Abstinence education
Since I wrote that story for MississippiMoms.com about a state-sponsored "Just Wait" abstinence rally/summit, I've gotten all sorts of phone calls and e-mails. (forgive me for not posting a link; it's already been purged from the free archive and I don't want to give you a link you can't readily access)
I'm playing phone tag right now with a lady from the ACLU, who wants to talk to me before the summit this weekend. And just today, I got a note in my inbox, about the "1st and only existing DVD on Comprehensive sex education for teens on the market." The DVD features seven experts who "talk to teens about everything they need to know to protect themselves, but also about values and health."
This e-mail had stats:
• 17 States have already decided to reject the federal grants for abstinence only sex education, and have decided to go for comprehensive sex ed.
• CDC released a survey in March showing that at least one in four teenage girls has an STD.
"This epidemic is a national cause, that concerns every parent in the country. Teens do not get this vital education at school, parents do not know or are ashamed to do this sex education themselves, leaving their children vulnerable."
While I agree with the state that abstinence should be taught, I don't think it should be exclusive. Telling teenagers about methods of birth control isn't legitimizing teen sex, or encouraging it. Combine these two with a healthy dose of the dangers of sex (what STDs are, gory details of symptoms and outcomes; the emotional results of sex; how it affects you spiritually) and give them all the information about sex, not just one narrow viewpoint.
Ideally, you want teenagers to "just say no" but we all know that some of them won't. If they do decide to go that path, let them know exactly what they're be getting into so they'll have the sense to avoid pregnancy and disease. And for crying out loud, do your job at home, teaching them right from wrong.
Now, to its credit, while the state does name abstinence only as its sponsored curriculum for sex ed, it does allow public school districts to offer more if their boards choose. That's a political hot potato, and many school districts won't go near it. But they can broaden the course curriculum if they choose, and some do. When I wrote that story (which also ran in The Clarion-Ledger, The Clinton News, The Madison County Herald, Rankin Ledger, Hinds Ledger and Northeast Ledger), I couldn't find stats on how many or which districts offer broader courses.
It's worth checking on, though. My daughter is several years away from junior high, but I'll see what sort of courses they're offering. And if our district is an abstinence-only curriculum district, I may push for the school board to offer more.
posted by Sandi @ 9:05 AM
16 comments
16 Comments:
Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder.
I don't like the idea of my child being taught about sex in the public schools. I see your point and everything but I just don't like the idea of some stranger talking to my daughter about this issue.
Well, I went to Catholic school and all we got was read chapter 15, so anything has got to be better. I agree with you though, I think abstinence should be taught but it is foolish not to teach them how to be safe.
I would support full sex education in schools. Yes, that education first needs to come in the home, but I have done enough laboratory testing on YOUNG girls that ended up being positive for a STD to know they are "doing it." Not every home is going to provide that education, and many kids will try just because they are only told not to. Maybe if they see the gory pictures of some STD's, know the meds (sometimes lifetime) that are taken to get rid of them or keep them from killing you, and all that easily could happen on top of the moral stance of abstinence; they may not try sex just to try it.
If you can't tell, I could get on a soapbox with this one...
I'm not crazy about my child learning about sex from a coach rolling his eyes at the ceiling, but if learning the horrors of disease and the emotional effects of teen sex are a preventive, go for it. Because if she's learning about all that, so are all those little boys in her class too. We're going to do all we can to teach her to abstain, but a little reinforcement at school will be nice.
All of that sounds good in theory, but even Planned Parenthood's own data shows that when the supposed "safe sex ideology" is taught in schools, unwed pregnancy and abortions skyrocket.
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I don't really understand the difference in abstinence education classes and "sex education." I actually sat in on an abstinence education class once for a story, and it was sex education. They covered STDs, contraceptives, etc. I think that abstinence education, in many cases, is just a conservative word for "sex ed," one that some people feel more comfortable with, but it seems to be essentially the same thing . . . at least from what I saw. Whatever you call it, kids need it these days.
They really should. My parents said nothing. All I learned as a teen, I learned on the playground - GREAT place to get the "facts." not.
We can't just look out for "our little precious." We have to look out for all the sweet kids who's parents are not going to talk to them. Or, frankly, don't know enough to talk to them about the diseases and consequences. This education just might be enough to save the one boy or girl who might could have given your little precious syphilis.... or a baby.... or HIV.
It just seems like it would be an important part of a "health" class. Do they still teach health?
They did cover contraceptives in your abstinence/sex ed class?
Yep. But hammered home the point that there is only one way to be 10 percent safe - abstinence.
This was in a Mississippi public school?
It was, but it was a voluntary class. The kids' parents had to sign something for them to participate.
I'm all for teaching kids about abstinence... but in the context of comprehensive education. What I find very very scary is that people do not understand what "Abstinence Only" education really means and what it requires in order to get the federal funding and say that they are "Abstinence Only" education" *sigh* it's quite disturbing.
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