One Way to Boost Student Success: Get Serious About Sex Education — and Teach the IUD
Amidst great celebration, President Obama officially signed the Every Student Succeeds Act into federal law last month. This law solidifies the goal of preparing all young Americans for college and career success. As a result, states will now have the opportunity to develop new accountability systems that aim to measure school quality in a more comprehensive manner. These systems will continue to prioritize academic achievement, but will also consider other factors such as social and emotional skills when evaluating schools.
However, there is an issue that is often overlooked when discussing the success of students in college and careers. This issue poses a significant barrier to postsecondary completion and upward mobility: early, unplanned, unwed pregnancies.
It is not difficult to understand why this is such a critical problem. It is already challenging enough to acquire the necessary academic and related skills to be prepared for a four-year college or high-quality technical training. This challenge is even more daunting for children growing up in poverty, as they start at a significant disadvantage compared to their more privileged peers. Adding a baby to the equation makes the odds seem insurmountable. Balancing school or starting a career while taking care of an infant or toddler, all while working a low-wage job alone, is incredibly difficult. Therefore, it is not surprising that only 40 percent of teenage mothers manage to finish high school, and less than 2 percent complete college by the age of 30.
Considering these challenges, one would expect schools to do everything in their power to encourage students to delay parenthood until after they have completed their education and established themselves in the workforce. To be fair, the teenage pregnancy rate has decreased by over half since its peak in 1990, and schools deserve credit for their efforts, particularly in adopting evidence-based pregnancy prevention programs.
But are schools truly doing everything they can? Specifically, are they actively promoting one of the most promising, game-changing, and society-improving advancements since sliced bread? I am referring, of course, to the IUD. Although my staff often advises me against discussing birth control, I firmly believe it is a crucial topic that deserves attention.
The IUD is a form of birth control that I am particularly impressed with. Take a look at this graphic which illustrates the failure rates of different contraceptive methods, courtesy of Isabel Sawhill from the Brookings Institution. (Alternatively, you can refer to the version from the New York Times.)
Based on this data, it is evident that sexually active teenagers or adults who rely solely on condoms or birth control pills are taking significant risks. The failure rates of these methods are too high to be considered dependable. The truth is, many teenagers and young adults make mistakes, such as forgetting to take the pill or neglecting to use a condom. Additionally, they may feel pressured into starting a family or be unsure about their intentions.
As Sawhill argues, IUDs provide a different approach. Once a woman chooses to have an IUD inserted, it can remain effective for up to ten years. Removal requires a visit to the doctor, making it a deliberate and conscious decision to have a baby. Ideally, this decision would follow the completion of education, the establishment of a stable career, and the attainment of financial resources needed to provide for a child.
Imagine if every sexually active young woman opted for an IUD or another long-term reversible contraceptive, such as an implant. Envision a teenage pregnancy rate that is almost nonexistent. Picture a world where unintentional pregnancies no longer disrupt education or early career paths. These possibilities are not out of reach; they are significant achievements worth striving for.
With the help of a recent report released by the Centers for Disease Control, we can now provide a more precise answer to that question. Officials conducted a survey with a representative sample of high school health teachers from almost every state, asking them various questions, one of which was whether they taught their students about different types of birth control, including IUDs. The results, shown in Table 13, indicate the percentage of teachers who answered affirmatively regarding IUDs.
It is not surprising that the states with a strong liberal presence along the coast are more likely to educate high school students about IUDs, while the deeply conservative Southern, Midwestern, and Mountain states are less likely to do so. This stark contrast most likely reflects the hesitancy of conservative parents, who prefer that public schools avoid discussing these sensitive topics altogether or, if they do, focus on promoting abstinence. However, it is important to acknowledge that preventing pregnancies is one of the most effective ways to significantly reduce the number of abortions. This is a cause that both liberal and conservative communities should support.
Returning to the data presented in the chart, it is evident that a considerable number of young individuals have not been informed about a contraceptive method that could have a profound impact on their future success in college and career. Of course, merely teaching teenagers about IUDs in school will not suffice. They should also receive information from their doctors, who must be adequately trained on the current research. Additionally, a robust social marketing campaign would be beneficial. Although the Affordable Care Act mandates insurance coverage for IUDs (which can be quite expensive at $1,000 each), young individuals may face difficulties obtaining one without their parents’ knowledge. This is not an insignificant obstacle.
As an initial step, educators should educate students about IUDs. We already require them to take standardized tests such as the ACT or SAT and complete college aid forms. Therefore, why not also encourage them to examine Sawhill’s chart and contemplate its implications for their lives and the lives of their potential future children? Perhaps it would even be worthwhile to share the chart with their parents.
If we are truly committed to student success, we should empower young people to prioritize their education before becoming parents. Teaching them about the benefits of IUDs is a crucial aspect of achieving this goal.
