How abortion should be regulated has been a popular and heated debate for decades. The left has favored a woman’s right to choose while the right has been firmly pro-life. Abortion is certainly a topic that deserves discussion, but discussing only abortion is like treating the symptoms, not the cause. While I generally disagree with abortion, banning it will only increase the number of illegally performed abortions. The most effective way to decrease the number of abortions is to decrease the number of unwanted pregnancies, especially amongst teens. The first step is to change the way health class is taught in America. Curriculums that teach abstinence and contraceptive use in a medically accurate way are the most effective way to preventing unwanted pregnancies. In Wisconsin, sex ed does not have to include contraceptive use and 30 states in America do not require health classes to present medically accurate information. Teaching teens only abstinence does not stop them from having sex, it only decreases their knowledge of how to have safe sex. The political irony comes into play when Republican public policy is examined. Republicans are not a proponent of comprehensive sexual education, yet they are staunchly against abortion. If Republicans and Democrats worked together on sexual education reform, Democrats would achieve their education goals and Republicans would achieve their anti-abortion goals. The best way to resolve the debate surrounding abortion is to reduce the need for abortions in the first place.

 

-Cal Bunge

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