CARNAL NATION

With the highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation, Mississippi legislators have finally come to the realization that abstinence-only education may not be the solution to solving teen pregnancy, reports The Mississippi Press.

While this week some media are suddenly distorting the results of  one survey to claim that abstinence-only education actually works, this clearly hasn't been the case in the poorest state, which also has the nation's highest teen pregnancy rate.

The state House voted 84-35 yesterday on Bill 837, which allows school districts the option of an "abstinence-plus" curriculum; this would still preach that no sex is best, but would also supply teens with info on birth control and contraception.  Parental permission would be required for students to take these classes.

Discussion of abortion would still be forbidden, and parents would have to give permission for their children to take the single-sex classes.

Representative Gregory Holloway of Hazlehurst offered an amendment in which students would get a $2,000 a year college scholarship to any student who finished high school without having a child or getting someone pregnant; that was held for further review.

The plan--to allow both abstinence-only education as well as "abstinence plus" classes--will hopefully allow schools to determine over time which method is more successful.