Our official stance on Bristol Palin has been that her life and pregnancy was off limits. She decided to enter the public discussion on teen pregnancy today, by appearing on Fox News and talking to Greta Van Susteren. We actually agree with most things she had to say.



Bistol acknowledged that being a teen mom is overwhelming, and wishes she had waited ten years before having a baby. You could sense that her birth control guidance from her mother was limited to advice to not have sex. She clearly stated that the expectation of abstinence is unrealistic for most teens, but she doesn’t seem to understand what lessons she could have received to help her prevent getting pregnant once she became sexually active.

Parents’ talking to their kids about sex is excellent, but it is rarely sufficient to keep a teenager out of trouble. Many parents don’t know how early the conversation is necessary. This is the failure of Abstinence-Only Sex Ed – parents aren’t having adequate discussions about birth control with their kids before they become sexually active, and they don’t want teachers to play that role in their kids’ lives.

Bristol says, “I’d love to be an advocate to prevent teen pregnancy, because it’s not a situation you want to strive for, I guess.” While her comments are aimed at helping other teens prevent pregnancies, she doesn’t mention what steps they should take. Her only solution for prevention is for teens to hear stories like hers.

We’re glad to have the acknowledgement that teaching abstinence isn’t enough for teens today. Hopefully, legislators across the country will adopt Comprehensive Sex Ed (teaching students about condoms and birth control) in all of our public schools. Bristol, herself, might want to attend one of those classes. If she thinks that hearing stories about teen moms is enough to prevent pregnancy, she may end up pregnant again sooner than she’d like.


-Gabriel