TEENAGE PREGNANCY: RESPONSIBILITY BEGINS AT HOME

Pregnant teens are more than a statistic. They may be our neighbors, relatives or children of friends. They are community kids in trouble.

Decades ago, their presence in society was practically scandalous. Today, a pregnant teenager hardly turns a head. Films, movies, books and many adults reinforce society's lowered standards about sex. And that attitude is embodied in today's sexually active teens.

It boils down to a matter of responsibility -- or lack of it.

Many teenagers still think it won't happen to them. Others daydream about babies, never realizing the responsibilities of raising a child. And far too often the young fathers don't take responsibility for the child.

The new grandparents often end up taking on the chore of raising both teenager and a new baby. And the government steps into provide financial aid. Nearly every teen girl can qualify for Medicaid today, no matter what her family's income level. It's good for the young mothers and babies, but it doesn't teach responsibility.

And these young mothers represent a tremendous drain on public resources. We all pay the price.

A number of groups have worked locally and nationwide to stem the tide of teenage pregnancy, and the numbers locally are down. In 1990, 170 Cape Girardeau County teenagers became pregnant. The number was 126 in 1992.

But these teen help groups are not ready to celebrate. That's probably because the number of sexually active teenagers remains very high. One new 16-year-old mom at Cape Central estimated 90 percent of the kids she knew were sexually active -- starting as young as 12. Another new mom, 17, was a virgin when she fell victim to date rape. She said her virginity placed her in the minority. Most of her friends not only had sex, but loved to tell about it. With these kinds of stories we have to wonder why the numbers of teenage moms aren't even higher.

Cape Girardeau Central High School nurse Jeanne Heise has kept count of pregnant students since 1984. The numbers typically range between 21 and 27 each year. During the 1991-92 year, 35 girls were pregnant. The number dropped to 20 in the 1992-93 school year.

Additionally disturbing is the number of repeat pregnancies for these young moms. Statistics show that within the first year, 50 percent are pregnant again, and about 75 percent are pregnant within two years. In recent years, one girl graduated from Cape Central with four children. Several others had three children each.

In this day of communicable diseases, national groups push the message of safe sex. But what ever happened to the message of abstinence, marriage, fidelity ... and responsibility? Our new-age society could only improve with a dose of these old-fashioned ideals.

The Teen Pregnancy and Responsibility Network formed eight years ago in response to the numbers. Back in 1984, 180 Cape County teenagers were pregnant. Today, members of the network and other agencies are still looking for new ideas and help to reduce the numbers of teen pregnancies and sexually active young people. While members strive to provide support services for pregnant teens, the goal still remains one of prevention. And that's a lesson which must begin at home.

Children learn from what they see -- and that applies to parents, peers and society as a whole. Many children of teenage moms become teenage mothers themselves. It's a cycle we must all work to break. As an individual and as a society, we must learn to take responsibility for our actions. To teach our children well, we must lead the way. And we must not be afraid to talk about responsibility -- and pregnancy -- within our own families.