The following are Reproductive Justice editorials written by the Female Leadership Academy:


Comprehensive Sex Education
Spring 2008
According to statistics twenty five percent of sexually active teens in Tulare County become infected with an STD, seventy five percent that are sexually active become pregnant (No Time for Complacency report). Should sex education be taught as a basic life skill to all high school and middle school students? There are many pros and cons dealing with this matter, but overall it would have a positive impact on our society. Several argue against it, believing that as a social issue it should be handled outside of the educational system. Personally, I view this as essential information that should be properly taught to every individual. Many agree with me as well, knowing that the reality is, if not taught as core curriculum, it may never be learned. It is important that the information given be accurate, so that students are not misled. Being well informed makes all of the difference.
In the community that we live in, the topic of sex education is often overlooked. An issue that many parents have with sex education being taught to their children in the public school system is defining what is appropriate and at which age. It is a complete myth that most Californians believe sex education should only be taught in high school. The fact of the matter is that 78 percent of Californians believe their local school district should require sex-education in both middle and high school (NARAL Sex-Ed Kit 6). It is vital that we monitor the education system; to be sure the teachings are teen comprehensive at both age levels. In this day and age, the sooner our youth is well informed, the better chance they have of making the right choices.
Another myth is that sex education encourages teens to have sex. In fact, young people who receive comprehensive instructions on abstinence, contraception, STD prevention, and awareness delay the initiation of sex, have fewer partners, and have less unprotected sex (NARAL Sex-Ed Kit 6). This information will not only get teens through school with the knowledge to make the right choices, but knowledge that will be used throughout their entire life. Abstinence-Only programs teach teens that is their only option and censor important health information about birth control and contraception, whereas comprehensive Sex-Ed promotes abstinence as the best way to stay healthy and avoid pregnancy, as well as providing important health information about birth control and STD prevention (NARAL Sex-Ed Kit 7). Therefore, if not taught in public schools, students are left to learn it the hard way. Educating students on sex could be the key to a healthier society.
There are many different positive aspects to teaching comprehensive sex-education to both middle and high school students. Sex education should be a basic life skill, taught to every student. Even with some opposing factors, this topic still ends up having a positive impact on our general community. California has two laws ensuring that our public schools teach medically accurate, age-appropriate, comprehensive sex education, which is known as SB 71 and AB 629. Schools districts can opt out all together from teaching any type of sex education that leads to a real disadvantage for students. Visalia Unified is supposedly up to par and that is subject to debate. Visalia Unified looks great on paper, but are teachers being monitored? Unfortunately, very few schools act on this issue, particularly in Tulare County, such as in Cutler and Orosi who fail to teach comprehensive sex education, and are known for the highest teen pregnancy rates. I suggest parents get involved and start monitoring classrooms to be sure their children are getting the right info that isn’t Abstinence based! Why aren’t more people acting on this issue? I don’t know the answer to that, all I know is that things would be very different if they were.
Korri Faria, Class of 2008




The War Against Women
Spring 2008
The amazing Dolores Huerta spoke shortly about the war on women at the Latina Leadership Network Conference held in San Jose this last March. I, too, agree that there is a war on us women. One of the main issues is having access to birth control. And with that said brings me to my issue. Having access to birth control is an issue that affects women in our county and we need to bring awareness to this issue!
Prices will be rising if we don’t act on this now. Birth control pills take just a few cents to make and pharmaceutical companies are trying to raise the price to forty dollars for a monthly supplement of birth control! We need to be aware of the consequences if this was to occur. I can see it already. People will stop using birth control pills because it will be too pricey. Women and young ladies who come from low income families will not feel that it is accessible. So not only are we trying to get all people to be protected if they are sexually active but now we expect for them to take on another “bill”. I love being on birth control; I love the feeling of having control of myself and being able to make my own decisions.
Being able to control unwanted pregnancies is crucial for everyone, especially women. With the higher prices in fuel and low minimum wages, it is definitely a struggle and a sacrifice that we have to make. Women have needs and I feel that people are not being considerate or respectful to that. Increasing prices will only bring more unwanted pregnancies and abortions; this will segregate a portion of our population which will basically state that birth control is not for them.
We as women, whether we are sexually active at the present moment or not, need to keep birth control as an option. We need to fight for what is our right, which is to have birth control accessible to us. Raising the prices of birth control pills is not helping women out in anyway. It is only slowly taking our rights away from us. Stand strong ladies; don’t let them take it from us!
Vanessa Suarez, Class of 2008


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Above is a picture of Vanessa Suarez speaking to over 600 people in April 2008 at Planned Parenthood Capitol Day.


