condom on,” she reflected, thinking back on her high school years. The focus was always on “just saying no” without any consideration to the particulars of how a pregnancy might affect your body. She learned in depth about the names of STDs and their treatments, but very little about contraceptives as a whole.

“I hate being part of a statistic, I hate being looked at like I’ve done something wrong with my life.” Though the pregnancy was unplanned, Michelle doesn’t understand the harsh criticism she occasionally faces. She doesn’t consider sex something sinister, nor does she consider herself a bad person for having it.

Michelle’s story comes with a happy ending, with parents on both sides eager to meet their grandchild, albeit sooner than expected. But she still holds the school system responsible for not addressing the issue directly. The antiquated concept that “sex is bad” only inspires the already rebellious teenager to partake. With this in mind, Michelle wished her school had prepared her more thoroughly for the aftermath rather than moral prevention tactics.

The state of Oregon has put a new curriculum in place that would step away from the traditional realm of abstinence-only education and move towards one more focused on safe sex. But was there truly a problem with the original method?

Though studies scream contradictory conclusions, the statistics are difficult to argue. Teenage pregnancy is on the rise for the first time in ten years, and steps are being taken to stop the surge.

Oregon is one of the first states to use funds immediately offered for curriculum reform from the Obama administration. The change came in December of last year, mandating that schools must include STD and safe sex education in their lectures along with the overarching theme of abstinence.

Despite the outcry from conservatives, Christians especially, about the departure from the “wait until marriage” approach, most people tend to find this newly informed approach more effective. Teenagers and parents alike have expressed relief with the adoption of a diverse program.

Planned Parenthood in Oregon, in accordance with school and state programs, offer a mesmerizing series of resources for the young mother in need. Michelle has been granted insurance for herself and her child until its born, as well as food stamps to support her growing family. There are counselors, support groups, assistance programs; effort after effort to treat the problem once has occurred.

“We tend to assume it’s schools’ responsibility,” Joanna Alba adds. Joanne is the administrator of the 3Rs program (Rights. Respect. Responsibility.) with the Eugene Planned Parenthood office. She outlines the countless other access points that teenagers have at their disposal while searching for accurate information on sexual health.

“Why not bring young people to the table to ask what works for them?” Joanne points out, commenting on the foundation of most sexual health programs. Though there are various parties interested in the promotion of safe practices, and the prevention of teenage pregnancy, the most valuable perception is the one of teenagers themselves. The primary aspect of her work is making sex more accessible and comfortable to discuss.

It is legal in Oregon for a minor to receive both contraceptives and/or an abortion without any parental consent. A policy that changes state to state, this freedom is another piece of the Oregon legislation’s battle plan. When compared with states with parentally mandated methods, teens are more likely to seek help when they’re legally permitted to avoid their parents’ scrutiny. By keeping information flowing about these options, Oregon hopes to prevent more pregnancies than organize family plans, though there’s no lack of options for that course either.

Eric Nepom teaches on a high school and college level, and finds that the youth have a lack of options within society. In agreement with Joanne’s point, he feels that a social change must happen making conversations about sex more socially acceptable.

“There’s a social overhang that kind of says there’s nowhere I can go to talk about it,” he concludes, considering the options available. The fear of confronting the issue usually hinders teenagers from getting the information and help they need.

Despite the variance of options, there are some complications along the way. Adoption, abortion, or childrearing each come with a separate set of physical and emotional consequences. Though the system is built to support those in need, the amount of documentation and safety checks can do more harm than help. When comparing the process of securing a child through adoption against terminating one via abortion, it’s puzzling how many more hoops exist in the former case.

While most teenagers tend to operate between the two extremes – abortion or family – adoption is still a very valid choice. There are some considerable cons however such as the pregnant mother carrying the child to term, and the in-depth process for prospective parents to receive the child. While foster care is a separate debate within itself, teen pregnancy rates and prevention will continue to be a direct effect on wards of the state.

Teen pregnancy is still a highly prevalent issue throughout the country, but steps are in place to slow the trend. The Oregon taxpayer contributes millions each year to programs that are constantly being revamped to work more efficiently. Awareness is there, action is being taken, and it is just a matter of spreading the word further.

But in the meanwhile, Oregon is prepared to continue waging the battle for awareness and protection.

Interviewee Profiles

Kristen Maloney

Interviewees Profiles

Michelle Buhn – Pregnant Teenager

At nineteen, work and school seemed to be the only obligations Michelle Buhn had to fulfill.

Though when she discovered she was pregnant two months ago, she had to trade in her paycheck for state sanctions. She would spend her time pouring over government forms and making sure that every detail was accurate.  The slightest mistake could deny her food stamps or health insurance. Moving between Eugene, Albany, and Sweet Home, she struggles to readjust to the change of plan.

“The system is there to be used,” she remarks, summarizing the rigorous process of getting food stamps and health insurance. Oregon granted her insurance until the child is born, after which they will cover the child until a time when she can take care of them both. However, with all this assistance is one slight catch – Michelle cannot work on her education.

