That's right, Southeast Texas...what better way to start off your week than with a discussion about sex education. You're welcome.
As some of you may know, the Texas legislature is now considering a bill that could end abstinence-only sex education programs in public schools.
Right now, state law doesn't mandate that Texas schools teach sex education - some districts require it and some don't. But if they teach it, it has to be abstinence-only. This bill would provide schools with the resources and parameters to educate children with other materials if the district sought fit.
Why is this such a big deal, you ask? Shouldn't kids' parents be teaching them about sex? Why is it the school's responsibility anyway?
Gosh you people are an inquisitive bunch. Consider the following statistics:
Teen pregnancy rate in 2001 - 46 per 1,000 teens
Teen pregnancy rate in 2007 - 62 per 1,000 teens
The bill was sponsored by Democratic Senator Rodney Ellis, and the response from the Texas Republican Party spokesman Hans Klingler - no relation to Corp. Klinger from M*A*S*H* - was that it would "tie the hands of local school trustees" when selecting an appropriate curriculum.
But isn't it already tying the hands of a school to say that IF it teaches something THIS is how it should be taught?
We went to a private, parochial high school and, while abstinence was taught as the primary method of birth control, we were at least informed that other ways existed. We were, however, not allowed to have dancing on campus because whoever made that rule clearly hadn't seen Footloose and just assumed it would lead to The Sex.
The Beaumont Enterprise has already weighed in with what we see as the pro's and con's, but we'd like to hear where you stand.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Let's talk about sex
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3 comments:
Did we really have sex education outside of abstinence? I must be blocking it out because I don't remember it - maybe I was traumatized. lol
As for the curriculum, I truly believe that abstinence is the only thing that should be taught, but clearly it isn't working. I think that the new curriculum should include other options but also give the students the real facts about these methods and that they are not fool proof. I don't think that this is always done and that teens think that if they use any form of birth control then they are ok. Growing up in the environment that I did, I ultimately believe that it is up to the parents to teach about sex and explain everything to their children, no matter how uncomfortable. I hope to be brave enough to do this with my son when he gets older. He is only 2, so talk to me again in another 10-12 years.
They separated the boys and girls that day in Health class. The guys had a cool doctor who, looking back, it seems might have thrown the guidelines to the wind.
Ahhh. I guess that is why I don't remember.
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