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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 17, 1986)
Editorial Address the root of teen birth If a recent congressional study is accurate, the problem of teen-age pregnancy will continue to grow in epidemic proportions. The billions of federal welfare dollars that sup port women who gave birth as teen-agers would be better spent in efforts to prevent unintended teen-age pregnancy. The Select Committee on Children. Youth and Families reported last week that “there is no focused approach to solving the complex problems of teen pregnancy at any level of government.” According to the survey, an estimated 1 million unwanted teen-age pregnancies occur each year in the United States, resulting in 400.000 abortions and 500,000 births. 55 percent of the live births are to unwed mothers. Teens also have more complications during pregnancies and births, and their children are more prone to illness, mor tality, and physical and mental disabilities. Teen-agers have more low-birth-weight babies than older women because of poor nutrition and medical care early in their pregnancies. Only about half of the girls who give birth before they are 18 finish high school, compared to 96 percent of those who have children later. The congressional researchers cited an Urban League study that found that unmarried mothers are more likely to live in poverty. This situation has led many to claim that the “feminization of poverty” is a cycle that begins with teen mothers — 71 percent of women under 30 who receive Aid to Families with Dependent Children had their first child as a teen-ager. In addition, the economic situation has worsened tne ability of young men to earn high wages, leaving them less willing to assume responsibility for a family. Thus, the number of unwed mothers has increased from 15 percent in 1960 to 55 percent in 1983. Economic problems are compounded by women’s wage-earning inferiority. If an adult female worker makes 60 cents for every dollar earned by her male counterpart, it is important to note that teen-age girls make even less. In 1984. 65 percent of teen-age wage earners could not make enough money to pull a single-income family with one child out of poverty. And jobs themselves are scarce — the teen-age unemployment rate is about 18 percent. And federal AFDC and welfare rules promote the fragmentation of potential families. Households in which a male is present — regardless of his breadwinning status —* receive little or no aid. Young families are encouraged to separate because in many states, AFDC funds are a more stable source of income than low-wage jobs. The congressional study stressed that pregnancy prevention programs like health education, and contracep tion information and services “receive much less emphasis than programs for already pregnant and parenting teens." Indeed, recent studies have shown teen-agers in the United States are misinformed or ignorant about sex itself, as well as its ramifications. Scholars at Johns Hopkins University found only one in three sexually active teens 15 to 19 years old nationwide uses birth control. The Alan Guttmacher Institute, a research affiliate of Planned Parenthood, reported the United States is ranked near the top of industrialized nations in teen birthrates. Clearly, the vast sums spent by the government have not eased the problem of teen pregnancies. A national program promoting family planning would, over time, lower the rate of teen-age pregnancies and lessen the demand for welfare assistance. Without a shift of priorities in the form of pregnancy prevention, the rise of poverty among women and children will continue unchecked, as will the trend of single-parent families. On Feb. 7. the Emerald said that the Onjgon Student Public Interest. Research Croup should be charged rent for its EMU .of fice space. We disagree . The purpose. of the Erb Memorial Union is to augment the educational opportunities of students, encourage participa tion in thecommunity. develop' democratic principles and-! ideals and complement campus life. OSPIRG definitely fits that descript ion. .Students here at . the University .of . Oregon created - OSPIRG in 1971 as a way to enrich their education while working on issues of con cern to them. Through OSPIRG. students learn how to conduct research on public-policy issues, com pile that research jnto reports and testimony, and present the research to the media, to public officials and to the community at large. ° In short, students, through OSPIRG, learn what it means to be a responsible citizen in this society, and in learning this, they are able to have an impact on public policy and the quality Oregon Daily Emerald The Oregon Daily Emerald la published Monday through Friday except during exam week and vacations by the Oregon Dally Emerald Publishing Co , at the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, S7403 The Emerald operates Independently of the University with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union and