Persuasive Speech Outline

Specific Purpose Statement: To persuade my audience to support the teaching of sexual education in schools today to prevent teenage pregnancy.

Introduction
I. It’s 3am and being a 17 year girl tucked away in your bed nice and warm; you hear blood curdling scream from the room next door. No it’s not an intruder it’s your two week old baby ready for his 3rd diaper change. II. By supporting the teaching of real life situations from sexual choices and education regarding pregnancy prevention, more teenagers will have access to appropriate information to make informed choices. III.

A. Teenage pregnancy is a problem for all involved. It puts a great strain on not only the young mother, but also on her parents who, more often than not, end up with the new baby in their family home, often having to look after it while the baby’s parents are at school if they go back or try to work to support the new child. As well as the strain on basic tax payers who fund State Assistance funds that several young parents end up on. B. Teen pregnancies in today’s society have become a growing issue and have been brought to the limelight with media attention so it is important to teach our kids the reality of their choices by providing education and real life information regarding their choices.

Showing the teens what life is like after the baby is born in real life as opposed to what they imagine and see on TV would create an impact. C. When we have more comprehensive education available to the teenagers, they will be able to see what consequences their choices would have on not only their futures but can see how their choices would impact all of those around them. With the right information given to them they will be able to make more informed decisions which will let them have better careers, and society will benefit as a whole.

Body

I. Teenage pregnancy is a problem for all involved. It puts a great strain on not only the young mother, but also on her parents who, more often than not, end up with the new baby in their family home, often having to look after it while the baby’s parents are at school if they go back or try to work to support the new child. As well as the strain on basic tax payers who fund State Assistance funds that several young parents end up on. A. Although rates here are declining, the U.S. has the highest rates of teen pregnancy, birth, and abortion in the industrialized world. In fact, the U.S. teen pregnancy and birth rates are nearly double Canada’s, at least four times those of France and Germany, and more than eight times that of Japan.(5) 1. A new study by the Guttmacher Institute states that a leading reproductive health research and advocacy group estimates that unintended pregnancies cost U.S. taxpayers an estimated $11.1 billion dollars a year. Nearly two-thirds of unintended pregnancies — roughly a million births — are publicly funded by Medicaid and other government programs. (6)

B. Out of high school drop outs, pregnant teens are the most likely to do so. Because of this, young teen mothers are more likely to encounter financial struggles and economic insecurity as they try to raise their child. According to a recent study, many pregnant teens and teen mothers report they would have stayed in school if they had received greater support from the adults at the school.(7) 1. It is listed that 70% of all the students that drop out early due so due to teen pregnancy. And currently only 10% of teens that are pregnant finish school and do not drop out.

II. Teen pregnancies in today’s society have become a growing issue and have been brought to the limelight with media attention so it is important to teach our kids the reality of their choices by providing education and real life information regarding their choice. Showing the teens what life is like after the baby is born in real life as opposed to what they imagine and see on TV would create an impact. A. According to a study in 2008 there is increasing evidence that youth exposure to sexual “content on television shapes sexual attitudes and behavior in a manner that may influence reproductive health outcomes” (1) 1.

Today it is hard to find a person who hasn’t seen or at least heard of the TV shows, 16 and Pregnant or Teen Mom, which puts a positive spin on teen pregnancy, but what the teens that are obsessed with these shows don’t think about is not every situation has the same outcome as in these shows. a. Adolescents who are exposed to more sexual content in the media, and who perceive greater support from the media for teen sexual behavior, report greater intentions to engage in sexual intercourse and more sexual activity. Mass media are an important context for adolescents’ sexual socialization, and media influences should be considered in research and interventions with early adolescents to reduce sexual activity. (2)

III. When we have more comprehensive education available to the teenagers, they will be able to see what consequences their choices would have on not only their futures but can see how their choices would impact all of those around them. With the right information given to them they will be able to make more informed decisions which will let them have better careers, and society will benefit as a whole.

A. Abstinence only sexual education programs are not effective in preventing teenage pregnancy. In fact there is not any proof that it is any kind of deterrent for any sexual activity. There are several theories that when Youth are told “not” to do something it pushes them into doing it faster.

B. Evaluations of comprehensive sex education programs show that these programs can help youth delay onset of sexual activity, reduce the frequency of sexual activity, reduce number of sexual partners, and increase condom and contraceptive use. Importantly, the evidence shows youth who receive comprehensive sex education are NOT more likely to become sexually active, increase sexual activity, or experience negative sexual health outcomes

Conclusion
I. .
A. Teenage pregnancy is a problem for all involved. It puts a great strain on not only the young mother, but also on her parents who, more often than not, end up with the new baby in their family home, often having to look after it while the baby’s parents are at school if they go back or while they try to work to support the new child. As well as the strain on basic tax payers who fund State Assistance funds that several young parents end up
on.

B. Teen pregnancies in today’s society have become a growing issue and have been brought to the limelight with media attention so it is important to teach our kids the reality of their choices by providing education and real life information regarding their choices. Showing the teens what life is like after the baby is born in real life as opposed to what they imagine and see on TV would create an impact.

C. When we have more comprehensive education available to the teenagers, they will be able to see what consequences their choices would have on not only their futures but can see how their choices would impact all of those around them. With the right information given to them they will be able to make more informed decisions which will let them have better careers, and society will benefit as a whole.

II. I know that I am asking you to think about a topic that for a lot of people is a Taboo subject and there are some of you out there that don’t see any problems at all with the way things are now. Just imagine that it is your child, or family member that is thinking how much fun it would be to have a baby just like Maci from Teen Mom, wouldn’t you want to have her taught that yes babies are fun but they are also work. They are not accessories like Coach Purse that when you are done you can put away. A child is a lifetime responsibility. I would hope that you will support the education of real life choices.

III. I’m not saying that if we tell every single teenager out there that babies are bad and you have to wait then they will. What I am asking for is instead bring in a real life baby with colic or one that is teething during the week in health when they talk about reproduction. Show the pictures of what the teen moms actually looked like after birth and being up all night with a baby instead of all the fun baby shower images and cute little family picture moments. Show them REAL life parenting. I know that’s not going to change every single teenage girls mind. Because when I was 16 I thought that I could take on the world, but I think that if they are shown some of the real life struggles that they are going to encounter then it might wake a few of them up.