I chuckled at this recent headline: "Is abstinence-only enoughfi" The only thing that can prevent unwanted pregnancies is abstinence. Offering birth control to teenagers has several negative effects:

1) They are not 100 percent foolproof. You give them a false sense of security and combine the "anguish" of getting pregnant with the sense of being lied to when they fail.

2) They further coddle an already indulgent generation and say, "Hey, you don't have to be responsible. We're going to fix everything for you. You can do whatever you want without facing the consequences of your actions."

3) Handing out birth control to teens takes the responsibility away from parents to talk with their children about what can be the most wonderful event in their life -- if it is handled with care.

Come on Utah Board of Education, stick to your guns. Let's teach our children the only sure way to not get pregnant is to abstain. Let's also teach them that having a family is a wonderful adventure, at the right time. It's worth waiting for. Abstinence is a great teacher of patience, true love and maturity. The opposite of indulgence.

Diona Wilson,

Provo