Thursday 11 December 2008

The Sun supports teenage pregnancy

There's an article in today's Sun about the fact that Manchester City Council are handing out condoms to under-16s. The aim is to lower its extremely high teenage pregnancy rate and by doing so the various associated negative outcomes.

The Sun condemns them for doing so - it must think that abstinence is the way forward - and in support of its position quotes the "Campaign for Real Education", which appears to be a right-wing group simply intent on complaining about anything that happens which improves teaching methods.

It also complains about the fact that parents won't be told when their kids are given contraception - which is perfectly reasonable on confidentiality and health grounds, given that this has been the main area of complaint in the past - but concedes the fact that they were consulted before the scheme started. Therefore the parents must support it.

In any event, I support the council's actions, as they have been shown to reduce the levels of teenage pregnancy which is a good thing. The Sun should not be condemning them for doing this, but supporting them, unless it wants people to grow up in poverty which leads to lower prospects and higher crime rates.

3 comments:

Mike Power said...

It also complains about the fact that parents won't be told when their kids are given contraception

The parents won't be told when their kids are given a quick back-scuttle either, will they? Doh!

Dom said...

Quite possibly the Sun is just protecting it's future readership numbers.

Unknown said...

Not forgetting of course that an increase in teenage pregnancies is likely to lead to an increase in the number of young, single mums who will need help from the welfare system.

But surely.. today's Sun leader column supports the government's plans to "get tough" on "scroungers".

You couldn't make it up.