*** It's up to you as a parent to stay in touch with what's happening in your child's life. ***

This is my exact point. Did my parents know I was having sex as a teenager? No. Did my parents know I experimented with alcohol? No. Did my parents know I was offered joints in high school? No. Did my parents know I stole a magazine from a corner store on a dare when I was 12? No. Do I think they would've wanted to know? You betcha. Wouldn't most parents? Of course they would. Then why on earth would you accept the fact that parents in Florida may never be told their sweet, precious, darling little girls are having abortions? They can't get a tatoo or get Tylenol from their school without parental approval. It's even against the law for them to even have sex if they're under 16. Would you approve of your daughter having sex (protected or unprotected) as a sophomore in high school? Wouldn't you want to know? How is this any different?

My parents were (are) the best goddamn parents on this planet. I think they would want to know I was doing all of the above so they could address this issue right then and there. When I was a teenager I didn't know shit about responsibility. Neither do these pregnant teenagers in Florida. Keeping their pregnancy hidden from the parents is not going to make the problem go away. Keeping it from the parents may even de-sensitize the teenager. ("Hey. That wasn't so bad. I can do that again if I have to.") Oh yeah. That'll help.

Reg, on this we can agree; the government should always stay out of our personal lives. This decision is all about "privacy". But what's next? Teenagers suing their parents for violating their privacy and entering their bedroom without permission?  

(I'm soooo glad I don't have kids.)