Sex Education in school seems to be a very touchy subject these days. Well, why not? Sex is a very touchy subject. Am I right? All kidding aside, the truth is we have had a progressive health class curriculum for years, and it is important! I had sex education when I was in school, delivered by the gym teachers or the health teacher and that was about 40 something years ago. But our world has changed so much since then. Suddenly people are coming out of the woodwork arguing and limiting the new sex education curriculum whose main difference is the inclusion it offers for those children who may have two same-sex parents or feel different than other children. Just because some parents don't like something doesn't mean we shouldn't teach about it. It is still out there and students will be faced with it. If you think sex education in school is a problem, opt your child out, but I guarantee they will learn it from somewhere... Most likely not their parents.
There is so much misinformation on the internet. There are sex sites that can pop-up through links and advertisements. Social media sites all have sexual content and lots of predators. School is the only place students can get a straight-up informational, clinically-delivered overview of topics that are deemed sexual. Teachers don't want to cross lines. They are not going to show porn movies or show pictures or recruit someone towards a branch of sexuality. This is strictly a way to inform students about real life. Some of it was taboo to openly discuss when we were in school. Now it is out there. Students will encounter these persons and the sooner we teach them acceptance and tolerance and protection skills the better.
We must teach them about the dangers of sex, both persons and disease. How many children were raped or violated by clergy? Did you ever dream that this could happen? I had a student that was being raped in her own home. She was 11. Students need to know about these things in order to create boundaries. Parents need to speak of these things in order to protect their children.
Many parents believe that it is the parents job to teach about sex and morals. That may be true and I agree to a certain extent. However, in reality, many parents don't teach these things because they are embarrassed, they don't think of it, they only want their child to know a limited amount of information or think these things are sinful. They may be fairly ignorant themselves or lack parenting skills. Parents also have an emotional stake in their child which may color how or what is presented. "Children are just babies," they think. Well, I have news. The age of innocence is gone.
It is a dangerous world, a free and scary world. It has nothing to do with politics. Children need to be properly educated to deal with our current present. Education and knowledge is power and we need to empower our children with the ammunition they need to deal with life as it is, not how we wish it was.
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