The teen pregnancy rate is up? I've noticed that in my classroom for the last several years.

In a troubling reversal, the nation's teen birth rate rose for the first time in 15 years, surprising government health officials and reviving the bitter debate about abstinence-only sex education.

The birth rate had been dropping since its peak in 1991, although the decline had slowed in recent years. On Wednesday, government statisticians said it rose 3 percent from 2005 to 2006.

The reason for the increase is not clear, and federal health officials said it might be a one-year statistical blip, not the beginning of a new upward trend.

However, some experts said they have been expecting a jump. They blamed it on increased federal funding for abstinence-only health education that doesn't teach teens how to use condoms and other contraception.

Some key sexually transmitted disease rates have been rising, including syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. The rising teen pregnancy rate is part of the same phenomenon, said Dr. Carol Hogue, an Emory University professor of maternal and child health.

"It's not rocket science," she said.

It is no statistical blip. Take it from the guy with a half-dozen pregnant girls in his classes this fall, including two who are so far along that I daily expect to have to deliver the baby in my classroom. I know which of my girls have "pink passes" from the nurse that get them all sorts of special privileges (come late, leave early, virtually unrestricted right to leave during class, etc) due to their condition. I noticed the change about three years ago, so the timing with regard to this report seems about right.

Why the change? Easy -- there's no stigma to having a baby at 15, and even certain benefits in the peer group. Besides, when we get the glorification of the "Baby Mama" culture out there, combined with the generally degrading attitude towards women as sex objects actively promoted by the rap culture of popular music, more sex is going to happen -- and more babies are sure to follow.

And by the way, these folks talking about abstinence education don't know how it is taught in practice. yes, abstinence is promoted, but birth control is discussed in these same classes. heck, as conservative as the state of Texas is, all you have to do is look at the state standards for health education to realize that students are hearing about their contraception options.