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Teen pregnancy in media fuels unnecessary fuss
t M ary V v OOD _______________
Staff ReDOrter
Reporter
criticized the movie "Juno,"
"Juno,
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which portrays a teen girl
who becomes
pregnant and
gives the
How teens are affected by
the media and how they
receive sexual education
< 0
have always been a
controversial topic.
Recently, they've
been combining to
create another realm
of controversy:
should pop culture
be responsible
for sending
more realistic
messages about the
consequences
of sex?
Over the
on the
"Newsweek"
website
berating the media
for its portrayal of teenage
pregnancy. It complained
about the lack of discussion
about birth control in movies
and on TV and criticized the
unrealistic ease with which
teenagers in fiction and in
H ollyw ood manage their
pregnancies.
It's true that pop culture
doesn't send a very realistic
or informed message
about teen pregnancy,
but it doesn't really need
to. The creators of shows
and movies involving
pregnancy aren't making
them to be shown in health
classes; they're made for
entertainment and shouldn't
be looked to as guidelines
for life.
While praising "Baby
Borrowers, " a reality show
made to teach teens the
difficulties of raising
children, the article
O
provides a website (www.
ctcnr+Don
rifVi m more
n ro
stayteen.org) lA with
information. I think this
show is doing more than
its part to make up for any
unrealistic ideas it gives off.
X
baby up f°r
Seventeen-year-old
^ adoption
celebrity Jamie Lynn Spears
with
was also attacked for giving
ease. It
teens unrealistic expectations
suggested
replacing a about what they would be
able to do for a child. Her
line about
ability to buy expensive toys
knowing
and baby clothes and to hire
when to
wait with, a nanny whenever she needs
I thought I was referred to as "fake." Of
course, the vast majority of
teens couldn't do that if they
the responsibility of parents,
C anrl
-'fr»rc fro
schools
and ri rw
doctors
to
inform adolescents about
sexual safety.
It shouldn't be assumed
that all teenagers will take
the messages in movies
and on television to
heart. We can be naive,
but I don't think we're
all that stupid. With the
proper guidance from
knowledgeable adults, we
can understand the reality
of teen pregnancy while
enjoying entertainment that
doesn't always show its
consequences.
Construction causes considerable
inconvenience for students, staff
C ole H ulden
raised
you to use a condom."
Although using condoms is
a great message for teens (or
anyone) having sex, "Juno"
isn't necessarily where the
message should be spread.
When Diablo Cody wrote
the script, she was probably
trying to create a feature
film, not a sex ed video. She
shouldn't have to include
health tips.
The article also mentioned
that in the show "The Secret
Life of the American Teenager,"
it's never discussed how
Amy, the main character, got
pregnant in the first place. I
think most would know that
some form of unprotected
sex was involved, and those
who don't can find out with
the message at the end of the
show. After every episode
Shailene Woodley, the actress
that plays Amy, encourages
teens and parents to talk to
each other about sex and
West Linn High School, 5464 West A Street, West Linn, OR 97068
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not necessarily the opinions of West Linn High School, its administration,
faculty, staff, or student body.
V
E d ito rs-in -C h ief
C h r is E rb in
A d a m H o lm e s
C a lle y L a th ro p
B u sin ess Editors:
Avery Breyne-C artw right
M ary Wood
S ectio n Editors
N ew s: C alley Lathrop
Forum : A d a m H o lm e s
Features: C h r is E rb in
S p o r ts : M a x H a y s
Entertainm ent: Jennifer Sitton
Photo Editor: H annah Zaayer
Su p p ort S ta ff: Zack M ueller
were to have a baby, but it
ic is
\ r c very
r r \ r real
r Qnoarc
Io
real f n for
Spears. \ A We
don't get so fired up about
adult celebrities spoiling
their children more than
most parents could, so teen
celebrities shouldn't be held
to a different standard.
It's great that there
is concern about teens
having the information
they need about protecting
themselves from the
consequences of teen
pregnancy, but we shouldn't
try to force the media to
be the one conveying that
information. It should be
Staff Reporters
Austin Cummins, Dillon
George, Carly Halverson,
Sydney Hongo, Alicia Hueñi,
Cole Hulden, Dylan Lotspeich,
Sarah Lund, Libby Mathes, Erin
Robertson, Tamra Schelot,
Jackie Steeh, Valorie Wallace
Photographers
Avery Breyne-Cartwright,
Austin Cummins, Sydney
Hongo, Zack Mueller, Jennifer
Sitton, Tamra Schelot
Adviser
Ann Breyne
Staff Reporter
Due to the recent
construction, students and
staff faced 5-10 minutes
delays, and although
that doesn't really seem
that bad for the patient,
all that wasted time can
be annoying. These few
minutes can really take a toll
on your daily routine and
when added over the course
of a month, it could add
up to almost four hours of
waiting. But some students
find ways to get around
the construction, which
saves time, and gas
(which is now over
$3.50 a gallon).
The Skyline
Road construction
started in July,
but the end
date has
not been
posted. The
^ mam
reason for the
delays is
the resurfacing of the road.
This makes them have to cut
off half of the road, making
cars funnel into one lane. But
seeing as the road goes all
the way up the hill, waiting
for your turn to "funnel" can
take quite a while. You either
just go right through or you
may have to wait up to ten
minutes.
Some have resorted to
taking other routes to get to
school, or just to get around.
Taylor Swanson, sophomore,
makes use of Highway 43
to get
t around the
construction.
Brent Bailey,
junior, has
been
affected
by it
every
day before school started,
and ends up arriving home
about 10 minutes later.
Students that ride the bus
can also be impacted, not
only by construction, but
other traffic as well. When
drivers get backed up in
traffic, it makes it hard for
the buses to get out. Buses '
are obviously rather large
and hard to maneuver, even
on the road itself. With
cars in the way, it certainly
doesn't make it any easier.
Students on the bus may get
home upwards of 20 minutes
late due to the construction.
Finding parking spots for
people without them is a
real hassle. It's hard enop
to get one that's within a
few miles, especially if it's a
bad construction day. And
considering how many
other students are looking
for a spot. If you have a late
morning and you're trying
your best to get to school on
time, there is nothing you
can do about waiting 10
minutes for traffic.
Construction is
usually done for our
benefit, whether
we know it or
not. It could be
making a street
wider, resurfacing it, or
dealing with cracks in the
road, or, as in this case,
Qwest installing conduit for
new cable in order to update
the infrastructure.
So go around the
construction, allow extra
time for driving or take
alternate routes. Above all,
be patient.
Drinking, driving, deciding: teen rights,
responsibilities come into question
C alley L athrop
Staff Reporter
Until the age of 21, we
all have age restrictions for
driving, voting. These laws
have been created because
lawmakers and voters are
under the impression that
we are too immature to
make responsible decisions
regarding our health and
our country. All of these
laws need to be reviewed,
as times have changed and
many teenagers are ready
to embrace adulthood...
and the decisions that come
with it.
Alcohol is a substance
that is, consumed by people
of all ages, whether it is
legal or not. It seems that
the only difference between
drinking at the age of 18
and 21 is that a 21-year-old
can stroll into the bar and
have a drink, while teens
are breaking the law. Peer
pressure is very influential
when it comes to drinking.
Some believe that if the age
were lowered, it would be
less of a mystery and teens
would be less likely to try it
out of curiosity.
A teenager's brain is
nm lams 1er teens_______
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