Teen pregnancy increases
School Health Advisory Council members on Thursday discussed numbers showing an increase in teenage pregnancies and voted to recommend more character development throughout the district.
"We have to teach them to do what is right in spite of whether anybody is looking at you or not," Teen Parent Center principal Claudette Jones told the council. Jones addressed board member concerns about the causes and symptoms of teen pregnancy in Odessa. She said education is key and relationships must be built around individual self-worth.
Board members received a report on teen pregnancies for Ector County residents prepared by both Medical Center Hospital and Odessa Regional Medical Center. MCH's numbers showed fairly steady numbers except for those between the ages of 17 and 18. MCH reported 116 births from females that age in 2007, up 32 births from 2006.
However, ORMC showed a much steeper increase, though numbers only considered 2004 and 2008. In 2004, 280 teen births were reported. In 2008, 501 teen births occurred at ORMC. Births to 19-year-olds also jumped significantly. In 2004, only 28 gave birth, while in 2008, 161 gave birth.
"There was nothing except for what was already in the schools for those at the ages with the spikes," Life Center Prevention Programs Director Todd Gatlin said.
He said much of the increase happened before Life Center curriculum became part of high school. This school year was the first time the program was fully scheduled into all the high schools.
Jones said she has found TPC's battle to be a struggle against society since many apparently don't regard teen pregnancy to be a problem. She said a big part of the fight is just to teach young woman how to have relationships with men. She said she hopes to educate men more on how to treat the girls well.
In other action, members voted to draft a letter to Superintendent Hector Mendez and the board of trustees encouraging greater integration of character education throughout schools in an attempt to decrease pregnancy numbers.