Sex Education in Orosi
Spring 2008
I want to address something that should concern every parent and teenager. The fact is the that Cutler/Orosi area has little resources on sex education. there is only one clinic for the whole Cutler/Orosi and its surrounding areas, Which is always jam-packed.
Many people may think that the high school has a sex education class, but let me tell you that is untrue. For I am a high school senior in orosi and have not received such class.
Some people might think that this is not such an important topic, but let me tell you that when kids that haven’t finished school are having children themselves because they haven’t received the basic information on sex education it is an issue. Especially since it could have been prevented through comprehensive education.
As if that wasn’t enough the legislatures are now trying to pass a ten percent budget cut on medi-cal. How is that going to help at all with this problem In a town where the population heavily depends on
medi-cal and similar programs. Our only clinic will most likely end up getting shut down or its quality of health care being affected. Hopefully my opinion will be taken into consideration and have more people taking this topic more seriously.
Teen pregnancy, access to reproductive health care services and the California budget are issues that affect me and my community.
Claudia Garcia, Class of 2007 & 2008




Abstinence-Based Education
Spring 2008
“Should Education be Abstinence-Based?” This is definitely a valid question and was the title of a “point/counterpoint” article in Golden West High School’s newspaper, the Pathfinder. This was not a reason to be concerned until I read who the two teachers going head-to-head were. Taking the “no” stance in this controversial issue was an English teacher and taking the “yes” stance was a health/biology teacher. Please take note that the teacher saying “yes” sex-education should abstinence-based is a health sciences teacher and is in charge of educating teens at Golden West High School about sex.
As is well known, according to SB71, every California school district has choice to make about sex education. That decision is to either teach comprehensive sex education or completely opt-out of teaching sex education all together. While many school districts have decided to opt-out of comprehensive sex education Visalia Unified School District or VUSD has decided to continue teaching comprehensive sex-ed. This leads me to my dilemma: Why would a VUSD health teacher write that she personally believes that sex education should be abstinence-based?
When reading her statements in the Pathfinder I could not help but wonder what a health class taught by this particular teacher would be like. I cannot imagine that this class is upholding the laws of California and therefore they should not be teaching health-education in public school. Furthermore, some of the statements made in the article seem to be unauthorized. For example, “When teens are sexually active and decide to break up the relationship, it is like going through a divorce”. When reading this sentence I would have liked to know where they got this information from, because I have never in my life read a study that showed that statement to be true. It seems to me that majority of their reasons are all based on a personal belief system that is not implemented into our public school system. In the end, upholding the laws of California seems to me to be more important than upholding a personal belief that many do not agree with…especially when it comes to our education.
Holly Thompson, Class of 2007 & 2008


Lack of Proper Sexual Education
Spring 2007

Our communities teen pregnancy and Sexually Transimited Infections rate is appalling. In order to lower these rates what our teens need is better sex education. The lack of proper education when it comes to birth control and protection against STIs is something I’ve been aware of for quite some time, but it was only last year that I truly understood how little knowledge many had in this area. Last year a German foreign exchange student brought it to my attention that many students she had talked with were sexually active, yet not taking the proper precautions. When talking with these students she got the idea that one of the reasons they weren’t taking the proper precautions was lack of knowledge when it came to birth control, turns out she was completely right. I recently asked a class of High School Jr.’s enrolled in a health career program a series of questions regarding Emergency Contraceptives. A few had heard of it, but most were clueless on what it was, let alone where to go if needed. I asked the class of 21 (including a teacher and Senior visiting) who had heard of Emergency Contraceptives, only 5 had, when I asked the question again referring to it as “the morning after pill” ten raised their in the affirmative and only 7 people knew where to get the pill. When I asked the age at which one could legally obtain these pills from a pharmacy I was greeted with “any age” and few obscure ages, some which were correct. Some of these people were sexually active!

