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A dollar a day is the going rate for not getting pregnant at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where teen girls between the ages of 12 and 18 can enroll in the College Bound Sisters program. The program's mission is to keep young girls in school rather than Babies "R" Us by paying them $365 a year.
As part of the baby-free program, girls attend weekly meetings where they learn about abstinence and contraceptives. At the end of each week, $7 is put into a fund that's off-limits until they go to college.
To participate, girls must have never been pregnant, currently attend school, have a desire to go to college, and have a sister that gave birth before age 18. The program is currently at its max capacity of 24 girls.
Click here for more about the controversial program, after the jump.
Not surprisingly, some skeptics aren't entirely comfortable with the idea. "It makes me a bit uneasy," says Bill Albert, chief program officer at the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. "It's hard to pay people to do something we think they should be doing regardless. It would be like if you didn't want young people to experiment with marijuana, you'd pay them not to do it."
Still, Albert admits with costs of teen pregnancies reaching $9 billion annually, paying teens $365 to stay baby-free seems like a "modest investment -- especially if the program works."
And Dr. Hazel Brown, co-director of College Bound Sisters, says it is. Some grads of the program have saved upwards of $3,000 for college. "We want to give them something to work toward," Brown says. "If someone believes in you, there's no end to what a lot of people can accomplish."
What do you think? Is paying girls to stay baby-free a creative approach to helping their futures? Or is it bribery, plain and simple?
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Comments:
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Friday 26 June
By Annee
Does this make them reverse prostitutes? This is such a crock. No one paid my kids not to get pregnant. Who cares if they want to throw their lives away? I'm sick and tired of people saying that being poor makes you stupid.
Reply
Friday 26 June
By kecote1
Being poor doesn't make you stupid. I grew up very poor and now I'm 30 and still don't have children. I happen to think these girls are pretty darn smart to take advantage of a program that's going to help them with college and learn from their older sister's mistakes. Instead of calling them reverse prostitutes, try considering them as young women with an opportunity for a better future.
Friday 26 June
By mary
This is just a stupid comment. First of all, no one said anything about being poor and stupid, so that's just an idiotic statement. And no, this is not reverse prostitution. The classes educate the girls, and the MODEST amount of money goes towards college, ie, towards bettering their future. It gives them opportunities and incentive. I think it's a great idea.
Friday 26 June
By melanie
lol annie, that was funny.
Friday 26 June
By Paul
You're as ignorant as the person/group quoted above, "It's hard to pay people to do something we think they should be doing regardless"
WTF ?
If the whole point is to avoid teen pregnancy, and ruining 2 or 3 lives... why the hell not offer money ?
YOU DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL.
Reverse prostitutes? How about smarter, less poor, childless young ladies ?
Friday 26 June
By gainmorey3
You are as ignorant as the person/group quoted above, "It's hard to pay people to do something we think they should be doing regardless".
WTF ?
If the goal is to prevent teen pregnancy, and ruining 2 or 3 lives...
DO WHAT YOU MUST TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL.
Reverse prostitutes ? How about... smarter, less poor, childless young ladies ?
Saturday 27 June
By A concerned parent
No one said anything about "poor girls" getting pregnant. Just because someone is "poor" does not mean that they will get pregnant. But giving them something to look forward to just might. This won't work for all girls but if it keeps just one girl from ruining her life by having a baby too soon then I think it will be worth it. They don't get the money until they go to college so it is like having a savings account to help towards their goals.
Saturday 27 June
By nancy
People who are wise learn from others mistakes. People who are smart learn from their own mistakes and stupid people don't learn. Anyone who thinks they can have a child and have the government support them is STUPID.
What makes people think they can get pregnant and make someone else support them. If you don't think it's stupid than why don't you start supporting someone elses kids other than the ones you know
Tuesday 07 July
By doug
yes, and you are a reverse genius
Tuesday 07 July
By Doug
You are a reverse genius.
Thursday 16 July
By prettyeyessm83
as the other people said you are a idiot .not just poor people get pregnant or better yet under priviledge people get pregnant there are alot of middle class and upper calss teens getting pregnant.in my line of work i see more mid-upper class teens come in due to there parents are not paying any attenttion to what there children are doing they think oh my child is not doing anything cause.i can give her anything or buy her anything she wants but what they really want is your attention and someone they can talk to,and there parents just dont have the time.i personally believe the program is ok @ least these girls are learning of way to prevent getting pregnant and how to protect theirselves
Friday 26 June
By Karen
Great idea! However brothers of girls/sisters who have had babies before age 18 should be included in the program too.
Reply
Saturday 27 June
By shannon mullen
I agree with you, both boys and girls should be in this program, we don't get pregnant by ourselves for God's sake! It takes 2 to tango, and make a baby!
Friday 26 June
By Kirstin
I have a son and daughter and I want to know why they aren't offering the same program to the boys? The males are no less responsible than the females who have or don't have children.
Reply
Friday 26 June
By Cassandra
hahahahahahahahahahaahahhahahahahahahahahhahahhahahahaha
Reply
Friday 26 June
By Melissa
Really Annee? Are you kidding? What a comment! Honestly, if there is a group out there trying to help high risk teens NOT get pregnant AND go to college more power to them! As a Nurse that has delivered my fair share of teenage girls anything that will keep young girls out of the delivery room is a positive thing.
Reply
Friday 26 June
By mike
This is just another example of kids growing up with no sense of character...i.e., right or wrong. Their parents grew up in the same environment. So, we as responsible society are asked to pay for their irresponsible behavior. I don't buy the notion that since everybody's doing it, it's ok and we have to deal with it. You parents are not parenting, you're just spitting out kids and trying to be their friiends. You kids have no character, sense of right, no guilt or remorse. And, now the government steps in to encourage your irresponsible behavior. I know you're not smart enough to understand this, but the government taking care of you and excusing your bad actions is the road to perdition. The government that gives you everything can take it all away (Jefferson).
Reply
Friday 26 June
By ReRe
I just want to comment to Mike. You cannot say that teenager who get pregnant do so because that is how they and their parents were raised. My mother and fatuer were married before any children were conceived and have been married 51 years. I was raised in a good christian home with rules and values. I was married before my first child was conceived and have been married 30 years. My oldest child is 28. She was raised in a good christian home with morals and vlaues however she did get pregnant at the age of 17. She married the father of my beautiful granddaughter. They divorced a year later. Parent can raise their children with rules, morals, and values but cannot be with them 24/7. All parents can do is their best and hope that their children make the right choices when parents are not around. It's not always about how they are raised but what choices they make in life. I think this a great program. Kudos to North Carolina for coming up with a creative idea to help our young ladies plan for the future.
Saturday 27 June
By Heather
Mike, I am 20 years old. I have never been pregnant, I cannot believe that you would call all young people ignorant. That is a lie, a complete and utter lie. How dare you belittle all the young people out there who work SO hard to earn good grades and better themselves? I was raised with loving parents who have been married for 31 years. They have taught me so much; I can't believe that you are also insulting all the parents out there that HAVE produced smart kids who are wise to the world as well. You are the one who needs to open their eyes and look around and see whats really going on. I think that if any girl (or boy) can have a program that gives them a goal and also helps them with their future education then they should absolutely do it! It would be great if more schools had this program as the number of teen pregnancies is getting sky high these days. I only hope that the next time you decide to open your mouth you refrain from making generalizations and don't insult people who don't deserve to be insulted.
Saturday 27 June
By mkmzemetiva
You know what? You just summed up everything I was thinking about this issue. Nice.