While the government supports young mothers, as a trade for the financial aid they will receive, they are not permitted to log any college time. Though Michelle was fortunate enough to graduate high school last year before becoming pregnant, there are many girls who aren’t as lucky. She plans to return to college once the baby’s born, but there’s apprehension about how certain the future truly is.

Though she is excited about the September birth, she is still slightly resentful of the lack of information provided to her. School never explained safe sex methods or the physical effects of pregnancy. All she can recall is the broken record method of “just say no” and grotesque pictures of STDs. The main issue she wishes to address isn’t the easily manipulated government resources, but rather the completely ignorant school system that doesn’t prepare teenagers enough. Though there’s plenty of focus on what an STD will do to your body, there is no time given to the many side effects of pregnancy.

“They never taught me how to use a condom,” she reflected, thinking back on her high school years. There was no consideration for how to avoid pregnancy except obvious abstinence, an option seldom chosen by curious teenagers. Going to Planned Parenthood opened up an entire world of possibility, albeit too late in her case. However the social stigma surrounding the step of asking for help seems to have left her untouched, as Michelle is far from angry with her situation.

The child’s father, who chose to remain anonymous, is also excited for the upcoming addition to the family. When questioned about any wedding bells in the near future, Michelle was quick to respond with, “Not until some growing up happens.” Considering the major life event that’s on its way, there’s always a chance.

Michelle also does not fit the statistic portrayed in the media of desperate young mothers abandoned by their parents. Though slightly regretful for her age, her parents are pleased to see their family expanding. The family of the father is just as excited, especially as Michelle is living with them. A traditional Thai family, she portrays them as open and lighthearted concerning the issue. They don’t ostracize or blame her in any way.

“He didn’t know I wasn’t on birth control,” she explains, also summarizing how she feels most unplanned pregnancies occur. Young couples, especially in the excitement of a new relationship, are eager to explore sex. And in that time, they don’t tend to consider slowing down to speak responsibly about the factors involved. She assumed he knew better, he assumed she was on the pill – and in the end a child will be born.  Despite the folly of it, there’s no resentment on either side.

Though dissatisfied with the education she received, Michelle is pleased to hear of the new sex-ed curriculum enacted in Oregon. She hopes that kids are receiving the information she did not and prevent future unplanned pregnancies. Despite not being part of her plan at the moment, this child is something she already cherishes. She holds the sonogram tight, pointing eagerly at the center.

“That’s the arm, right there.”

Faith Harrison – Sex-Education Enthusiastic Mother

While trying to focus on the important moral values at home, some mothers find themselves questioning the thoroughness of their children’s lessons at school.

Faith Harrison tries to follow her son’s life carefully, but she cannot account for what he will hear in the classroom. With the tumultuous teenage years ahead, the question on most parents’ minds is: “Are they prepared?”

“Will he know how a condom works?” she wonders, explaining the difference in school programs from her own youth to his. Though she had Tyler when she was in her early twenties, she still relates to the young mothers whose lives are sidetracked by the unexpected.

Tyler turns five this year, leaving plenty of time for worry later. But that doesn’t stop Faith from concerning herself with his sex education. Being a bit of a wild child in her teenage years, she considers herself fortunate to have avoided any major trouble. Though having Tyler was a bit off the plan, she doesn’t regret it for an instant. She married her husband Jeff after becoming pregnant and they’ve been a happy family since.

When school starts touching on those tender topics related to sex, a letter is usually sent home to make the parents aware of the course being pursued. Traditionally, abstinence was the only lecture given in school and parents were satisfied with this decision. But in this day and age of varying contraceptives, teenagers must be aware of all the options. Faith is aiming to stay informed throughout his education, promising that Tyler will hear all sides of the issue, not just the popular ones.

Education reform is one of many topics the government is hoping to touch. The change of support from abstinence-only to safe sex education is a topic that every parent should be aware of. Faith finds herself pleased with the transition, but concerned why it took so long.

With the new curriculum in place, Faith is pleased to see the state taking steps to combat the issue. Moving away from abstinence-only education has been a long time coming, a change that matches our changing culture.

“Sex is everywhere now, we need a system that is just as flexible,” she says, reflecting on the new curriculum. Comprehensive sex education, or “Safe Sex Ed” focuses not only on the brutality of STDs, but the many ways to avoid them. By establishing an informative atmosphere about sex, schools are aiming to dispel social stigma and make it comfortable for everyone to ask questions fearlessly.

Faith spends a lot of time with her fellow mothers trading stories, especially of those with older children she can compare to. Seeing how the school system is affecting other boys helps her prepare any additional information she should be aware to give Tyler.

Just talking isn’t enough either. Faith constantly reads any local news concerning the school and the community in an effort to understand how it will affect her family. As Tyler grows and begins to define himself in the world, she wants to be fully aware of the state of things.

“I’m glad to finally see my taxes put to good use,” Faith remarks, expressing her frustration with the waste of money poured into abstinence. With the endless amount of programs the state offers to support a variety of issues, it’s impressive to her to see something worthwhile done for the youth. Unplanned pregnancy not only costs more money in the long run than a few condoms, but the social pressures on young parents are permanent.

