Focus Must be on Stopping Cycle of Poverty
By Betty Cockrum, Planned Parenthood of Indiana President and CEO
I must say that my daily dose of news and current events has recently left me frustrated and discouraged. Newspapers around the state have had stories of children dying at the hands of abusers, being shot, killed in accidents or neglected. The recently-released annual Kids Count report compiled by the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that infants, children and teens in Indiana are dying at rates that are higher per capita than national averages. This is a grim statistic and one we must all work together to improve.
The report's rankings are based on 10 indicators affecting children, including infant mortality rates and the number of children in poverty. In Indiana, 32 percent of children live in families where no parent has full-time, year-round employment. Growing up in poverty impedes the physical, emotional and academic development of children. The cycle of poverty often begins with unintended pregnancy, a problem that I try to prevent each day in my role as Planned Parenthood of Indiana's President and CEO.
Women who are not planning to have a child and find themselves pregnant often don't receive proper prenatal care. Poor prenatal care may result in a lifetime of unfortunate consequences for children and their families. Children reared in poverty often become teen parents themselves. The high school dropout rate of teen mothers is alarming. It is difficult for them to find jobs that pay a living wage and they often cannot afford child care. The cycle of poverty continues. It marginalizes the lives of Hoosier women and their children. It takes its toll on our society. However, we do know it is possible to halt the cycle.
Indiana's school districts need to teach comprehensive, age-appropriate and medically-accurate sex education, known as Abstinence Plus. In an ideal world, parents communicate openly and honestly with their children – we know that is best. We also know it far too often doesn't happen or it happens too late. Studies show that students who are well-informed about how their bodies work and how to prevent pregnancy through contraception actually delay sexual activity and avoid teen pregnancy. That gives them more time to stay in school, mature and become productive members of society. Most school districts in Indiana only teach abstinence, if they teach sex education at all. It isn't working. Teen pregnancy is on the rise, despite more than $1 billion being spent on abstinence-only education around the country. In fact, 31 teenagers get pregnant in Indiana every day.
I hope that by working together to effectively address the cycle of poverty, we will see future news headlines dominated not by stories of child deaths, but of Indiana's young people doing great things. However, it will take all of us and a fresh, realistic approach to make that dream a reality.
Betty Cockrum is president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Indiana
