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Teen MarriageInstructions: While reading through the article carefully annotate for pro and con reasons and data. Write “P” next to a reason or piece of data that supports teen marriage and write “C” for a reason or data that does not support teen marriage. In announcing on Monday that her daughter Bristol was five months pregnant, Sarah Palin, John McCain’s choice for a running mate, added a quick qualification that might, in another era, have eliminated the potential for embarrassment: The 17-year-old girl was to be married to the 18-year-old father of the baby. CONVENTION-BOUND Bristol Palin and her boyfriend, Levi Johnston, at the Minneapolis airport on Sept. 3. He would be the gentleman, she would be the lady, and with the backing of a strong family they would do what was expected of them. That would, of course, be consistent with the views of Ms. Palin, a mother of five children (including one with Down syndrome) who opposes abortion. Bristol’s impending nuptials to Levi Johnston (no date has been given) did not stir up nearly the same hullabaloo as the revelation of her pregnancy, on the eve of the Republican convention. But it is teenage marriage today, not teenage pregnancy, that is the rarity. And, statistics show, teenage marriages tend not to endure.The median marrying age for women in the late 1950s was about 19, according to David Popenoe, co-director of the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University and an emeritus professor of sociology there. But a marriage between 19-year-olds — or even 17- or 18-year-olds — then would not have been described as a “teenage marriage,” he said. It was too routine to be given a special label. There is no way to know how many of those unions were prompted by a pregnancy — a phenomenon that has decreased sharply in the population in recent decades as the marriage rate itself has declined, sociologists say. Studies show that today teenage marriages are two to three times more likely to end in divorce than are marriages between people 25 years of age and older. The most comprehensive study on marriage and age that sociologists cite was published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2001, from 1995 data, and it found that 48 percent of those who marry before 18 are likely to divorce within 10 years, compared with 24 percent of those who marry after age 25. “Most young women don’t fare very well when it comes to raising a family as a teenager, and those precious few who get married, the marriages are very short-lived,” said Bill Albert, chief program officer for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. “I know and respect a lot of 17-year-olds, but I don’t think any of them are ready to be married and begin the lifelong task of raising a child.”Census data on teenage marriage, from 1998, showed that only 1 percent of 15- to 17-year-olds had ever been married. But the rates were higher among 18- and 19-year-olds — 6.5 percent for white women, 13.4 percent for Hispanic women — and they vary by region, with higher rates in the South and lower rates in the Northeast. Experts say that teenage marriage tends to be more common in religious and immigrant families, particularly among Hispanics, and more common in so-called red states like Alaska.Sociologists say that what drives the failure of teenage marriages — and some also say the postwar young marriage boom may have contributed to the divorce explosion of the 1970s — is the complex condition of being an unformed adult.“They may not know quite what they want in a lifetime partner,” Dr. Popenoe said. “They still often have years of education to complete, as well as getting settled in the work world, and those two things may change their outlook on life considerably.”But even those who acknowledge that teenage marriage is a risky proposition say it is a healthier choice for a mother and her childhood than single parenthood, even at 17.“For a teen who gets and stays married, she is dramatically increasing the odds that both she and her child will do well in terms of income, wealth and physical well being,” said W. Bradford Wilcox, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Virginia, “reducing the odds that her son will end up in jail as a young man or that her daughter will drop out of high school.”Both Dr. Sternheimer and Dr. Wilcox said that the debate over whether teenagers are prepared for marriage was being framed through the lens of a middle-class, well-educated demographic, for whom marrying before being able to drink legally now may look alien, or hillbillyish. In fact, they said, 18-year-olds in working-class and immigrant families in particular already shoulder a lot of adult responsibilities, including fighting the war in Iraq, supporting their families and raising children.Over the last 35 years the median age for first marriages in America has risen dramatically, from 23 for men and 21 for women in 1970 to 27.5 for men and 25.5 for women in 2006, according to William A. Galston, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution. Mr. Galston said he believed the median would continue to rise, mirroring that of European countries, where the age of first marriage is higher, and that attitudes toward young marriage would become more negative. “I do think the trend, such as the changing role of women over all in society and the changing role of education and training in determining life prospects, has created a presumption in the middle class and professional classes that early marriage is a bad thing,” he said.But he added, “It’s possible to come at this question from a very different point of view, one that is driven by duty, by moral obligation, by fidelity to community, by keeping faith with your family. And in those circumstances, getting married at the age of 17, if you get pregnant, may very well appear to be the clearly preferable option.”Teens / Minors Marriage License lawsIn the United States, all but one state requires that a couple be 18 in order to marry without parental permission. Nebraska sets the age of majority at 19. Although a few states will waive this requirement if there is a pregnancy, the couple may still have to have court approval.Delware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, and Oklahoma: Allow pregnant teens or teens who have already had a child to get married without parental consent. However in Florida, Kentucky, and Oklahoma, the young couple must have authorization from a court. Maryland requires that the minor be at least 16. Even with parental approval, many states will require court approval when a person is 16 years of age or less.Alabama If either of you are under eighteen (18), you will need a certified copy of your birth certificate. Both parents must be present with identification, or if you have a legal guardian they must be present with a court order and identification. The state requires a $200 bond to be executed, payable to the State of Alabama. If one or both parents are deceased, proper evidence of such must be provided. Individuals under the age of 14 may not marryArkansas Parental consent is needed if under eighteen (18) years of age. You need to present a state certified copy of your birth certificate, an active Military ID card, or a valid passport. Your parent must be present to sign the marriage book with the applicants when the license is issued. If a parent is unable to sign, due to death, separation, divorce or other circumstances, you must produce certified papers for verification of those circumstances. Males under the age of seventeen (17) and females under (16) cannot marry without a court order. This is usually given only in