Faith considers herself lucky to have settled down peacefully with her husband Jeff and never having had to rely on any sort of state aid in her case. There is an obvious sympathy there for the thousands of girls each year who are not as fortunate. Changing things in the classroom gives hope that these girls will not carry on to become statistics.

Though laughable to some that she would be concerned with her son’s sex education so early on, she just considers it part of being prepared. Being a mother comes with endless bumps on the road, though preparing for them is half the battle.

She’s also prepared her lectures on drug and alcohol use for those teen years.

Week 6 Write Up

Abstinence-only prevention has been proven effective – in theory.
In a study with minimal details listed about its funding or hypothesis, the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine have published the findings of comparison research. When tested amongst groups of low-income African-American students, it was proven that abstinence-only education can be effective versus safe sex methods.
The findings are hugely controversial however, as both federal and state budgets shy away from grants based on the old abstinence model. President Obama recently redirected sex-education funds into a broader curriculum, which Oregon has recently adopted.
Though there are supporters on both sides of the debate, it’s impossible to say how conclusive this research is off immediately. There are still a large number of variables to consider and it has not been repeated with the same results yet.
With teen pregnancy on the rise for the first time in a decade, the change of public opinion about prevention as seen through these articles is relevant to how communities hope to battle the epidemic before it spread.

Sources:
Oregon Faith Report. “Major study on abstinence shows it works”.  2010. Feb 4. <http://oregonfaithreport.com/2010/02/major-study-on-abstinence-shows-it-works/&gt;.

The Seattle Times. “Abstinence-only study shouldn’t sidetrack broader sex education”. 2010. Feb 11. <http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2011049875_edit12sexed.html&gt;

Source Writeup

Timeline: Should Statement

Source Write-up

Topic: Mandated Parental Consent for Minors to Receive Contraceptive

Category: Academic funded Institutionally

Title: Confidential Reproductive Health Services for Minors: The Potential Impact of Mandated Parental Involvement for Contraception

Rachel K Jones, Heather Boonstra

Perspective on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Vol. 36, No. 5 pp. 182-191

Published 2004

http://www.jstor.org/pss/1520223

Source Summary:

Advocates for Parental Involvement – such as the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and Concerned Women for America

American Medical Association

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Society for Adolescent Medicine

The source recaps a study that questions whether parental involvement should be necessary for teenagers to get contraceptives. The results of the research conclude that teen pregnancy will increase if laws mandated parental involvement since teenagers would be less likely to speak with their parents about the issue. Several reputable medical associations have agreed that these resources should be available, while conservative and/or religious groups lean on increased parental involvement and a focus on family values.

Source Analysis:

The funding for this study was provided by the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit organization that specializes in the advancement of sexual and reproductive health research through science and debate. Initially founded in 1968 as the Center for Family Planning Program Development at the urging of Presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon, they specialize in raising public awareness on sexual health. The Institute itself has a budget of $12 million annually, provided by donations and occasional grants that they use to research sexual education. The information is then considered when new political policies are written that based on the findings. They generate some revenue from the sale of peer-review journals, such as the source in question.

Usefulness:

This source disproves the commonly held belief that the cure to every child’s problems is increased parental involvement. The document was created to argue against proposed legislation that would make gaining contraceptives impossible for teenagers. Though some states already have this measure in place, the research is hoping to prevent the adoption of this plan on a federal scale. The audience being addressed is comprised of peers and policy makers, however the language is easy enough to follow. The argument put forth is that more parental involvement may distance families and lead to more teen pregnancies; teenagers would struggle to find contraceptives. However, the conclusion and theories asserted here are not backed up by statistical certainty, so there is no way to say for certain that this is the only possible outcome of the proposed legislation.

Works Cited:

Confidential Reproductive Health Services for Minors: The Potential Impact of Mandated Parental Involvement for Contraception. Rachel K. Jones and Heather Boonstra. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Vol. 36, No. 5 (Sep. – Oct., 2004), pp. 182-191. Guttmacher Institute. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/1520223&gt;.

The Guttmacher Institute History. <http://www.guttmacher.org/about/history.html&gt;.

FactCheckEd.org. <http://www.factchecked.org/SFTS_PolicyWonksDetails.aspx?myId=34&gt;.

———————————————————————————————————-

Topic: Teen Pregnancy

Category: Government Institution Publication & Government Website

Title: Oregon Teen Pregnancy Prevention Action Agenda: Curriculum Guide

Oregon Governor’s Task Force on Skills for Life and Responsible Sexuality Education

Salem, Oregon 2000

Published by the State of Oregon

http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/children/teens/tpp/taskforce.shtml

Accessed: February 5^th, 2010

*note: No changes since previous visits at start of project in early January and most of the material posted dates as far back as 2003.

Source Summary:

Belit Stockfleth – State worker assigned to teen parent cases

Sandra Harms – Abstinence program contact

Bill Baney – Co Chair of OTPTF (Oregon Teen Pregnancy Task Force)

Ely Sanders – Co Chair of OTPTF

AmeriCorp

Funded by the state as a way to promote youth involvement in sex education. The document outlines the projected curriculum for sexual education to be taught in the Oregon school system. These sources as a whole offer a direct representation of the State stand on the issue and how they are hoping to combat it. The State issued employee will be able to explain all the options taken into consider for each case and how they are handled on a timely basis. The Abstinence program will provide a more centered approach on a method that has seen severe criticism for its failure in recent years. AmeriCorp is a series of volunteers who are not State mandated and are free of political red tape, but may have their options limited by their volunteer element.

