Doctor: Teens getting

Editor's note: The Marshall County Board of Education has scheduled a public hearing Dec. 11 concerning state-mandated "family education" classes to be taught to all Marshall County eighth-graders. Fol-lowing is the first of a two-part series on how area residents view the subject of sex education in our schools.

Dr. Ed Shackelford has some strong opinions about sex education.

Shackelford is a family practice physician in Lewisburg. He did his residency in inner city Birmingham, Ala., where he took part in extensive studies about teenage pregnancy, STDs and other high-risk behavior.

He has definite ideas about decreasing Marshall County teenage pregnancy rates.

"They need more information," Shackelford said. "And I think most kids, when given all the information, will make a better decision than giving them part of it and leaving the rest of it a mystery to them. So, then they want to find out. How do they find out? From their 17-year-old friends. Bad, bad information."

Pick up a copy of today's edition for full coverage.