Teenage/out-of-wedlock births at all-time high in US

[Spurius]

For example, apparently 71 percent of all black children is currently born out of wedlock. For a nation self-perceived to be high on family values etc, a shattering statistic, I'd say.

Usually this is a sign of poverty and poor education. Any thoughts?

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/07.../teenbirth.htm

[Dayman]

It's all of the atheists fault for ignoring the WORD.





wouldn't it be weird if I posted like that

[Medicus]

Eh. I'll hold onto my old-fashioned beliefs.

You fall in love, get married, and have kids. And if you have sex before marriage (hey, I'm not that old-fashioned), use a condom, ffs.

[Bovril]

Usually this is a sign of poverty and poor education. Any thoughts?

I disagree, births out of wedlock are often correlated with wealth and high levels of education. In Europe the Scandinavian countries and Holland have the highest out of wedlock birth rates, and they are also some of the richest and best educated.

[Mathias]

I disagree, births out of wedlock are often correlated with wealth and high levels of education. In Europe the Scandinavian countries and Holland have the highest out of wedlock birth rates, and they are also some of the richest and best educated.

Out of wedlock, yes, but teenage, no.

There is a huuuge difference.

[Hansa]

Out of wedlock, yes, but teenage, no.

There is a huuuge difference.

Not to mention the fact that the vast majority of these children are only formally born out of wedlock. Normally we are talking about kids with two parents in a stable monogamous relationship living together, though not formally married. as you have already stated, the situation in Northern Europe isn't comparable to that in the USA, huge difference.

[Spurius]

@bovril

For the higher age brackets that's probably true, but I don't think youths have it that good, on average.

Also, I don't think african-americans do as well on average as asians, and there the story goes awry as well - I think asians are not so prominent in these stats.

[zznɟ ǝɥʇ]

Poor sex edcation is the probably cause, assuming they were unintentional births.

[Cluny the Scourge]

What's wrong with out-of-wedlock (what an amusing synonym for 'bastard') births? This is the 21st century - the idea that there is anything shameful about bastardy belongs in the 19th, except in the heads of a few religious fanatics who seriously need to get their heads stomped on the curb soon.

[Mansa musa]

What's wrong with out-of-wedlock (what an amusing synonym for 'bastard') births? This is the 21st century - the idea that there is anything shameful about bastardy belongs in the 19th, except in the heads of a few religious fanatics who seriously need to get their heads stomped on the curb soon.

oh. this is the 21st century. i think that this quote has laid out secular law for me all too well

[The Prophet]

What's wrong with out-of-wedlock (what an amusing synonym for 'bastard') births? This is the 21st century - the idea that there is anything shameful about bastardy belongs in the 19th, except in the heads of a few religious fanatics who seriously need to get their heads stomped on the curb soon.

[Spurius]

What's wrong with out-of-wedlock (what an amusing synonym for 'bastard') births? This is the 21st century - the idea that there is anything shameful about bastardy belongs in the 19th, except in the heads of a few religious fanatics who seriously need to get their heads stomped on the curb soon.

I agree.

I do think it's a mixed group - well-to-do women who decide to have a child on their own or who live together and don't care about marriage.

And a group of youngsters for whom it was not really a choice, but accidental or careless. For those I'd think it's a different ballgame altogether, and I wonder what the best approach would be for them.

[haney591]

Some of this could be explained by cultural traditions. For instance, I believe it would be correct to say that the Scandanavian countries have never had as strong a tradition of monogohmy as others; partly due to their relatively late conversion to Christianity. Obviously, American blacks prior to emancipation would have lived in a situation not at all condusive to stable family relationships and that would tend to have an effect of establishing this as a cultural norm for them. So I would think that this phenomenon could be partly explained by cultural influences, although that would not explain the increase admittedly.

[LoZz]

What's wrong with out-of-wedlock (what an amusing synonym for 'bastard') births? This is the 21st century - the idea that there is anything shameful about bastardy belongs in the 19th, except in the heads of a few religious fanatics who seriously need to get their heads stomped on the curb soon.

wanted to kill someone because there views are different to yours is just as bad and 19th century.

[Justice and Mercy]

It means that we need to cut these people loose.

Stop giving them handouts and they'll start caring.

[Rhinosaur]

It means that we need to cut these people loose.

Stop giving them handouts and they'll start caring.

The study doesn't mention handouts anywhere. Unless you mean the parents should cut loose their children for getting knocked up.

[Justice and Mercy]

The study doesn't mention handouts anywhere.

It doesn't have to. I'm proposing a solution. Stop the government theft-handouts and they'll start caring.

Or hell, maybe they won't. But frankly, that's not anyone else's problem.

Unless you mean the parents should cut loose their children for getting knocked up.

Their money, their choice. I can't honestly say I'd cut my child loose (assuming I had one). I wouldn't have the willpower.

[Romano B.]

What's wrong with out-of-wedlock (what an amusing synonym for 'bastard') births? This is the 21st century - the idea that there is anything shameful about bastardy belongs in the 19th, except in the heads of a few religious fanatics who seriously need to get their heads stomped on the curb soon.

Here's whats wrong with out-of-wedlock births: It's a sign that a marriage partner was unfaithful to the other, essentially a traitor breaking the whole concept of the marriage, unless the husband or wife permit the other partner to do so, but unlikely. I treat the so called "Bastard" children as any other, I don't discriminate.

[The Prophet]

Here's whats wrong with out-of-wedlock births: It's a sign that a marriage partner was unfaithful to the other, essentially a traitor breaking the whole concept of the marriage, unless the husband or wife permit the other partner to do so, but unlikely. I treat the so called "Bastard" children as any other, I don't discriminate.

Out-of-wedlock does not necessarily mean the couple aren't still together.

[Richard]

Here's whats wrong with out-of-wedlock births: It's a sign that a marriage partner was unfaithful to the other, essentially a traitor breaking the whole concept of the marriage, unless the husband or wife permit the other partner to do so, but unlikely. I treat the so called "Bastard" children as any other, I don't discriminate.

Okay that's nice except it's not really what we're talking about here....