Source Analysis:

Though the title of the document veers away from the “abstinence-only” approach that some Christian groups support, the lack of updates to the curriculum since 2000 are unsettling. Facts about sexually transmitted diseases have changed drastically in the past decade, as well as prevention techniques. These options should be considered in a more recent teaching outline. The Oregon government site deals with a selection of issues that effect the general welfare of the people. Alcohol/drug addiction, domestic abuse, and teen pregnancy are all subjects that services exist to assist with. The direct government voice gives the absolute rule on how the legislature views the issue as well as treats it. With the data and publication information also made available on the page, it’s easy to see if the plans in place are a success or failure. Since these programs are government funded, most likely publically through tax dollars, they feel the need to allow the information on their progress/failure to be obvious. There is public access to the site for the people of Oregon to compare if how their state ranks amongst others.

Usefulness:

This demonstrates the tools provided to educators and children to combat the issue of teen pregnancy. It also proves the government’s lack of commitment to the ongoing issue with the continued use of outdated information. The costs listed on the government site illustrate for the taxpayer the growing costs on the general population when teen pregnancy rises. Seeing the official facts on the issue make the truth easier to dissect with less of a vested interest involved in the State’s official report. The posted statistics here are three years old however, leading the viewer to wonder how concerned the government truly is with the issue.  There is information lacking about what techniques seem to be help or hurt the rate, with most of the Blueprint for Success also being outdated by several years.

Works Cited

Oregon.gov. <http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/children/teens/tpp/taskforce.shtml&gt;.

AmeriCorp. <AmeriCorp.gov>

Caplan, Arthur. “Abstinence-Only Ed Defies Common Sense”. MSNBC. 2005 Oct 13. <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9504871/&gt;.

The National Campaign. <http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/state-data/state-comparisons.asp?id=3&sID=19&gt;.

———————————————————————————————————-

Topic: The Effect of Sexual Abuse on Teen Pregnancy

Category: Academic/Journalistic

Title: The Relationship of Childhood Sexual Abuse to Teenage Pregnancy

Mark W Roosa, Jenn-Yun Tein, Cindy Reinholtz, Patricia Jo Angelini

Journal of Marriage and Family [0022-2445]

Published by the National Council of Family Relations

1997 Volume 59 Issue 1 pages 119-130

Source Summary:

Mark W Roosa – Arizona State University

Jenn-Yun Tein – Arizona State University Program for Prevention Research

Cindy Reinholtz – Arizona Family Planning Council

Patricia Jo Angelini – Arizona Family Planning Council

The source refers to older statistics collected by the Guttmacher Institute in its analysis. The voices heard here are representative of the educational standpoint of possible causes of teen pregnancy as well as those interested in working with the issue hands on. They work together by contrasting the factual evidence with that of possible emotional explanations. Teenagers who were sexually abused as children may have emotional repercussions as adults that could lead to pregnancy.

Source Analysis:

The research project was funded by the National Council of Family Relations. The Council was founded in 1938 as place for educators to discuss family relationships and promote general well being. The Council is not government funded or controlled, working with professionals to “focused solely on research, practice and education”. Through conferences and journals, they are able to discuss quality of life at length as well as research effective practices for family use. The material is intended for use by other professionals to use or disprove, creating continuous discussion topics.

Usefulness:

The source seeks to do something that most others neglect to consider – discover a cause of at-risk teenagers. Instead of working against pregnancy, or coping with the life decisions involved with having a child, this article is trying to find a potential red flag amongst young girls. The research offers a collection of possible explanations for why abused girls are more likely to become pregnant at a young age, thought their conclusions also left some room for error. It was proven that sexual abuse alone is not a concrete enough factor. Family influence, socioeconomic background, and school performance were among a few other factors that altered the statistics. Childhood abuse does not definitively lead to unplanned pregnancy at a young age, but it does raise the odds for such an event.

Works Cited:

Roosa, Mark, Jenn-Yun Tein, Cindy Reinholtz, and Patricia Jo Angelini. “The Relationship of Childhood Sexual Abuse to Teenage Pregnancy.” , 59.1 (1997): 119-130.

Razoo.com. National Council of Family Relations Summary. <http://www.razoo.com/story/National-Council-On-Family-Relations-14&gt;.

National Council of Family Relations. <http://www.ncfr.org/&gt;.

———————————————————————————————————-

Topic: Pregnancy Date Decrease

Category: Journalistic

Title: Pregnancy rate plunges among county’s teens

Meghan Walsh

The World – December 30^th, 2009

Source Summary:

Frances Smith – Coos County Public Health Administrator

Randy Robinson – lone supporter of giving contraceptives out in school

The County Health Administrator gives the reader his official rendition of what he believes has led to the decrease in teen pregnancy lately. The primary point – the ready availability of contraceptives – is something that Randy Robinson agrees on. Robinson represents the school board as a regular member aiming to do what’s best for the community. The article gives detailed statistics about the Coos County rate, how much it’s dropped by and since when. It also highlights the increased use of condoms are the main point responsible for the decrease, in contrast to other sources that offer opposing concepts.

