I'm going to straight up here. I am not the smartest woman on the planet. I know that and have accepted it.
But I do know one thing - I know enough that I can make an informed decision through study and discerning a situation.
As the presidential elections are quickly approaching I have been listening to the views of people I know, love, respect, and other things. Some I agree with, some I don't.
I am definitely okay with other people having opinions that differ from mine. If there were no other opinions life would be quite dull. I love a healthy conversation where I have the opportunity to state my opinion and hear someone else's. What a wonderful society we live in where this is possible.
Please, as you read this, if you feel the need to share your opinion please keep it clean and respectful. I do not post rude things on your posts I see on facebook or your personal blogs, so please refrain from doing that to me and anyone who comments on a possible thread.
On the Subject of Sex Education in Schools
I'm going to tell you a secret - I never attended the sex education portion of my high school health class.
*GASP*
And you know what? I turned out just fine. Why? Because I was taught about it at home.
I firmly believe that our children have no better place to learn than in their homes. Teachers are not hired to be parents. As a teacher, I have been thought of as a babysitter and a mom for other peoples' children. I was hired to teach band. That's all. Health teachers are supposed to teach students about a healthy lifestyle. That's all.
I think that our state legislators were doing their job - representing the people of Utah. Many Utah parents are teaching abstinence only in their homes. I can't imagine what an attack it would be for me to teach my child abstinence and then for that child to learn all about things I had no control over at home.
That may make me sound like a control freak, but I don't think so. It keeps my child from being confused if he/she learns things from one source and then can ask questions. All of the views of all of the people who could be teaching my child are different. I want mine to get one and then be able to ask me questions and do his or her own research (through studying books and articles with me and my spouse) and see for his or herself the dangers of unprotected sex.
If your school districts and legislators have decided to remove curriculum from certain subjects, don't throw a fit about it. Take the initiative, become informed and educated on the subject, and teach your children yourself.
The only 100% guarantee that someone will not become pregnant or get an STD is abstinence. If you would like to dispute that then go ahead. But if you really understand contraceptives, you will know that I speak the truth.
If you think your children will still experiment with sex in their younger years, you take the initiative and teach them about contraception. Teach them the benefits and the side effects. Help to make them as well rounded and understanding of an individual as you can. Because that is your calling in life. Teacher of your own children.
I feel there is no greater calling in life than being a parent. Please, if you plan to be a parent, take it seriously and teach your children the things you want them to know.
My concern is about children who don't have parents to teach them good principles in the home. The education health and safety of every child is important to me. Some kids WILL choose to have sex outside of marriage. Some because they weren't taught well in the home and others because they aren't using good judgement and are rebelling. I would like these kids to know about the health risks associated with the use non-use and misuse of contraceptives and condoms etc.
ReplyDeleteFor you and me, we both grew up in homes with great parents who taught us what was right. However, I DID attend the sex education part of my health class. And I didn't leave confused. Because I have such good parents-- I knew I could turn to them for support and answers to my questions.
I agree with you completely that parenthood should be taken seriously. Parents should take the responsibility to teach their children correct principles. The truth is there are very poor parents out there. And although I can't give spiritual and moral direction in the class room to protect their spirits from the inevitable damage of premarital sexual promiscuity, I can at least hope to protect their bodies by educating them about contraception.
That's my 2 cents.
I share a lot of your thought processes on this matter but I think I came to a slightly different conclusion. I agree 100% that sex education is something that absolutely should be taught at home. I got the sex talk from my mother several times. Now obviously coming from a more liberal family it was about contraception and practicing safe sex rather than abstinence. I can understand and appreciate the teachings of abstinence but on a whole I think it is unreasonable to think we can convince the majority of young teens not to give into their raging hormones.
ReplyDeleteI think that sex education should be something that is required to be taught in school, contraception, STDs, everything, however. It should be by permission only, and ungraded. That way those who teach abstinence at home don't have conflicting views taught to their children, but at the same time the children who don't have parents that are willing to teach anything about sex (which I think we can agree is a large chunk of public school students) are not getting pregnant and spreading disease.
I was going to comment, but Mary pretty much said exactly the same thing I was thinking. I think that the rates of teenage pregnancy and std's will go up if those kids without responsible parents aren't taught about safe sex. But I also agree with you, that it is primarily the parents' resposibility to teach their children. So personally, I don't really care if they keep it in the school system or not, because it won't effect my own children. I plan on teaching them myself and not relying on someone else to raise them for me.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your logic Emily-- it SHOULD be taught at home, but unfortunately I don't think the reality of our crazy world would allow that to work, and I worry that a lot of kids out there will have a crappy start to their lives without ALLOWING parents the option for the school to provide that education. I grew up in an active LDS home, but my parents really didn't talk to me about sex. We just didn't talk about a LOT of things (for good and bad).
ReplyDeleteI learned everything at school- obviously I learned the moral side of it in Church (which sometimes skews so heavily the other direction it almost makes marriage a dirty word in same cases).
My parents aren't bad parents- they just aren't perfect parents, in a lot of ways. But thank heaven I learned at least enough to get by through school (and church). I think I turned out okay. :)
Anyway- I agree with Mary and Rachel. I'm not a Herbert fan, but he made the right decision to veto. Just my two cents.
Thanks for posting, btw! I think it's so important to discuss things like this openly. A lot of people suppress political/moral/religious discussion for fear of argument, so I gotta say: props to you!
One of the biggest reasons we choose to homeschool is so that we have control over what our kids learn. So, amen to that, sister! And I used to think that sex education should not be taught in schools at all, but I have changed my opinion on that matter. With several caveats. Absolutely it should be optional. It should be taught by someone who is pro-abstinence and against murder in embryo. The parents should be able to see the ENTIRE lesson plan and approve it or not. If not, then they can pull decide not to have their child take the class. Unfortunately, I know that there are parents who take no concern to teach their children about sex, and, if a child has no information, they are more likely to get into a situation where they have no idea what can happen. To be informed is to be able to protect yourself. Unfortunately as well, this is not the way sex in schools is being taught. So, I guess the best thing is for responsible parents who teaches this at home, find a way to get your kid out of this class. Teaching your kids about sex at home and then continuing to have conversations about it as they get older will help them feel comfortable enough to come to you with any questions or concerns of confusion they may have, or hear about at school or from friends. Great post, Emily!
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