We have health classes, shouldn’t such matters be covered? The problem is while birth control information is given in classes it’s not a main focus. Not enough information is provided on the forms of birth control and where to find them. These kids aren’t informed, and therefore when they feel they are emotionally ready for sex they aren’t prepared simply because of the lack of coverage of such topics in school. If more detailed information was given then when they were emotionally ready for sex they would also be prepared to protect themselves against pregnancies and infections.

by Lauren Fitzgerald, Class of 2007

Sex Education in Orosi
Spring 2007
I’ve been dumbfounded by the idea that Orosi High School has no sex education classes, but that is exactly what’s been going on for a while. I mean there is a child development class offered but I hardly think it substitutes for a sex ed class since for one they do not talk about protection from pregnancy. They also don’t talk about sexually transmitted diseases or about sex education in general. So I don’t think we have a class that can be considered sex ed. and I as an OHS student am concerned that the school doesn’t offer it and am even more concerned that no one has tried to do anything about it.

To make my point, consider the fact that we’ve had three babies abandoned outside houses in our town in the last two years. It’s said that the mothers were probably teenagers and since there aren’t any safe places a baby can be dropped off without fear of being announced to the entire community. Causing readers of this paper to point the finger and go around ranting about how ignorant we Orosi residents are about these things. Yet no one has demanded sex education classes for all students. If you read statistics it says that Cutler/Orosi ranks in the second highest percentage of teen pregnancies in the nation so yeah I do think a sex ed class would be a good start to lowering down the teen pregnancy rate. I know there is a clinic in town where there is access to birth control, but a lot of teens aren’t aware of it and they need to be informed.

So in conclusion, I as a student at a school that doesn’t offer sex ed classes, believes that every high school should offer sex ed classes to all their students. It shouldn’t be an elective class, but a required class because the information it gives us will be useful especially for our health.

By Claudia Garcia, Class of 2007 & 2008


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Teen Pregnancy and Access
Spring 2007
Teen pregnancy. A term that society is all too familiar with. A term that Tulare County is too familiar and comfortable with. Yet, teen pregnancy seems to be commonly overlooked or ignored by most people.
This is unsettling considering that Tulare County averages about 86 births per 1,000 teens compared to the state average of 56.7 births per 1,000 teens.

What is to blame for so many young women becoming pregnant? Personally, I think there are many causes that help to attribute to teen pregnancy.
The most important reason is the lack of knowledge young women receive about sex and the dangers that come with being sexually active.
Teens are not receiving all the information needed to prevent a pregnancy, such as contraception.

Talking about sex, whether in a classroom or at home, seems to be considered taboo throughout the conservative area that makes up the Central Valley. The mind set appears to be that if it is not discussed, it just won't happen.

Wrong.

Expecting teens to commit to "abstinence only" is not realistic in today's society. Although many feel the contrary is wrong, it is reality.

So why not help to make sexually active teens safer by providing them with the knowledge they need? Teens should be educated about sex starting early on, considering that 30 percent of teen pregnancies occur between the age of 15 and 17.

Maybe if we accept that the problem is real, and not going away, we will take the precautions needed to decrease the amount of teen pregnancies our area continues to maintain. Giving teens all the information needed will not encourage promiscuity, but it will help to ensure that healthy decisions are being made by today's youth.

by Lauren Gray, Class of 2007

Emergency Contraception
Spring 2007

Emergency contraception, also known as the morning-after pill, is a type of birth control that prevents pregnancy after having sex. Emergency contraception should not be used as the only form of protection against pregnancy. This contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases. People are against the morning-after pill because they believe that it will be abused and used the wrong way. This form of contraception is not an abortion either, as many people think.

Many women have used this pill to help prevent an unwanted pregnancy when other forms of birth control have failed. or just having that extra precaution. You hear people say now, "If you're not ready to support a child then don't have sex." Well this statement may be accurate but, realistically it's not true. Teens are making the choice of being sexually active. If you make the choice to have sex, at least make sure you're taking the right precautions. Why not take this pill right away or as soon as possible? You have five days after you have had sex to make this pill effective. It's best to take it right away. Its effectiveness decreases as each day passes. Why take the risk? Do what's right and protect yourself. If used correctly, we believe this pill will bring down our high teen pregnancy rates all over California.

by Brittani Miller and Linda Huerta, Class of 2007