Source Analysis:

The article was written to raise local awareness about the successful efforts of the county in lowering teen pregnancy. In condoms more available, Coos County cut their pregnancy numbers in half, without any special curriculum or parenting lectures. Condoms are available at certain high schools in the county, with district and local approval, though the article does not specify whether the cost is taken from the school or county health budget. The journalist it trying to highlight the success with such a tiny effort of the locals, a plan that if put to proper use, could have widespread results. The public is intended to see these results and support the steps taken by the county to ensure a continued decrease.

Usefulness:

The article proves that there are many different ways to battle teen pregnancy. Most sources focus on the information angle and talking to children, but the importance of contraceptive availability is not addressed. In some states, it’s not legal for minors to purchase or receive contraceptives in any way. Coos County’s focus on this point, and its success, should serve as a shining example for other locations battling the same issue. Since the article was published in a public newspaper, it reaches everybody and allows them to understand the status of the problem and possible ways to help. The article does neglect to mention exactly how many schools offer condoms on the premises and how many do not.

Works Cited:

http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2009/12/30/news/doc4b3ba3425fb77878029264.txt

Sex Etc in Oregon. http://www.sexetc.org/state/OR/#ed&gt;.

———————————————————————————————————-

Topic: Comprehensive Sex Education Bill

Category: Institution Website

Title: Oregon Passes Comprehensive Sex Education Bill

Source Summary:

Governor Ted Kulongoski – Advocate on the New 3Rs

Mary Gossart – Vice President of Education for Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon

Approved by the Oregon Board of Education 12-4-2009

The small blurb details that the new legislation has reworked the health education curriculum to have a stronger focus on sex education. The Oregon Administrative Rule details that sex education, though still holding a strong abstinence focus, will not neglect to mention the importance of contraceptives. The Rule continues on to outline mandates on sexual contact, orientation, and diseases that will be discussed. Governor Kulongoski signed the Bill in June, a huge step from the official side. Planned Parenthood is directly involved with unplanned pregnancy; their statement of approval gives the importance of this decision weight.

Source Analysis:

The new approved curriculum has been made mandatory by the government, so they will fund its implementation. The source gives detailed information on exactly what Oregon schools must be teaching teenagers in terms of sex education and disease prevention. The importance of abstinence starts to fade away as a stronger focus on facts is seen in the outline. This plan is developed for educators to work from, giving them the guidelines they will need to rework their teaching schedule. Parents should be interested in this curriculum as well, since they retain the power to remove their child if they do not agree with these terms. As a public decision, everyone has access to it.

Usefulness:

This document was created as the state’s way of attacking the growing teen pregnancy issue. Despite the information on the government website from 2003, this shows that the issue is still in their minds and they are willing to take steps to combat it. As the legislature was just passed in December, the changes that it has made in schools will begin this year. The audience of educators and counselors are being made aware of the important items the state considers relevant in sex education, carefully detailing each point. By making specific sections to discuss sexual orientation and disease, this new curriculum will serve a much broader spectrum of health topics that teenagers should be aware. The new Rule does not explain in detail when this will be implemented entirely, or if it’s being put into effect one district at a time to test its success. This source provides a framework for the future of sex education in the Oregon school system.

Works Cited:

Graves, Bill. “Oregon Senate Passes Sex Education Bill”. The Oregonian. 2009 May 19. <http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1242692708185370.xml&coll=7&gt;.

SIECUS. <http://www.siecus.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Feature.showFeature&featureID=1774&gt;.

The 3Rs<http://www.new3rs.info/index.php?p=diff_policy_success&gt;.

The 3Rs<http://www.new3rs.info/index.php?p=diff_educators_statute&gt;.

———————————————————————————————————-

Topic: History of Teen Pregnancy Policy

Category: Academic

Title: Teen Pregnancy: An Historical Legislative Analysis

Victoria Perez

Student Publication of the Syracuse University Writing Program

Published 2002

Source Summary:

The source does not list any players by name but follows the history of legislative attempts to battle the teen pregnancy epidemic. Everything is arranged chronologically, with a clear explanation of the proposed change and whether or not it passed. The majority of the Acts or Bills offered here failed, a demonstration of the constant debate that has occurred over the issue over the course of the last 30 years.

Source Analysis:

As a student piece, there is no government or institutional funding directly reflecting an agenda on the piece. Before starting her timeline, the writer explains her passion about the ongoing battle and a general disappointment in the lack of government concern she discovered in her research. The project was intended for her professor’s eyes, but through my own research of the historical aspects of teen pregnancy this was one of the more relevant examples. Since the project is posted on the Internet the public has full access to the document without editing. There are careful citations at the end to track where every step came from to understand the proposals in greater depth if necessary.

