Sex Education
So last night I met with my friends I was talking about yesterday.
Apparently he bought her a second hand laptop and she is going to have internet access, finally. I know it doesn’t begin to solve their problems but it will help her tremendously to at least keep in touch with her friends more often.
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This weekend there was a disturbing article in the newspaper that is causing a massive reaction. It’s an article about sex education in public schools. Apparently, a program has been approved and is currently being given to the children who are between 10 and 12 years old, which is, how can I put it?, less than appropriate in most people’s opinion.
This program instructs the teachers to ask the children (let me repeat, 10 to 12 year olds) to colour, in a drawing provided in the text book, the parts of their body where they enjoy being touched. The teachers are to explain what masturbation is, ask the children if they do it, if they like it, where they do it and who they do it with.
The program also suggests that the teachers ask the children to come up with as many synonyms for penis, vagina and intercourse as they can, even if they sound offensive and/or embarrassing (it actually says that in the text book) and to then write them in a poster and hang it in the classroom.
The teachers must tell the children about the several types of family (single parent, double parent, homosexual, etc), and the several types of intercourse (specifically vaginal, oral and anal).
Some teachers have refused to teach this program in their classes and they have been suspended for it. And of course, parents don’t even get a say in the matter.
Now, there are obviously several issues that I disagree with in this program. First of all, it is totally inappropriate for 10 year old children, it focuses on the least important sides of the matter and it completely ignores important subjects such as STDs and birth control.
But what bothers me the most is that the parents are not informed about this and they do not have the option to say they do not want their kids to have this program.
So today, my question is, do you think the State should be allowed to teach our children the things it wants to and the way it wants to, or are parents ultimately the ones responsible for their children’s education?
posted by Ana @ 10:48 AM
4 Comments:
At 3:10 PM,
Martha said…
WHOA! That's INSANE!!! I am speechless. I can't even digest it. I cannot imagine someone teaching Alex these things in this manner at 10 years old. Yikes!
I like to think parents do get some sort of say in their child's teaching.. but sadly it often is not the case.
At 6:23 PM,
Lioness said…
I believe that the state should indeed provide a solid sexual education in all schools, and I don't think that at 10 it is too early. Children nowadays are much more developed than we were at the same age - it is even shocking at times. However, language must be kept simple and respectful and always mindful of the child's age.
Whatyou're talking abt is totally invasive and will be a shock therapy of the worst kind. I don't think it will do anything in terms of teaching them to respect their bodies at all times and use caution. And to not mention STDs and unwanted pregnancies... We rate high in the EU for teen mums, and also for AIDS, especially amongst middle-aged people thanks to the prostitutes from Eastern Europe. I haven't read the article but now I must. Once again, we fully ignore what the effective models instituted in Northern Europe and come up w something Portie that's just sad and scary beyond belief. Bah.
(I'm happy your friend will be the tiniest bit less isolated now. But a second-hand one?? Good God.)
At 6:30 PM,
Ana said…
J,
I am all in favor of sex education in public schools and I don't think 10 is too early to talk about it. My Mom talked to me about it before I was 10 and I was in no way traumatized by it.
What makes me sad is that out of all the ways the subject could be aproached and out of all the important things there is to say about it, we Porties choose to do it all wrong! It would be preferable to leave it to the parents (not that they are doing a good job).
At 6:27 PM,
Anonymous said…
That is ridiculous. I really feel it is important to have sex education but the facts....age appropriate. At home other things should be taught and more personal. This is exactly why I want to homeschool.
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