Babies keep having babies in the United States. Public high schools need to be more proactive with students in sex education classes to continue lowering the teenage pregnancy rate.

Music Television shows like 16 & Pregnant and Teen Mom show a distorted, unrealistic view of teenage pregnancy.

Parents don’t always offer support.

The boyfriend doesn’t always stick around.

Passing General Educational Development tests doesn’t make up for missing football games, homecoming dances, prom and the chance to just be a kid.

The federal government spends millions of taxpayer dollars on sex education, but the lessons tell high school-age students to just wait until marriage. But how many educators who preach abstinence actually waited until marriage themselves?

So stop telling teenagers to wait.

Abstinence-only curriculums in 26 states severely limit what students learn about sex. By law, school administrators in these states cannot promote any idea other than abstinence. And the research reflects it –– fewer teens in “don’t have sex” environments use birth control.

Face the facts –– not all parents have adequate conversations with their children about sex.

Teens need to know more about their bodies and how they function.

Teens need to know about sexually transmitted infections.

Teens need to have access to free condoms at their schools’ nurses’ offices.

Teens need to even –– gasp! –– have hands-on experience with condoms and other contraceptives before moving relationships to the bedroom.

Ignoring sex among younger generations will only produce more teenage girls with baby bumps.

Originally written for my opinion writing course at St. Bonaventure University.