Texas and Sex Non-Education

[monk222]

~
"In fact, one textbook says respecting yourself and getting enough rest are two steps to preventing sexually transmitted diseases. Condoms aren't mentioned."

-- Diana Reinhart for The San Antonio Express-News

My Poor Texas! Such is the nature of the textbooks on sex ed. for our state's high schools. Is it any wonder that our public education is suffering so badly, when such crank interest groups can have this kind of sway? Conservatives like to complain about our school system and the dumbing down of our culture, but they ironically only point to the teachers' unions...

Comments

Ode to comprehensive sex ed

[dum-spiro-sper.livejournal.com]

Ah sex ed...I have the image in my head of my school counselor putting a condoom on a wooden peg, looking terrified as if she'd never done it before.

I don't understand how conservatives can complain about "the dumbing down of our culture" when it is this "dumbing down" that is integral to pushing conservative agendas, and many "non-conservative" ones as well. Ahhh the irony! How else are you going to get people to vote against their own social and economic interests?

I don't think I ever told anybody this but I loved Texas when I visited, I really did. This sex ed deal and indeed the education deal in general is just too bad for the nice folks down that way.

Tariq

Re: Ode to comprehensive sex ed

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear that you have such fond experiences of Texas. Although the people certainly can be as nice as anywhere, with perhaps a little something softer thanks to the more relaxed southern culture, Texas still can have a bit more of a racist edge beneath the surface, as with the South in general - perhaps a bit sharper than in America as a whole still.

As for the sex ed., it might be nicer, when it comes to such things as condom demonstrations if they just hired some strippers or something, and have them do the demonstrations on how to put on a condom. I'm sure they can make it look like a more satisfying experience, heh.

[shamelesss.livejournal.com]

You both are making a joke out of sex education.
It's not so funny when you look at the fact

Every single kid in many highschools in the country....around the world...aren't taught what they need to know.
They are completly in the dark about sex and safe sex but THEY ARE STILL DOING IT
When do they expect these kids to learn? By trial and error?

Look at the facts

STD's are at a HUGE rise (those 24 and under are in the greatest risk)
1 in 4 sexually active teen to 24 has a sexually transmitted infection

A lot of kids I've talked to wont wear condoms during oral sex because the dont see the risk or reality
and whats worse
they see adults who refuse to wear them too

and people still thikn STDs are for the dirty.....but they're happening to many and it's not just HIV (although it is still HIV)


In the poorer (and often filled with mainly blacks and hispanics) towns....which are conveniently hidden away and barely talked about but I've had the privelege of working in one and experiencing the completly different culture...it becomes a common site to see a 14 year old girl bending back and pregnant .


And whats worse abou tthis lack of sex education? The fact that these kids don't even know their CHOICES!!!!! Not only do we fail to teach these kids how to protect themselves but we don't even tell them where to go if something were to happen!!!!

We don't tell them how to get tested
Where to go and what to do
We dont tell them where to go if you get pregnant...

We treat these kids as if they live in a world that isn't our own. We want to protect their innocence or something.
Except
That these kids are quickly growing up.....in two years I'll be 18...and my friends STILL wont know basic sex education except from exploring themselves and that's dangerous.

It's a responsibility that I think every human being should take part in.
Sex Education is a human right
don't forget that
it's serious

love
becky

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

I think all three of us are on the same team. Tariq and I aren't part of the Abstinence zealots. But being guys, we cannot help getting a little excited about the subject.

STD's are at a HUGE rise

Really? I thought such trends were actually staring to look better. (http://www.blurty.com/talkread.bml?journal=monkey_knight&itemid=166374)

[shamelesss.livejournal.com]

Teen PREGNANCY is dropping ....they are still high but they ARE dropping as a result of more effective HORMONE birth control methods

these methods do not however pervent against STDs which are indeed at a huge rise (http://www.plannedparenthood.org/library/STI/STI_fact.html)

these facts prove that teens, and young adults are still having sex but not using (or effectively) using barrier methods of birth control but are increasingly using hormone methods.
Also, not enough people get lessons.

I've done a lot of research for this b/c i'm trying to get safe sex ed in my school

[queensugar.livejournal.com]

I think Monk is very much on your side, Becky, as am I.