Title
Authorizing Council's Committee on Public Health and Human Services to hold public hearings for the purpose of examining existing programs and services available to at-risk adolescent girls; examining methods of continuing and strengthening such programs and developing new programs; and exploring potential sources of funding, in order to encourage young women to follow pathways that lead to the completion of their educations, economic independence and good citizenship.
Body
WHEREAS, Adolescence is a transitional and formative period during which teenagers are subject to numerous peer demands and pressures; some of which unfortunately, may result in unhealthy behaviors that could have a permanent negative impact upon a teenager's life; and
WHEREAS, Such unhealthy influences and behaviors pose a threat to not only young men but to young women as well, resulting too often in teen pregnancy and motherhood, dropping out of high school, female headed one parent households, and lifelong and generational unemployment, low wages, poverty and dependency on public support services; and
WHEREAS, Girls are dropping out of high school at unacceptably high rates, with an overall drop out rate for all girls at 25 percent, and young women of color having the highest drop out rate, with 50 percent of Native American female students, 40 percent of African American female students and 40 percent of Hispanic female students failing to graduate high school each year;1 and
WHEREAS, Studies show that some of the barriers to high school graduation for young women are teen pregnancy, parenting responsibilities, inadequate support programs within the schools for pregnant teens and parents, poor attendance, and inability to keep up with studies; and
WHEREAS, Compounding this problem is the alarming increase in female adolescent aggressive and violent behavior, both physical and emotional, which manifests itself in schools as well as in our communities; and
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