TEEN-AGERS RESPOND TO FREEDOM SURVEY

Thirty percent of Southeast Missouri teens say teens should wait until marriage to have sex. Only 2 percent of teens in a national survey felt the same way.

More than 100 teens from this region responded to the national poll about teens and freedom. Complete national results can be found in today's USA Weekend Magazine. Local results can be found on page 10A. The poll comes at a time when adults from President Clinton to school principals are trying to limit freedoms on issues ranging from curfews to Internet access.

Of local teens answering the poll, 35 percent of girls and 23 percent of boys said people should be sexually active only after marriage. Another 6 percent said teens should never be sexually active.

They were giving their opinion on the appropriate age for teens to be allowed to do things like drink alcohol, get a tattoo or be sexually active. Of those stating an age to become sexually active the average was 18, identical to the national results.

The local teens were more likely than the national sample to say they have the right amount of freedom. The teens also said they want some limits from adults.

Southeast Missouri teens were more likely to approve of school dress codes than the national sample. But 89 percent said a uniform for public schools was a bad idea.

Overwhelmingly, local teens said people should be required to stand if the national anthem is played before sporting events at school. Locally, 86 percent said everyone should stand. Nationally, 69 had the same opinion.

And, quite differently than national statistics, Southeast Missouri teens say public schools should be allowed to lead students in prayer. In the local group, 74 percent said yes to school prayer. Nationally 43 percent of students said yes.

Sixty percent of local teens expect the respect they get from parents to be earned, not automatic. Nationally, 54 percent of teens say parents and guardians should automatically give them respect, unless teens abuse that respect.

Local teens are less worried about restrictions on Internet access than their national counterparts. But of those who say restrictions are needed, 98 percent say there should be limits on where teens can go on the Internet and 30 percent want limits on the amount of time spent on the Internet.