The teen birth rate has hit a record low

Fewer high school students are having sex these days, and more are using condoms. The teen birth rate has hit a record low. read more Digg story

Though you will probably read claims in the next few days that this proves that "abstinence-only" programs work. Certainly common sense would tell you that isn't true since "abstinence-only" programs are completely ineffective but moreover the decreases are from 1991 so no conclusions can be drawn. The release of this data should be seen as an accomplishment to whomever does deserve credit. Teen pregnancy is arguably one of the primary roots of poverty and the further the rate declines the greater number of young women there will be whose lives are not destroyed by unexpected pregnancy during their teenage years. Those who prefer to cast a blind eye to this problem and poverty in general should at least cheer in knowing that reduced teen pregnancies mean reduced government expenditures on social welfare.

The idea that teens are using more condoms will likely make Evangelicals shudder. The "abstinence-only" camp unfortunately will always to subscribe to the unrealistic idea that teen can be taught that the only safe option is to never have sex before giving those "sacred vows". As studies have shown this is actually more dangerous as teens will have no knowledge of how to practice safe sex and will inevitably end up having sex anyway- multitudes of times before they ever get married. So much for getting free tickets to "My First Time."