is a member of the Associated Press The Emerald is private property. The unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable by law. General Staff Advertising Director Susan Thelen Production Manager Russell Steele Classified Advertising Vince Adams Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales: David Wood Sales Manager, John Boiler, Michael Gray, Robin Joannides. Carlos Lamadrid, Marcia Leonard, Shawn Leuthold, Julie Lewis, Catherine Lilja, Anne-Marie Vranizan, Laura Willoughby. Production: Vince Adams, Kelly Alexandre, Lynne Casey, Shu-Shing Chen, Ellen Cross, Monica Dwyer, Stormi Dykes, Manuel Flores, Steve Gibbons, Rob Hare, Mary Lewis, Jim Marks, Ross Martin, Mary May. Mary McGonigal, Rob Miles. Angie Muniz, Kara Oberst, Charta Parker, Ken Parrott, Jennifer Peterson, Jim Pfaff, Geoff Rainville, Michele Ross, Alyson Simmons. Peg Solonika, Gregory Tipps Editor Managing Editor News Editor Editorial Page Editor Assistant Editorial Page Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Friday Edition Editor Sidelines Editor Night Editor Associate Editors Community Higher Education Student Activities Student Government University Affairs Julie Shippen Michelle Brence Jolayne Houtz Michelle Brence Scott Harding Robert Coi'ias Karen Stallwood Sheila Landry Allan Lazo Julie Shippen Scott McFetrldge Andrew LaMar Mary Lichtenwalner Linda Hahn Kirsten Bolin Reporters Tony Ahern, Sean Axmaker, Dan Coran, Kim Kaady. Capi Lynn, Chris Norred, Chuck Thompson, B.J. Thomsen. Photographers: Kamila Al-Na|iar, Shu-Shing Chen, Maria Corvallis. Steve Gibbons, Rob Hare. Oerrel Hewitt, Jim Marks, Ross Martin. News and Editorial 6M-S511 Display Advertising and Business 6M-3712 Classified Advertising MS-4343 Production S8S-43SI Circulation MS-SS11 of life in’ Oregon. For 15 year*, students at'this University have supported OSPIRG For 15 years, the. EMU Board has seen OSPIRG as a stu dent group 'and as a group en titled, to rent-free spare, • The EMU Board recently changed* ijs< rental” policy, rp- - qulring groups'like (iSJMKj, -1< * * gq through an appeals-process' in order to receive .rent-free of fice, space. The Board's .inten tion is to prqvide rent ;fren "space to student groups.; During the appeaI,' therefore, OSPIRG will justify its status as a student group and define its relation ship to the purpose of the EMU. OSPIRG in its very nature is a student group. Because OSPIRG is accountable to students through the referendum process and through a student-elected governing board, we believe that the group is entitled to rent free space. Each spring. OSPIRG surveys the student body at the U of O to determine the issues students are concerned about. Each spring, students elect a local board to provide leader ship. OSPIRG is a student group because students control it. OSPIRG is' a statewide stu dent organization active on many campuses in Oregon. This allows students to pool resources and work together on a larger scale and makes OSPIRG’s work effective. This group of students maintains a professional staff to aid students in their research and teach them valuable skills. Four students from the University of Oregon and representatives from other campuses serve as directors of the Oregon Student Public In terest Research Group. In 1983, these students form ed another corporation, the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group, to allow the citizens of Oregon the oppor tunity to support the learning experience of .students, “to ex (land OSPIRG’s legU'latiyep.eo gram'and .id inypl.ve* Oregon!*'; voters. in ' citizen ...pdU.Hcs'v Citizens donate uwney.because ... they Ixdieve. the jyoVk -befog dbne by students i*,linpartant'„ _ and they want-to see this Work contlnue'tq-’grow.* TfiV citizen cent ribiilio’ris. are obtained 'through • cSjSPIRCI's . canvass.-pfogram.; In 198.3; • QSPlRCi- received permission • ’ from "t he cha.tr of theEMU Hoard to.run the iutnm^r canvass out . of -Suite 1. Permisii^i was ob tained from the Hoard the following year as well. Several members of the current board have been aware of this practice since then, as have other people associated with the EMU. There has never been a problem with , this. Only recently has OSPIRG been informed that this nractice is inappropriate. If thi; Is the case. OSPIRG will discontinue running the canvass out of the EMU. This spring, as is prescribed in the ASUO constitution, OSPIRG will run a referendum to determine student support and ask for an increase in fun ding. OSPIRG has always felt that the decision to support OSPIRG should be made by the entire student body. It is the opinion of the Emerald that OSPIRG's funding should be investigated. We agree. All students should be aware of the voice they have in OSPIRG's operation, as well as the control they exercise on how OSPIRG's money is spent. By Maureen Kirk and Erik Nilsson Maureen Kirk in a local OSPtRG hoard chair and a IJnlvarsity sophomore majoring In English. Erik Nilsson is an OSPIRG vice chair and a University senior majoring in computer science.