WHEN AMERICANS SPEAK about "teen pregnancy" they are invariably referring to the problem of teen pregnancy. The concern over teen pregnancy is so great in this country that the federal government allotted $50 million each year from 1998 to 2002 to fund programs to teach abstinence. Indeed, in 1998 and 1999 the federal government and some of the states cofunded 698 new programs. In addition to these programs, government policymakers, private foundations, school administrators, doctors, religious leaders, teachers, and parents intensely debate the causes of teen pregnancy and discuss ways to reduce it.

Personal responsibility

Of course, teens themselves are not excluded as subjects of this debate. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to reduce teen pregnancy rates) reports that 95 percent of American adults and 85 percent of teenagers believe that society should encourage teens to stay abstinent...