The article in Fox News discussed a need for changing the way we teach sex education because of the rise in cases of STD's. The article went on to say that we the Bush's way of teaching sex education with abstinence simply is not enough. According to the article, Obama has shown interest in moving away from this type of education.
First of all, when was abstinence education even taught. It was not the only way of preventing pregnancy or STD's when I was at school, and it does not seem like the world has gotten any more conserative. So pushing this abstinence only thing on Bush is pushing it.
I am sure if Bush had his way it would be an abstinence only education in the schools and I agree. Bush had convictions and he stuck to them. He stopped abortion and terrorists with his presidency and he won't recieve due credit until years after his death much like every other president. But, that is for a different blog.
After reading the article with all the stats on STD's the author seemingly makes a good point. It's like giving one seat belt for a load of people in a car. However, how is teaching someone how to wear a condom, make sure that their partners have not have "too" many partners, and finally get tested on a regular basis. Are we for real? This is going to help? We need to wake up and listen to what we are suggesting to our students. How about in order to stop so much gun violence and to improve gun safety we let elementary students use them at school, but we will make sure that these guns come equipped with safeties and that the students know how to use them! That would be crazy.
Crazy as giving a kid a condom and saying make sure you test yourself, don't have sex to often, and don't have sex with other people if they have had sex often. Abstinence is 100% safe 100% of the time, but very hard for students and this is why.
"Sex Sells!" It is a common theme across the world. How can we teach this slogan and abstinence at the same time? It doesn't work. We need to monitor what is on our TV shows, advertisements, and movies. If adults want to see these, let them watch it on their own time. The honor system does not work, we need tighter restrictions on what is available to the public eye 100% of the time. I feel that movie makers should be held responsible for murders, not pastors for hate crimes!
Marriage and sex is a mystical thing and we should not take this away from it because we want what we want now. This article is trying to teach students the art of masturbation in order to take the mystic away from sex. Why? How about we take the dangling steak away from the dog and focus it's efforts on bird hunting or chasing cats. We need to teach students what is going to help them now and in the future. Abstinence will. No STD's, a higher percentage of marital satisfaction and longer marriages. I don't have the research to back it up, but you will find this to be a common norm.
The other thing that I did not like about this article is that 14-17 is not an age for youth to find their sexuality or sexual preference. Hormones are raging. We tell them all the time growing up to not respond in anger. Count to 10! Take a breather! Handle all situations calmly! Now we tell them; find your sexual presence when your hormones are all unbalanced. We know better than this. We need to practice what we preach.
In summary, abstinence is 100% all the time. We need to be honest with our students. Sex is a great thing, but needs to be with one person. (Yes, male with female and female with male) We need to protect their minds and make sure that they are not being tempted and mislead.
Does anyone have a link to state standards or national standards on sex ed?
What do you think?
Philip
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Philip,
ReplyDeleteI think it's sad that so many people have to learn about these things first hand from being infected. For education such as this to take place in a school or public forum is fine if it's supported at home, but it's doesn't seem to be promoted in every household either. It seems that we'd have to instill a positive moral compass in each family in order to support healthy choices and abstinence amongst our youth, however, it's ever insurmountable when you have leadership like Obama in office who doesn't support abstinence policies in conjunction with other methods. He wants to just wipe out the idea of abstinence all together? That's like saying that our former President Clinton was and is a great sex ed role model of America. I understand people make mistakes. It's too bad some of us don't have the backbone to stand up and say, "Yes, that is a horrible decision I made and it wasn't honorable. I must suffer the consequences for life and hope nobody else has to go through what I did to myself." Unfortunately, times are changing. More and more people are spineless and immoral. They believe immorality and inappropriate actions are a right everyone has in America. It's like our soldiers are defending our country and protecting our rights to choose immorality and actions that will harm vast numbers of our society.
We want to affect people positively. It's just sad that people who don't have moral compasses are in control of our country. It affects everyone negatively. But it wouldn't be politically correct to believe it's up to parents to decide what is right and wrong. I don't think governments should be so involved in micromanaging our nation. It is clear they are misguiding us on so many levels. This is just another example of that.
Shame on them for thinking abstinence is a poor idea. Shame on them.
Have a good weekend.
Randy B.
Those stats are scary. After reading your blog, I went to our districts site to look for their power learning targest (standards/benchmarks). I did find that in 7th grade Health they teach abstinence and about STD's (http://dickens.fargo.k12.nd.us/coursesext/pa_survey_results.php?courseID=1059&flag=ALL)
ReplyDeleteI do feel that it is also up to the parents to teach their children about sex, STD's, and abstinence. Think back to when you were young, if an adult told you not to do something, what did you do? Most teens do the opposite. If we as educators keep telling teens not to have sex, how many will just in spite? I do feel that it is up to us to give our students all the information whether they choose to have sex or not. If a child does choose to have sex, don't you think that they should be prepared with all the facts and be able to have the knowledge to use a condom? How many chidren smoke and they have been told not to and how harmful it is, or how many drink? These also can affect a child and I have not heard as much debate over these issues.
As a parent of two children, I am going to talk to my children about sex, std's, abstinence and birth control. I want them to have the knowledge to make a good choice and if they do have sex, I want them to have protection. I don't think that it is just the educators job.