Usefulness:

This document creates a timeline for when the government felt it needed to intervene in the teen pregnancy epidemic and the steps it took. Most of the proposals did not gain enough support and failed, despite the possible promise of success hidden in the words. The final entry on the timeline, posted 2001 referring to the failed attempt to pass the Family Life Education Act is ironic as the previous source just put into place the very educational policies that the Act could not pass. Though many of these proposals failed on a national level, several have been incorporated into state rulings and have found life. This document serves as a drawing board of ideas that would eventually change the pace of the debate. Since this document is several years old, it does not contain more recent and relevant information concerning teen pregnancy prevention or options.

Works Cited:

Perez, Victoria. “Teen Pregnancy: A Historical Legislative Analysis”. 2002. <http://wrt-intertext.syr.edu/X/perez.html&gt;.

London, Kathleen. “The History of Birth Control”. <http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1982/6/82.06.03.x.html&gt;.

Vinoskis, Maris. “Historical perspectives on adolescent pregnancy and education in the United States”. History of the Family Volume 8 Issue 3. 2003. <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6W4H-49KGJ19-6&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2003&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1205339663&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=c5118a0387daf03533db2113a82da3bf&gt;.

———————————————————————————————————-

Topic: Teen Pregnancy in the 1970s

Category: Academic/Journalistic

Title: Adolescent Parents: A Special Case of the Unplanned Family

John A Bruce

Family Coordinator Volume 27, No. 1 pages 75-78

Published by the National Council on Family Relations 1978

Source Summary:

The source discusses the rise in teen pregnancy as an issue and the effects it is having on the culture as a whole. Girls dropping out of school to birth their first or second children before the age of nineteen is realized to be surprisingly common. There is also mention of a failure of technology in reference to contraceptives and abortion, finding neither option truly successful in terms of lowering the pregnancy rate due to their inconvenience.

Source Analysis:

The source serves as a benchmark to measure how far we’ve come in the 30+ years since teen pregnancy prevention became a serious issue. There is no mention in this piece of either the parent’s failure or the education system’s. There is minimal focus on the danger of STDs – which at the time such a fear did not exist. Instead, the writer focuses on the dark aftermath of these births, the neglected children parented by unprepared teenagers. Contraceptives are portrayed as bothersome and unnecessary, something that could help, but why bother? The project was funded by the National Council on Family Relations thus the points raised also echo those of the government at the time. The primary failure of the youth is their lack of foresight; the inability to plan for the future is what has left them stranded as another statistic. Being a peer-reviewed document, the main focus was to debate the issue with other educated individual in the field, but the journal only manages to come off as idealistic and empty. However, the information available at the time was severely limited in comparison to the present, and these few pages demonstrate that.

Usefulness:

Though the facts and arguments here are plainly out of date, they allow us to understand the process that has been undertaken in the past. These misconceptions and generalizations have been abandoned long ago for the facts and proof we have today about sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy factors. The blame is no longer on the children for their lack of foresight, but rather on their parents or school for their lack of informative harassment. This document was initially created as a way to rational a seemingly irrational conflict. Now it served as a distance reminder, a tribute to all the efforts of tireless volunteers and legislatures who have paved the way for healthier standards. Information that is missing is not done so intentionally, but out of ignorance at the time.

Works Cited:

Bruce, John. “Adolescent Parents: A Special Case of the Unplanned Family.” Family Coordinator, 27.1 (1978): 75-78.

Lachance, Laurie L. ERIC Clearinghouse on Counseling and Personnel Services Ann Arbor MI. 1985. <http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-923/pregnancy.htm&gt;.

Luker, Kristin. “Dubious Conceptions: The Controversy of Teen Pregnancy”. 1991 March 19. <http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=dubious_conceptions_the_controversy_over_teen_pregnancy&gt;.

———————————————————————————————————-

Topic: A Comparison of Sex Education in Schools Throughout the Country

Category: Academic funded Institutionally

Title: Factors Associated with the Content of Sex Education in U.S. Public Secondary Schools

David J Landry, Jacqueline E Darroch, Susheela Singh, Jenny Higgins

Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Vol. 35, No. 6 pp. 261-269

Published 2003

Source Summary:

David J Landry – Senior Research Associate at the Alan Guttmacher Institute

Jacqueline E Darroch – Senior Vice President, Senior Vice President for Science at the Alan Guttmacher Institute

Susheela Singh – Director of Research at the Alan Guttmacher Institute

Jenny Higgins – Research Intern at the Alan Guttmacher Institute

The story contrasts different sex education curriculum throughout the country. There are a distinct break between the styles that focus on abstinence-only education, and contraceptive positive techniques. Cultural and social backgrounds of the surveyed areas have a huge effect on the way sex education is taught. The journal also explains how these variations in teaching methods may have an impact on the pregnancy rate of the region.

Source Analysis:

The funding for the study was provided by the Guttmacher Institute, which published it in their journal series. Less politically motivated as some of their other entries, this one has a square focus on educational reform. Several interested parties teamed up to collaborate on this research, though Guttmacher published the final conclusions. The result proves a split in culture across the country, which has a profound effect on the education system and subsequent sexual practices of its youth. The journal is trying to prove the effectiveness of a uniform technique that would unify the sex education system and leave nothing to uncertainty. As this data is from 1996, recent comparisons would be more telling as many states have adopted the approach proposed here of a more contraceptive friendly system.

