north-carolina-paying-girls-not-to-procreate - Big Big Forums

jasmine · 06-26-2009, 10:43 PM

North http://www.lemondrop.com/2009/06/26/...createCarolina Paying Teenage Girls Not to Procreate
A dollar a day is the going rate for not getting pregnant at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where teen girls between the ages of 12 and 18 can enroll in the College Bound Sisters program. The program's mission is to keep young girls in school rather than Babies "R" Us by paying them $365 a year.
As part of the baby-free program, girls attend weekly meetings where they learn about abstinence and contraceptives. At the end of each week, $7 is put into a fund that's off-limits until they go to college.

To participate, girls must have never been pregnant, currently attend school, have a desire to go to college, and have a sister that gave birth before age 18. The program is currently at its max capacity of 24 girls

Not surprisingly, some skeptics aren't entirely comfortable with the idea. "It makes me a bit uneasy," says Bill Albert, chief program officer at the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. "It's hard to pay people to do something we think they should be doing regardless. It would be like if you didn't want young people to experiment with marijuana, you'd pay them not to do it."

Still, Albert admits with costs of teen pregnancies reaching $9 billion annually, paying teens $365 to stay baby-free seems like a "modest investment -- especially if the program works."

And Dr. Hazel Brown, co-director of College Bound Sisters, says it is. Some grads of the program have saved upwards of $3,000 for college. "We want to give them something to work toward," Brown says. "If someone believes in you, there's no end to what a lot of people can accomplish."

YankeeMary · 06-26-2009, 11:27 PM

If it works then it is brilliant. I do hope it works.

Jenefer3 · 06-26-2009, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YankeeMary

If it works then it is brilliant. I do hope it works.

I agree. It may not be ideal but if it works then great! Hopefully it has consequences if they get pregnant or drop out of school.

dv8grl · 06-27-2009, 08:18 AM

freeby4me · 06-27-2009, 09:26 AM

The only part of it that I dont agree with is the fact that its for girls who have older teenage sisters who have a baby now. With all of that going on in the house, with them being "pushed aside" for "mommy and baby" I dont think they'd want to have a kid. They're witnessing first-hand how its ruining their sisters lives, so I'd rather see the program not so "narrowed down".

Otherwise it sounds like a good idea.

anothersta · 06-27-2009, 09:45 PM

I think it's the stupidest thing I've ever seen and maybe if we didn't encourage a welfare state, these girls would have a MUCH better reason not to get pregnant.

YankeeMary · 06-28-2009, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anothersta

I think it's the stupidest thing I've ever seen and maybe if we didn't encourage a welfare state, these girls would have a MUCH better reason not to get pregnant.

You are kidding right? Do you honestly believe that teenaged girls get pregant because they can get welfare? Or because they don't have to worry about "paying" for the child and its care? I feel safe to say that at least 95% of teenaged pregancies aren't planned. Unreal!

***Willow*** · 06-28-2009, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anothersta

I think it's the stupidest thing I've ever seen and maybe if we didn't encourage a welfare state, these girls would have a MUCH better reason not to get pregnant.

If teenage girls are going to go out and have sex and become pregnant they are going to do it regardless of whether there is welfare or not.

jasmine · 06-28-2009, 06:27 PM

Quote:

To participate, girls must have never been pregnant, currently attend school, have a desire to go to college, and have a sister that gave birth before age 18. The program is currently at its max capacity of 24 girls

the thing that bothers me about it is they cannot participate in the program if they even have a sister that gave birth before the age of 18?? That's not fair, so the girl has to pay for her sisters mistakes?

***Willow*** · 06-30-2009, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasmine

the thing that bothers me about it is they cannot participate in the program if they even have a sister that gave birth before the age of 18?? That's not fair, so the girl has to pay for her sisters mistakes?

I think it says that they must have a sister who gave birth before the age of 18 unless I'm reading it wrong.

jasmine · 06-30-2009, 03:31 PM

yeah, ok, went back and read it.

but again, so they cannot participate if they do not have sister that gave birth before the age of 18, but yet they are asking them for the requirment of NOT getting pregnant before the age of 18 in order for them to eligible for the program, but it's ok for the sister to get pregnant before the age of 18???????? (confused)