Thoughts on current Sex-ed

[OmG NoMoR3]

For a while there in middle school, there was a program called the "ring thing", or something like that. People were encouraged to come, be abstinent, and wear the ring as a sign that they're not giving it up to anyone but their future husband/wife... Living in the South, the teachers were pretty uppity when a group came and educated us for real... >.>;;

Well, either way, here's a link to an article called "Abstinence-Only Approach May Lead to Unsafe Sex".  

[PhaedraMcSpiffy]

ProjectOmicron88

Notice how I never said there was such a magic age. All I meant was that it's better for kids who do not have good judgment to abstain from sex. That is far from unreasonable.

I don't think anyone would argue that it's a good idea for people with bad judgement to have sex. The problem is that "good judgement" is a subjective term. And besides: bad judgement can turn good with the help of education.

Quote:

Did you even read the links I posted about the positive effects of abstinence-only education?

Source #1 is not peer-reviewed, only discusses changes in attitudes and not actual behavior, and I can't seem to find out what the results were, specifically. I don't see them on that page.

Source #2 also only addresses beliefs and knowledge. And if there are specific results on either source, I was unable to find them.

Ditto with source #3, except for the fact that it only addresses how students felt about the program.

The Waxman Report (pdf), found that not only are the abstience-only programs currently taught in public schools ineffective, many contain medically inaccurate information.

This page from SIECUS explains a few things about abstinence-only programs and why they are opposed to them. Advocates For Youth has a similar page. But I think this quote from Reproductive Health Reality Check's page explains it best:

Quote:

In the U.S., proponents of abstinence-only-until-marriage education argue that abstinence be taught as the ONLY effective means of disease and pregnancy prevention. Further, they ONLY want the “harmful effects” of sex before marriage and contraceptive failure discussed. Conversely, proponents of a broad-based approach want abstinence taught, along with ALL the other ways to prevent unintended pregnancy, disease, and abortion. And they also want responsible decision-making, sexual orientation, and sexuality development included. Abstinence as a behavior goal is not the same as abstinence-only education programs

Quote:

Because it's inefficient and impractical to separate the kids with good judgment from the kids without. The big point you seem to be missing is that kids will eventually learn on their own when it's appropriate to be having sex.

And, as Dagmar also explained, some kids will not learn the correct information on their own. Not giving them a comprehensive sex-education
means that you are withholding valueable information from them. This information helps them to make healthy decisions about sex. It could be life-saving.

Quote:

Teaching an abstinence-only program (the focus of which is not "sex is bad") does not mean that they're going to be spending a good part of their adult lives fearing sex.

Depends on which program you use, though.

Here are some examples from Sex Respect, a popular abstinence-only curricula:

Quote:

In a bubble on the opening page of the chapter entitled “Sex on Credit: Play Now, Pay Later,” the curriculum declares “There’s No Way to Have Premarital Sex Without Hurting Someone.” The curriculum then explains, “everything we do, including sexual activity has consequences, not just for us but for all the people in society.” (Sex Respect, Student Workbook, p. 11) Explained a different way, “premarital sex, because of its consequences, is not just a personal, private decision.” (Sex Respect, Teacher Manual, p. 2)

Quote:

To illustrate this, Sex Respect uses the “Duct Tape Example” which “helps the students better understand the painful emotional consequences of broken sexual relationships.” Teachers are told to ask for a volunteer “preferably a boy with a hairy arm” and ask him if he is willing to stick a piece of duct tape on his arm. “Tell the class that this only weakly resembles the natural strength of the sexual bond, but it will still help them see.” The teacher then asks for permission to rip the tape off of the young man’s arm, “go ahead and rip. It will hurt. The class may laugh, and you may tell him you’re sorry, but the pain is still apparent. The same is true with sex.” (Sex Respect, Teacher Manual, p. 5 cool

The exercise continues when the tape is stuck to the arm of a second volunteer. The teacher notes that it does not stick as well and then proceeds to rip the tape off of the volunteer’s arm. “Note that it does not hurt as much. The same is true with sex. Having multiple partners diminishes the bonding and diminishes the pain because promiscuous people have had to psyche themselves out by saying sex doesn’t matter so much.” (Sex Respect, Student Workbook, p. 59)

This focus on the inevitable negative consequence and pain of premarital sexual behavior is clearly designed to scare students rather than educate them. There is no evidence that premarital sex leads to everything from damaging the bonding mechanism to stunted personal growth.