Usefulness:

This article gives more explanation to the possible reasons for teen pregnancy trends across the country. With varying sex education lessons, some girls are not learning how to use a condom, or are being lectured about their failure. Oregon has just signed a new curriculum into law, but that it not the case across the country. The data collected here helps paint a vivid picture of the culture differences across the country, specifically the South against the Northeast. A strong family structure, possibly with religious roots, holds the Southern course to a more rigid abstinent standard than its Northern counterpart. Though the direction is aimed for educators or those responsible for educational reform, as with the majority of the Guttmacher publications, they are understandable and relevant to everyone.

Works Cited:

Landry, David, Jacqueline Darroch, Susheela Singh, and Jenny Higgins. “Factors Associated with the Content of Sex Education in U.S. Public Secondary Schools.” , 35.6 (2003): 261-269.

Avert.org. <http://www.avert.org/sex-education.htm&gt;.

Hartmann, Margaret. “Comprehensive Sex-Ed Versus Abstinence-only Programs: A Comparison.” 2009 June 24. Jezebel.com. <http://jezebel.com/5302133/comprehensive-sex-ed-versus-abstinence+only-programs–a-comparison&gt;.

———————————————————————————————————-

Topic: Decreased Teen Pregnancy through Parental Involvement

Category: Academic

Title: The Effects of Parental Involvement Laws and the AIDS Epidemic on the Pregnancy and Abortion Rates of Minors

Nancy Altman-Palm, Carol Horton Tremblay

Social Science Quarterly (University of Texas Press)

December 1998 Volume 79 Issue 4 pp. 846-862

Source Summary:

Nancy Altman-Palm – Oregon State University

Carol Horton Tremblay – Oregon State University

The source sums up a body of research complete with charts and mathematical equations to prove a decrease in teen pregnancy as a result of parental involvement laws and the AIDS epidemic. There was minimal margin of error for teenagers who crossed state lines to get abortions that their own states would not permit. The research concludes that the riskier sex becomes, the less likely teenagers are to experiment with it.

Source Analysis:

The information is arranged for peers in the field to sort through and understand – the mathematical forms are not meant for the layman. However the point they are expressing makes logical sense – the more danger involved, the less takers. In states where minors cannot receive contraceptives or abortions legally without parental involvement, pregnancy rates decrease. Teenagers would rather abstain from sex or find more careful loopholes than discuss their activities with their parents. AIDS is a legitimate concern for sexually active persons of all ages, though it’s a factor that reckless youth is quick to forget on occasion. The University of Texas funded the project for academic purposes and to be debated or refuted amongst the educational sphere.

Usefulness:

This information is useful as an interesting counterpoint to my previous source that found parental involvement a less vital factor in teen pregnancy. However, the specifics of this document include abortion, which the other source did not. The document was created as a means to explain possible trends that lead to declines so that those patterns could be implemented to keep rates low. The argument being put forward here is the more dangerous sex is portrayed to teenagers, the less likely they are to gamble with their lives. The embarrassment of discussing sex with parents is usually what prevents minors from getting contraceptive in parental involvement states, but if abortion is illegal as well they can’t even gamble with unsafe sex with that as a backup plan. The document doesn’t list which states are parental involvement and which are not, so it is difficult to understand exactly how many states fit this demographic.

Works Cited:

Altman-Palm, Nancy, Carol Horton Tremblay, and Carol Horton Tremblay. “The Effects of Parental Involvement Laws and the AIDS Epidemic on the Pregnancy and Abortion Rates of Minors.” Social Science Quarterly (University of Texas Press), 79.4 (1998): 846-862.

Turnbull, Triece; Van Wersch, Anna; Van Schaik, Paul. “A review of parental involvement in sex education: The role for effective communication in British families”. Health Education Journal Volume 67 Number 3. 2008. <http://hej.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/67/3/182&gt;.

Smith, Peter J. “Study: Religiosity and Parental Involvement in Sex-Ed Protect Youth from Risky Behaviors”. 2009 Sept 30. LifeSiteNews.com. <http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/sep/09093001.html&gt;.

———————————————————————————————————-

Topic: Economic and Social Cost of Teen Pregnancy

Category: Journalistic

Title: Kids Having Kids: Economic Costs & Social Consequences of Teen Pregnancy

Saul Hoffman, Rebecca Maynard

Washington DC: Urban Institute Press

Published 2008

Source Summary:

Examines not only the concept of teen pregnancy and prevention, but also the costs on the community from an economic and social standpoint. Also considers the strain of raising a family on the teenage parents, and the possible negative connotations that the children involved would face.

Source Analysis:

No government or private institution funded the project so as a private venture the author can set the pace. Originally published by Rebecca Maynard in 1997 with the same title, but the latest version includes new content. The statistics have been updated through 2002, with soft focuses on issues discussed in all my other sources. How effective are current prevention techniques, what effect on children raised by teenage parents carries on, and sexuality activity trends are all included in the book. With the wide variety of subtopics considered in the book, the audience is broader than the educational resources previously discussed.

