Sex Education Clinics for Teens

I was pleased to hear that the school clinics in St. Paul have been such a success. The problem of teen-age pregnancy in the United States is nothing new. It is unfortunate that there are not more school clinics around the country. It would be nice to think that our children don’t need these clinics, though unfortunately, this is only an illusion.

As a recent high school graduate, I recognize the value of the program. During my first two years of high school one of my close friends became pregnant and dropped out as a result. Two others attempted suicide, one succeeded. These tragedies could have been prevented with the assistance of a counseling center.

School clinics, in time, will prove to be beneficial by providing counseling and medical care to students seeking attention. Unfortunately, students needing attention sometimes are too afraid to seek help or don’t ask for it at all. One solution to this problem would be to offer courses such as family planning, stress management, and even drug and alcohol rehabilitation in the early years of high school. Initiating some (such as drug and alcohol rehabilitation courses) as early as junior high school.

Teen-age suicide, pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse are not pretty topics, but let’s face it, someone has to deal with these problems.

I am all in favor of more school clinics, seeing as they have already proven to be successful.

LORA L. RUNGE

La Verne