Here's an example from WAIT:

Quote:

WAIT Training uses the analogy of fire in a fireplace versus fire in the middle of the living room to underscore this point. “Fire in a fireplace is controlled and contained and safe. That's like sex within marriage. It's usually warm, cozy and welcoming…But sex outside of marriage, especially for a teen, is out of control. It's hot no doubt. But it can be destructive and painful.” (WAIT Training, p. 72) An even more elaborate analogy appears on page 232 with the exercise “Something Fishy,” which exaggerates the risk of death to the point of cartoon-like simplicity. The teacher is instructed to place a goldfish in a fish bowl in front of the class, and draw the attention of the class to how bored the fish must be. Claiming to want to give the fish more freedom, the teacher scoops the fish out of the bowl and allows it to gasp and flop around the desk in front of the students. The exercise concludes: “As you put the fish back, ask the class, ‘How is this fish bowl to the fish like marriage is to sex.' Use this opportunity to point out that boundaries provide freedom, safety and comfort. They're not dull, they're healthy.” (WAIT Training, p. 232)

An example from Choosing The Best:

Quote:

One activity is designed to show how “STDs and HIV can be passed from one person to another without either knowing about the infection.” The teacher chooses five girls and five boys and places them in a row facing each other. Each student is given a cup which they then fill with water. The students are asked to rinse their mouths and then spit the water back into the cup. Students are told that the water now represents “body fluids.” The boys are asked to pour some of their “body fluids” into the cup of the girl across from them. The leader then reveals that some of the boys’ cups were labeled with the name of an STD and that the girls now have this virus or bacteria. The boys and girls then complete the exercise in reverse.

Next, the students empty their cups into a pitcher labeled “multiple partners.” This pitcher is placed next to a pitcher of fresh water labeled “pure fluids.” Two cups are placed on the table labeled “future husband” and “future wife.” A female student is asked to choose either pitcher and pour water into her “future husband” cup. A male student then repeats the same process. (Choosing the Best LIFE, Leader Guide, p. 36)

The exercise gives clear messages: People who have had sexual intercourse are dirty (they are the equivalent of spit), all students in the class will marry a member of the opposite sex, and the person each marries must be “pure.” This is another example of shame as a guiding educational force.

This are what some of the most popular abstinence-only programs are teaching teens about sex. SIECUS has plenty more examples from these and other programs.

Quote:

But the purpose is not the sanctimonious and dishonest scare-tacttic you describe. It's to inform people. It's not "This is what will happen if you have sex because sex is dangerous and disgusting!" it's "This is what could happen if the proper precautions are not taken.

Regardless of your purpose, you still support scare tactics.

Comprehensive sex-ed still teaches about risks and still promotes abstinence and safer-sex practices. Abstinence-only, as the name suggests, teaches abstinence as the only reasonably-safe and socially acceptable option. Not only is this judgemental, it leaves out information about condoms and birth control.

Quote:

I'm familiar with how it works. I just have a side that likes freaking kids out. For example, any future children, on their 13th birthdays, will be given a few pictures of cirrhosis-scarred livers, blackened lungs, and diseased genitalia, with a card that says "Just be careful out there. Love, Dad."

Okay, maybe not exactly that. razz I just love the idea of it though.

And you tell me that's not teaching your kids to be fearful of sex?

Why can't you just speak to them honestly about the risks of sex, smoking and drinking? Why do you have to assume stupidity?  

[Dronning Dagmar]

Kiki Lucas

For a while there in middle school, there was a program called the "ring thing", or something like that. People were encouraged to come, be abstinent, and wear the ring as a sign that they're not giving it up to anyone but their future husband/wife... Living in the South, the teachers were pretty uppity when a group came and educated us for real... >.>;;

Well, either way, here's a link to an article called "Abstinence-Only Approach May Lead to Unsafe Sex".

I know I'm old and bad eyesight comes with age and everything… but seriously… light pink text? Can we just not? stressed  

[OmG NoMoR3]

Dronning Dagmar

Kiki Lucas

For a while there in middle school, there was a program called the "ring thing", or something like that. People were encouraged to come, be abstinent, and wear the ring as a sign that they're not giving it up to anyone but their future husband/wife... Living in the South, the teachers were pretty uppity when a group came and educated us for real... >.>;;

Well, either way, here's a link to an article called "Abstinence-Only Approach May Lead to Unsafe Sex".

I know I'm old and bad eyesight comes with age and everything… but seriously… light pink text? Can we just not? stressed

It must be your monitor... It's regular pink on mine (i.e. dark enough and readable). O_o; Yours is the only complaint I've received, and I've been on Gaia a very long time... >.> Let's all just be nice and stay on topic, hm?  

[Killian Darkwater]

Xiporah

It was very USE A -ish when I was in school. One lady that came in promoted the use of latex gloves when ' ing your partner.'

I can see the logic in that. If the person has hand herpes. gonk  

[H0wling_Blue]

The way I see it,
going around assuming that the youth of our age
isn't
going to be
exactly
like those before it..
wanting to be individual
and following where physical urges draw them.
Our bodies tell us that it's right.
As a youth we should be taught to expect this
the way my mom taught me...
That there's nothing wrong with it
but you have to know how to protect yourself
if
and when
you take the step and go 'all the way'.
Since I hit puberty my mom has told me
(and I hit puberty at age 8, sadly)
that if I ever decide to become sexually active to
let her know,
so she can take me to the doctor and have me
put on the pill
so I can be responsible.
Knowing that I had that as my option,
I haven't yet taken her up on that deal.
You need to be correcty informed when making such an
important
decision as when to have sex or not.
Telling teens to repress
their natural bodily processes is
unhealthy and wrong,
and should not be done...