| Description |
In the current economic climate, reducing poverty and the number of persons on public assistance is a paramount issue. There are millions of Americans who are impoverished and whose children are likely to stay that way. Teenage motherhood is a huge risk factor for women and their families for entering into poverty. Teen births cost the public $86 million a year in Utah alone. By reducing the number of adolescents who become pregnant, health care, welfare, and education costs would decrease while tax revenue and education completion rates would increase. This paper analyzes the relationships between teenage pregnancies and poverty. There is a profile of women in poverty in both the United States and Utah, focusing on female-headed households and children. Second, an analysis of the current sex education system on the national and state levels will provided insight into the gap of what teenagers learn in school and what they do not. Thirdly, the causes and consequences of teenage pregnancies are scrutinized. Finally, recommendations are made for the sex education system to increase knowledge and decrease risk factors of teen births. There are also proposals for how to help the students, parents, and the teachers increase communication and continuity in the sex education process. Reducing the amount of children born to mothers who themselves are still children in many ways would benefit society as whole. There are economic and moral incentives for decreasing teenage birth rates across the state, as well as the nation. |
