Who's Teaching What in Schools?

[Granny]

Some Knox Co. parents are upset about the Planned Parenthood people coming into the schools as guest speakers. This has gotten a lot of news coverage the last couple of days. Thank God my children are way beyond school age - but I looked at some of the links given in the news report. One thing that one parent was incensed about was that the teacher "made a mistake" and forgot to pass out "opt out" forms for parental consent to participate in the program.

I've never had to deal with the sex ed situation but I was curious since there's so much being said about the subject.

Pretty interesting - do any of you as parents know about the sex ed classes in your child's school? Also, I know we have a couple teachers on USMB - what are your thoughts?

Concerned parents rally over Planned Parenthood in schools

I'm going to have to edit after posting this because I can't remember the title of one link that sort of raised my eyebrows. Oh, and very often in the various links they refer to "sexuality education" as opposed to "sex ed."

The link "actual presentation" was the one that raised my eyebrows - sort of a curriculum.

 

[uscitizen]

Are you saying that teens should not be taught sex ed in school?

Is not teen pregnancy a problem? Better to find out the real story about it rather than from rumors and such by classmates.

Parents by and large to a poor job of sex education.
Mine were so into religion they never would even say the word "sex". Pretty hjumerous considering they had 6 children don't you think?

 

[AllieBaba]

Teen pregnancy increased astronomically with the advent of "sex education".

I think it's safe to say it does nothing whatsoever to reduce the incidence.

 

[Granny]

This appears to run a bit deeper than "sex ed." It's one thing to teach anatomy and quite another to teach "sexuality education" and promote sexual promiscuity as "perfectly normal." Teens have a way of believing "that [it] will never happen to me" in their pursuit of popularity, curiosity about sex, teen drinking, drug use and doing stupid things. And, of course, for several years they truly believe their parents are dumber than rocks.

 

[old navy]

Teens having sex, getting pregnant, doing drugs, gangbanging, and whatnot are issues that go beyond what schools should be held responsible. It is too easy to blame the decay of society on schools and specifically teachers. We can only do so much. A little help from parents would be nice. I cringe every time I hear or read "Education Reform" or "Health Care Reform." No one really can explain what they mean when they say it. Our test scores are way lower than a butt load of other countries but we still lead the world in technology, research, and medicine. Why? We still have the smartest and hardest working people in the world but the test score averages are brought down by kids who can barely speak English or read and do math at their grade level.

Getting back to the forum question. I teach two health and medical sciences courses in high school. I teach girl and boy body parts and the functions. I stay away from the ethical aspect as that is not my job. Whose job is it? See the above paragraph.

 

[SmarterThanHick]

Teen pregnancy increased astronomically with the advent of "sex education".

I think it's safe to say it does nothing whatsoever to reduce the incidence.

That is completely false. Even study that has investigated abstinence-only education has found higher teen pregnancy rates, higher transmission of STDs, and increased abortions. This is factual reproducible evidence. No, your unsupported hunch backed by the credentials of having possibly spawned a child yourself does not refute every verified scientific study on the topic.

Planned Parenthood is one of the most knowledgeable organizations with regards to sexual education. If they were there just promoting abortion, I think it's safe to say that the message would be strongly inappropriate, but I have yet to hear any evidence of this being the case. They were teaching sex-ed, just as any middle-aged manly female gym teacher would have done, but they were in a much better position to answer questions.

Teenagers are teenagers. If you are so foolish to believe they can't figure out what SEX is despite raging hormones and modern media, you are denying their biology and intelligence.

It sounds to me the issue isn't that kids were learning about safe sex topics, but that the name "Planned Parenthood" pissed off a lot of unthinking soccer moms.

 

[1uscitizen]

Teen pregnancy increased astronomically with the advent of "sex education".

I think it's safe to say it does nothing whatsoever to reduce the incidence.

That is completely false. Even study that has investigated abstinence-only education has found higher teen pregnancy rates, higher transmission of STDs, and increased abortions. This is factual reproducible evidence. No, your unsupported hunch backed by the credentials of having possibly spawned a child yourself does not refute every verified scientific study on the topic.

Planned Parenthood is one of the most knowledgeable organizations with regards to sexual education. If they were there just promoting abortion, I think it's safe to say that the message would be strongly inappropriate, but I have yet to hear any evidence of this being the case. They were teaching sex-ed, just as any middle-aged manly female gym teacher would have done, but they were in a much better position to answer questions.

Teenagers are teenagers. If you are so foolish to believe they can't figure out what SEX is despite raging hormones and modern media, you are denying their biology and intelligence.

It sounds to me the issue isn't that kids were learning about safe sex topics, but that the name "Planned Parenthood" pissed off a lot of unthinking soccer moms.

"soccer moms" is so passe. (I hate being stereotyped)
"manly female gym teacher"....that's ok.

 

[Luissa]

Planned Parenthood!

 

[dalethomas1]

Ya I think that there are no study in today's modern schools they are only perform formalities.

 

[Madeline]

This appears to run a bit deeper than "sex ed." It's one thing to teach anatomy and quite another to teach "sexuality education" and promote sexual promiscuity as "perfectly normal." Teens have a way of believing "that [it] will never happen to me" in their pursuit of popularity, curiosity about sex, teen drinking, drug use and doing stupid things. And, of course, for several years they truly believe their parents are dumber than rocks.

