South Carolina Campaign To Prevent Teen Pregnancy

10,604 Reasons to Be Concerned!

Posted 09/16/08

Even in a “calm” year I spend a great deal of time making media appearances talking about the issue of teen pregnancy prevention. Leave it to suffice that this year - the perfect storm of teachable moments and front page stories - has left me quite busy!! From Gloucester, MA to the Governor’s office in Alaska; from Hollywood to the MTV Video Music Awards, the issue of teens and their sexuality has been at the forefront all year long. Make no mistake that Jamie Lynn Spears and Bristol Palin can literally and singlehandedly “stop the press.”

What about all of the teens in South Carolina who get pregnant in a given year, you ask? DO they stop the press too? Who is writing and talking about them? Sadly, too few people are talking about them far too oten. Fortunately the past 12 months have given us an opportunity to raise awareness of the issue of teen pregnancy - hey, take the attention however you can get it! I remember vividly one interview I did after news of Jamie Lynn’s pregnancy broke. The media personality asked me point blank “should we be concerned?”

“Should we be concerned?!” I replied. “Absolutely we should be concerned! And, here’s why…”

Read on for an expanded version of my answer from that day. Granted I didn't say all of this to the reporter - it’s hard to get everything into a 5 second sound bite you know.

WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED because 10,604 girls under the age of 20 got pregnant in South Carolina in 2006! This number represents an increase in the number of teen pregnancies in our state for the first time in the last 15 years. Our concern should not stop with an overrated pop star and a Governor’s daughter. Our concern should not be limited to who-said-what at the MTV Video Music Awards. Wake up people – while we continue to be obsessed with media darlings, thousands of young people in our state are getting pregnant each year.

WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED because we just don’t get it! As a society we just don’t comprehend the type of commitment and type of investment that it will take to protect our state’s most valuable resource – young people. Consider this… today I was at the statehouse with 70 other adults (I’m not counting the 30 or so precious elementary students who were there) to celebrate “Step Up for Kids Day.” This is an event held once each year that gives adults a legislative platform to show their support for young people. A big thanks to Senators Lourie and Sheheen who took time out of their day to be there. Where were you? Since returning from the event I’ve asked several of my colleagues and I've heard it all – I forgot, I was too busy, I didn’t know it was going on. Compare that, if you will, to the 85,000 plus that will cram into Williams Brice Stadium this weekend to watch a meaningless football game. Bet ya’ didn’t forget about that, did you?

WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED because our lack of investment is starting to catch up with us. At the federal level funding has actually increased for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that have no evidence of effectiveness. Simultaneously at the state level funding for family planning programs has been cut by nearly $14 million in the last seven years and the Department of Health is short nearly 600 nurses. Finally, wait for it… wait for it... our legislature and governor actually considered a CUT to teen pregnancy prevention programs last year.

WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED South Carolina. Very concerned. If I sound a little disgruntled that’s because I am. You all know me too well to think that I’ll stay that way for long though – after all there is far too much work to be done.

The South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is ready to reinvest ourselves for the benefit of South Carolina’s young people. We are ready to communicate with each of you, customize approaches based on the unique needs of each community, build capacity at all levels of intervention and commit to a long term investment in our state’s most valuable resource!

Who’s coming with us?