Education First, Babies Later: Good Idea : * Innovative, State-Funded Sex Education Program Tackles Teen Pregnancy Problem

Those who worry about teen-agers embarking too early on sexual relationships lately have an even greater concern: children who are emulating their teen-age peers.

Kathleen Goldberg, president of the Adolescent Pregnancy Childwatch Coalition, a project of the Junior League of Orange County, had this chilling message at a recent conference on teen pregnancy: “Parents haven’t accepted that they have to talk to kids (about postponing sex) at 10.” Yes, she was referring to 10 - year - olds.

It should come as no surprise, then, that pregnancy among young girls in Orange County is increasing.

It’s easy to place the blame: sporadic or ineffective sex education programs in public schools, parental denial of the problem, the glorification of sex on TV and other media. And then there’s the fact that kids are kids; they aren’t mature enough to comprehend fully the consequences of their actions.

Coming up with programs that can help, however, is much harder.

There is some good news. Gov. Pete Wilson has made prevention of teen pregnancies one of his priorities. As a result, $15 million in state money has been earmarked over the next three years for an innovative sex education program aimed at helping teens and pre-teens to delay sexual involvement. Called “Education Now and Babies Later,” the program uses media to deliver its message. But the heart of ENABL is based on the “Postponing Sexual Involvement” program developed in Atlanta. It came about when it was determined that sex education programs alone failed to have much impact on delaying sex. Far more effective was a program that combined information with straight talk from slightly older peers. Emphasis was placed on providing young people--girls, but, importantly, boys as well--with the tools to stand up to peer pressure.

In Orange County, two ENABL contracts were awarded. The Coalition for Children, Adolescents and Parents has launched a pilot program in the seventh-grade class at Kraemer Junior High School in Placentia; other schools will be added in the fall. Planned Parenthood will work mostly with Latino youths reached through community agencies.

Parents who believe that they can prevent their children from wondering about or even experimenting with sex at an early age may not fully grasp how adolescence has changed. It should now be clear that more is needed than simply warning children to “just say no” to sex. ENABL is a good start on a new direction.