GA ALert #2: Teaching the Benefits of Marriage
Victoria Cobb, President
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
(This is the second in a series of email alerts introducing The Family Foundation's 2009 legislative agenda.)
One would assume that “Family Life Education” would include instruction about the basic make up of the “family.” Guess again.
After researching the Commonwealth’s SOL requirements for family life education, the only reference to marriage found is not very encouraging at all:
"The student will provide examples of difficult family situations: abusive behavior, financial problems, separation or divorce, illness, injury or death, loss of job, family has to move, birth of a baby, remarriage, etc.)."
Gee, that’ll make kids want to grow up and get married, won’t it?
Earlier this year, The Family Foundation’s marriage commission met to discuss legislative proposals that will encourage and strengthen traditional marriage in Virginia. One idea was to make sure that the benefits of marriage are being taught to the next generation in Family Life Education.
Most people are simply not aware that marriage is beneficial to everyone involved, as well as the community. But the science doesn’t lie. According to Brad Wilcox, professor of sociology at the University of Virginia and a member of The Family Foundation’s marriage commission, “In general, the research shows that children who grow up in an intact, married family are about 50 percent less likely to experience serious psychological, academic, or social problems as children or young adults, compared to children who grow up in single or stepfamilies.” Social science also shows that both men and women benefit from marriage as well.
Unfortunately, our culture and media portray marriage as archaic and even dangerous. Virginia is one of a growing number of states where the marriage rate, the number of people choosing to get married, is declining. And it is one of the few states where the divorce rate continues to climb.
One way to reverse these trends is to begin showing our kids the positive benefits of marriage. Delegate Brenda Pogge (R-96, Yorktown), who along with her husband Roger ran our marriage amendment campaign in 2006, and state Senator Ralph Smith (R-22, Roanoke) have agreed to carry this priority legislation on behalf of The Family Foundation. The bill simply adds a line to the Commonwealth’s family life education requiring that the benefits of marriage be taught to our kids.
Teaching the next generation that marriage is a positive instead of something to be dreaded is just one step toward restoring marriage in general. Of course, the General Assembly should pass this bill without any decent because it is based on science, something that many members are always advocating.