Comments on: Study:25 percent low-income kids having sex; average age 12

By: Study:Low-income kids starting sex on average at 12 | A Blog for … | Finally! Be free from smoking

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:49:37 +0000

[...] admin wrote an intriguing post today onHere’s a little tasterIt was sickening to see some of these KIDS….and they were, 12-13-14…behaving in the ways I witnesses. I had a conversation about it with the studio owner…who is black. He said thats just how it is in certain neighborhoods. No daddys….little money…no attention school and grades. ….. Renee -you commented about people’s relationship to God helping the situation, but SO MANY of these folks are “deeply religious” but that doesn’t seem to apply to screwing. … [...]

By: Theresa Walsh Giarrusso

Theresa Walsh Giarrusso — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:48:52 +0000

Hey JJ — First off we are not handy — but I really felt like there were some other electrical problems at play — My car wouldn’t crank after you had doors opened — and it happened intermittently over a year so very odd —- I’m still not completely convinced there aren’t other problems but with a new battery will know if it happens again — I do have a good factory warranty on the car and replaced for free. Also noticed some of trim coming off that I have to go back forth but is also covered by warranty– so mostly just my time.

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:47:28 +0000

Upper class and middle class kids are also having sex and get pregnant. The difference is their parents cough up for an abortion so that no one has to know. Poor kids usually end up keeping the baby due to financial reasons (can’t afford the abortion) or moral (the fact that they feel they need to live up their mistake).

By: first time poster

first time poster — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:43:41 +0000

Mrs. O – that is pathetic…you should have called even if the “school” didn’t want to. You have a legal responsibility let alone a moral one to do so. You let that little girl down, just like everyone else.

By: JJ

JJ — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:37:47 +0000

Um Theresa, a car battery is probably the EASIEST Thing to replace. Unhook the two cables, lift the battery out, put the new one it, attach cables – 10 minutes maybe…….total cost $50.00. AND your husband should have told you that. No need to run to the dealer…..they only rip you off.

There you go, Powder Puff Mechanics 101…..

By: Mrs. O

Mrs. O — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:14:23 +0000

I don’t doubt the little girl was abused by a cousin or friend, maybe her own age. It could have happened while playing “house” or “mommy and daddy” for all I know. I know her lunches were also pitiful and the director wanted to give her free food from the church pantry which would have been fair if she offered free lunch to the full paying kids, too. (What she should have done was send a list of Bright from the Start nutritional guidelines home to empower the mom (who should have known better since she is supposedly a preschool teacher in Buckhead.) It’s unlikely the church board that runs the school would have a DFACS discussion; they just want to keep the doors open with whoever will come and stay out of the news.

By: HB

HB — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:14:01 +0000

Thanks for the new headline, Theresa! The title bar still has the original inaccurate title (sorry, but as a stats person, I have to disagree with you on its accuracy), so that may need to be fixed in the code. As part of my job, I also write for journals and blogs and often find coming up with title/headlines to be the toughest part of an article, so I feel your pain on having to settle on a clunky, yet accurate headline, but sometimes it’s the best a writer can do. :)

By: Mrs. O

Mrs. O — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:54:21 +0000

I don’t doubt that the girl was abused, or neglected (her lunches were often pitiful and her clothes dirty). The director claimed it was normal behavior but agreed it was not acceptable. I was the most convenient scapegoat and I can live with that. Of course, the school would have to handle that suspicions about abuse but would likely not call DFACS since the girl’s grandmother works in the baby room; the church board just wants to stay out of the news and keep the doors open with whomever will come.

I am misunderstand if I come across as someone putting down poor people. My point is too many cash strapped folk decide to have babies, knowing they are cash-strapped. And they decide to keep having more babies, knowing it will take tax payers’ dollars to help them keep their heads above water. Mamas and daddies should be able to pay all of the expenses, or not make babies. It’s not fair to see irresponsible people taking advantage of tax dollars, no matter how long or short the welfare time limit is.

By: JJ

JJ — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:39:40 +0000

Just look at they way these kids are dressing……short shorts, mini skirts, push up bras, etc. And that’s in Elementary school……

It is up to US as parents, to educate our children about sex, not the schools, not the grandparents, not the siblings, but the PARENTS. It is our job to educate our kids and guide them through life. I don’t know why parents are so afraid to talk to their kids about sex. I have had open dialogue with my kid about sex since she was 10 years old…….

It shouldn’t be scary, and you shouldn’t think they are too young. Give them age appropriate information that they can process at any age. Open the talking early, dont’ wait till they are in high school……..

And sex sells. Just watch the shows these kids are watching. There is sex in cartoons, Hanna Montanna, etc. Just about every show on tv has sexual references in them. It goes over the kids’ heads, but not the parents.

TALK TO YOUR KIDS!!!!!! IF you don’t, the little boy down the street will, or the kids on the bus will. Some will even show you what sex is………

Do you want other kids telling your kids about sex, or do you want to be the one to tell them?

By: Theresa Walsh Giarrusso

Theresa Walsh Giarrusso — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:34:54 +0000

Hey Guys — I have been out all morning with a dead battery in my mini-van (covered by warranty — awesome!) There have been some complaints about my headline and I wanted to tell you guys the process I went though on the headline. (It’s harder than it looks.)

Originally, I pulled from the Iowa State headline and tried to shorten to fit one line of space.
First thing this morning I had “Study: Low income kids started sex at 12 on overage”

One of regulars questioned the head. I am terrible with stats and was literally running about the door to get my car fixed so I took off the on average. I knew it was technically true to say that the study showed low income kids were starting sex by 12 — so that was the second head and the one that has stood for most of the day. (Looking back I actually think my first head was more accurate than the second — although neither was untrue.)

When I got home and read through all the comments I saw multiple complaints — While I do not think my headline was inaccurate, I also didn’t want people to think I was trying to sensationalize the news so after several rewrites I have a new headline:

Study:25 percent low-income kids having sex; average age 12

This is a very specific headline that is very ugly to an editor’s eye. But I don’t want people to think I am trying to sensationalize the news.

Hopefully that gives some insight into what editors consider as they are writing headlines for stories. We are always trying to be accurate with the information and represent the story truthfully. We are also working with space constraints and hopefully can make it interesting enough to draw the reader in without misleading him/her.