Usefulness:

The content included in the book touches on every element of the overall topic of teen pregnancy. The costs, the emotional and physical risks, and the prevention theories being discussed are all mentioned as smaller parts of the larger issue. The book extends on previous research and adds more recent statistics.

Works Cited:

Hoffman, Saul, ed. , and Rebecca Maynard. Kids Having Kids: Economic Costs & Social Consequences of Teen Pregnancy. Washington, D.C: Urban Institute Press, 2008.

Smart Teens/Healthy Decisions Coalition. <http://smartteens.cfsites.org/custom.php?pageid=15906&gt;.

Caldas, Stephen J. “Teen Pregnancy: Why it remains a serious social, economic, and education problem in the US”. Phi Delta Kappan Volume 75. 1994. <http://www.questia.co/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=L2hQYxQNrKtbxWh4TvKQz2vlnzlzDLmJjm3ZhJjZRGSrvLj62LyH!-562124216!-129032011?docId=5000177804&gt;.

———————————————————————————————————-

Three Students work on their project amidst a mostly empty Lillis Building.

Timeline

There should be a law that forces sex education to be more informative and less focused on abstinence when trying to fight teenage pregnancy, putting the tax payer’s dollar to better use.

TIMELINE

1904 – G. Stanley Hall writes Adolescence: Its Psychology and Its Relations to Physiology, Anthropology, Sociology, Sex, Crime, Religion, and Education. Within it he concludes that, “Adolescents were too immature, both physically and psychologically, to engage in sexual intercourse or become parents”.

1970s – Teen pregnancy finds its way to the public eye as pregnancy rates reach an all time high, setting off a series of attempts at legal reform, most of which would never pass.

1970 – Family Planning and Population Research Act is passed. States are granted funds to allow for family planning services.

1981 – Adolescent Family Life Demonstration Projects are signed into law. Grants are established to research and prevent teen pregnancy by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The state funds were prohibited from abortion use.

1985 – Comprehensive Adolescent Pregnancy Program Amendments allows for the provision of contraception, though they did not receive enough support and were not passed.

1985 – Amend Title IV of the Social Security Act: prevented teen parents dependency on AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children), also could not garner enough support and did not pass.

1987 – School Based Adolescent Health Act of 1987: Schools are offered grants to provide health education dealing with sexually transmitted disease, pregnancy, and family planning, though the bill failed to be passed.

1991 – Family Unity and Parental Notification Act does not pass, which would have forced agencies wishing to maintain grants to notify the parents of minors 48 hours before performing an abortion. It is still legal in many states for minors to receive abortions without parental consent.

1996 – Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996: prohibited need to teenage parents who did not complete high school

2001 – Family Life Education Act fails to pass, which would have mandated that the State stress abstinence while also providing information on contraceptives.

2009 – December 9^th, The World reports that Coos County’s teen pregnancy rate has been cute in half in recent years.

5 Links

http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/children/teens/tpp/

This is the direct Oregon state government page that answers relating to teen pregnancy, including statistics and prevention. There are also contacts and a list of publications available for those wishing for more information. It’s the strict, professional government approach to the issue.

http://www.lifecall.org/cpc/or.html

Lifecall.org is a list of pregnancy crisis centers listed specifically by state. This resource allows for contact with all the centers locally that specialize in crisis situations, most of which will be through teenage mothers. Though there isn’t anything substantial here such as testimonials, the list itself will provide access to countless primary interview sources.

http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2009/12/30/news/doc4b3ba3425fb77878029264.txt

This article about the decline of teen pregnancy in Coos County proves the continued interest of the local media of the issue. They also cite the rates of other local counties and provide percentages from recent years, giving a much more specific picture of the issue as it stands.

http://www.oslc.org/home.html

The Oregon Social Learning Center is striving to make critical observations of the family structure in various settings using both stable and delinquent members. Their work would deal with single mothers as well as young mothers in their studies.

http://www.new3rs.info/index.php?p=diff_policy_success

The 3 Rs is a site specifically in place to affect policy and encourage action from the community using government information. The site is approachable for anyone to jump in and support the cause with comprehensive information on progress already being made in more effective sex education.

The links listed above will help me start making human connections with the issue. Crisis centers specifically aim to spread awareness while serving the community; giving young mothers a voice may help others in a similar situation. By being involved with the support networks I can understand the struggle and how much the state is doing to help.

Some of the resources above are agencies primarily just collect the facts. The vast majority of young mothers are simply trying to get by, which is what counselors and crisis centers would specialize in. As most of these establishments are public operated, they are tied to the budget of the taxpayer and the whim of the voter. I aim to use my research information to see how much money is being put into this system, how effective it is, and if there are any way to make potential improvements.

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!

NOAA Proposes Habitat Protection for Sea Turtles

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_14126702

The article is describing the proposition put forth by NOAA to protect the best feeding/migration areas for leatherback sea turtles. The area covered by their petition is 70,600 square miles, stretching from the coasts of Washington to California. However the development of this conservation effort would do damage to the commercial fishing industries working around previously established policies to protect other species. The leatherback sea turtles are the largest reptiles in the world and fall under protection from the Endangered Species Act.

For more information on the Leatherback Sea Turtle:

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/leatherback.htm#documents

New Post

www.wordpress.com