extreme circumstances, such as if the female teen is pregnant or the teenage couple already has a child together.Florida If a teen is under eighteen (18) years of age, but older than sixteen (16) years of age, a marriage license can be obtained with parental consent. If a parent has sole custody or the other parent is dead, the permission of one parent is sufficient. If a person is under the age of 16, the marriage license has to be issued by a county judge, with or without parental permission. If a minor's parents are both deceased and there is not an appointed guardian, he/she may apply for a marriage license. A minor teen who has been previously married may apply for a license. A minor who swears that they have a child or are expecting a baby, can apply for a license if the pregnancy has been verfied by a written statement from a licensed physician. A county court judge may at his/her discretion issue or not issue a license for them to marry. Georgia ? Georgia changed the laws in 2006 concerning the minimum age to get married and the minimum age to get married in Georgia is 16. Most Georgia county websites are stating that in order to apply for a marriage license, both of you have to be 18 years of age. Some of the county websites are stating that if either of you are 16 or 17 years of age, both parents (either biological or adoptive) or legal guardians must give their consent to your marriage in person and provide a certifified copy of your birth certificate along with valid identification. In some counties, a probate judge also has to approve the marriage license application of individuals who are 16 or 17 years old. Anyone under the age of 16 cannot obtain a marriage license in Georgia. Illinois? If you are 16 or 17 years of age, you will have to provide a copy of your birth certificate along with some other sort of identification showing your date of birth. You will also need to have the sworn consent from each parent, each legal guardian or a judge - in person - before the county clerk at the time of application. Your parents or guardians will need to provide identification like a driver's license, state identification card, Illinois Department of Public Aid card, or passport. If your parent is deceased, you will need to show a death certificate or proof of guardianship, or a court order waiving consent. A legal guardian will also need to show a certified copy of the guardianship papers. If you are under sixteen (16) years of age, you cannot get married in Illinois. Kentucky If you are 16 or 17 years old, you must have the consent of your parents or legal guardian. Custody papers are required if your parents are divorced. The form that you need to have completed is the Consent to Marriage Form (84-FCC-501). It has to be witnessed by two witnesses who are at least 18 years old, signed by your parent or legal guardian, and sworn by the deputy clerk. If you are a pregnant minor you may apply to a district court judge for permission to marry without parental consent.If you are under 16, you must get approval to marry from the District Court. Minors cannot get married in Kentucky if parents or guardians are not residents of Kentucky.Maryland Parental consent is needed if under 18 years of age. If you are between 16-18 years of age, one of your parents or guardian must be with you and provide written consent. If you are under 16 years of age, you will need both the written consent of your custodial parent or guardian and the written approval of a judge of the Orphans' Court Division of the Court of Common Pleas. If you are under 18, pregnant or have a child, and show a certificate from a licensed physician stating you are pregnant or have had a child, the parental consent requirement may be waived.Teenage Marriage: Weigh it carefully!(an opinion paper)The rapid increase in the number of early marriages over the past several years coupled with the extremely high rate of divorce within this same group makes this subject extremely important. If you are a teenager and are seriously considering an early marriage, these are a number of potential problem areas of which you should be aware, so that, if you do decide that this is the best course of action, you will be alert to the possible difficulties which could lie ahead. First, the problem of adequate financial support is obvious. Although money does not buy happiness, it is true that a tight financial situation can create tensions which can undermine an otherwise happy relationship. While some financial problems are to be expected in almost any new marriage, it is important to take time to think sensibly, so that such problems will not destroy what could otherwise be a beautiful relationship, if not undertaken prematurely. This is not to suggest that you wait about marriage until every possible financial problem has been completely solved, but rather simply suggests that you do not close your eyes to the real situation whatever it may be. Talk with other young couples who have been married for several months to get a more realistic idea of the financial problems you are likely to face. It is unfortunate, but true, that what sounds like a lot of money to you now, may seem to be very little when monthly bills must be met. It is also a good idea to realize that if parents or in-laws are depended upon too heavily for financial support that this can provide the basis for other later family conflicts as well. Regardless of the good intentions involved, it is almost always true that the person who controls the money ultimately rules the situation. A second problem which must be faced by those who enter into an early marriage is the problem of personal maturity. While immature and irresponsible actions may sometimes seem funny before marriage, they can become serious pitfalls within the marriage bond. This is one reason why a courtship of at least several months should precede any marriage, since even the most irresponsible and self-centered person can put on a good front for a few weeks or months. One of the surest signs of immaturity and irresponsibility in both young men and young women is a lack of willingness to do a reasonable share of work in a consistent, dependable way prior to marriage. When such an indifferent attitude is demonstrated before marriage, you can be sure that it is only likely to become worse after marriage. A third potential problem to be considered is the problem of growing apart. This simply means that while two young people in their middle teenage years have much in common, that in many cases, our ideals and goals change as we pass the teenage years, to such an extent that we may easily find ourselves married for life to a person with whom we will ultimately have very little in common. Perhaps the worst mistake of all is to marry simply to get away from an unpleasant situation at home. Even if you are presently facing home problems which seem almost unbearable, you will not have to remain in such a situation forever. When you marry, however, it is for life. So don't let current personal problems drive you into a marriage which you may otherwise not really want. Such a choice usually proves to be a very poor trade indeed, and one that often leads to a lifetime of regret. The extremely high rate of divorce among those who marry early should act as a large caution sign to those contemplating an early marriage. Sometimes early marriages work out beautifully and if you decide to marry at an early age, you may very well be among them. Those which have been successful, however, have almost always been those which have been entered into only after very serious thought and consideration. ................
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