Who are these parents who do such a crappy job of instilling values in their kids, one school assembly can turn them 180 degrees? Are you seriously saying a nice boy or girl will become a slut after viewing a single PP presentation?

I dun get what we think might could be the payoff for keeping kids ignorant in a world where sex can kill, and most certainly can ruin lives.

Can anyone explain that to me?

 

[chanel]

The students in our school get one marking period of health (9th, 11th, and 12th grade) and sex ed is only one unit within the health curriculum. In 10th grade they have Driver's Ed for health. How much time each teacher spends on it varies. It is taught by gym teachers. I have a feeling they focus more on STDs than pregnancy.

Our home ec teacher does a wonderful project with the kids with the robot babies (who cry a lot). It's an eye opener for them; esp. the boys. Unfortunately, it's done with the seniors. I believe most unwanted pregnancies occur in 10th grade.

I just checked out PP's "teen talk" site. They've cleaned it up a lot since the last time I checked. They even have adoption information now.

 

[Madeline]

I dun understand how anyone can blame teen pregnancies on sex ed when we have MTV , etc. showing soft porn to 10 year olds.

Today, my five year old daughter was watching cartoons on TV. Then a Barbie commercial came on. My daughter sang along with the theme song "Be who you want to be, B-A-R-B-I-E." She then turned to me and said "Mom, I want to be a hooker." FML

FML: barbie, search barbie on Fmylife

 

[strollingbones]

i taught social science, sex ed fell under that. i got out of teaching due to the negative response of parents and administrators to the subject. i do not care how careful you are in your choice of reading and your choice of words, someone is always offended. the main reason most parents cannot cope with teaching sex ed is they have very little knowledge of it themselves. my sex ed courses were more than how to put a condom on but it was an included subject. shrouding the subject just causes more ignorance. if parents were simply sit in on these classes they would find them not to be so shocking and may learn a thing or two.

o and i think the subject should be taught by a teacher inside the school. you are dealing with a sensitive subject and you should be there all year to deal with it. i do not care for this drive by things like planned parenthood. you have to stay and see the effects of what you are teaching, daily.

 

[FA_Q2]

I personally do not believe in sex ed for my children as I will cover that myself but see the need for it to be taught in schools. The classes need to be there and children need a basic understanding of sex and its consequences/responsibilities. That said, I am naturally suspicious of any organization that derives it money from things like abortions giving a sex ed class. That is something that an impartial educator whose only loyalty lies in educating the children. Anyone else that may pose an agenda does not belong in the classroom. Why would they use planned parenthood in the first place. There is nothing that the children need to know that an educated teacher cannot supply them with. That is what they are there for anyway, is it not?

 

[Annie]

My children had sex education in grammar school, 4th grade, as did I. Shockingly yes, Catholic school I went to had it in mid-1960's. It was on physical development, sex act, pregnancy, and early childhood development. In school sex was dealt with as part of marriage. For both programs we were separated by sex, so were my kids 25+ years later.

The first part on anatomy and physical development was outsourced and a field trip:

Robert Crown Center for Health Education

Again, my kids and myself went to public high schools and once again sex ed was covered, in 9th and 10th grades. First was about sex and contraception, stds. Second was on child care and expenses. My daughter went to the same high school I did for her first 2 years, all of them went to another high school after that, in same county.

 

[SmarterThanHick]

I personally do not believe in sex ed for my children as I will cover that myself but see the need for it to be taught in schools. The classes need to be there and children need a basic understanding of sex and its consequences/responsibilities. That said, I am naturally suspicious of any organization that derives it money from things like abortions giving a sex ed class. That is something that an impartial educator whose only loyalty lies in educating the children. Anyone else that may pose an agenda does not belong in the classroom. Why would they use planned parenthood in the first place. There is nothing that the children need to know that an educated teacher cannot supply them with. That is what they are there for anyway, is it not?

Why would planned parenthood be there in the first place? Because they are a lot more knowledgeable on the subject than you are. Do you feel you can accurately give the strengths and weaknesses of each type of contraception? Signs and symptoms of each STD? Oil or water based lubricants? If you are getting your information from the internet, what makes you think you are better qualified than your kids? This is a topic that requires some semblance of experience.

 

[xsited1]

Some Knox Co. parents are upset about the Planned Parenthood people coming into the schools as guest speakers. This has gotten a lot of news coverage the last couple of days. Thank God my children are way beyond school age - but I looked at some of the links given in the news report. One thing that one parent was incensed about was that the teacher "made a mistake" and forgot to pass out "opt out" forms for parental consent to participate in the program.
....

Planned Parenthood? They probably gave the black students a "have one abortion, get another one free" coupon.

 

[High_Gravity]

Whats so bad about planned parenthood?

 

[Madeline]

My children had sex education in grammar school, 4th grade, as did I. Shockingly yes, Catholic school I went to had it in mid-1960's. It was on physical development, sex act, pregnancy, and early childhood development. In school sex was dealt with as part of marriage. For both programs we were separated by sex, so were my kids 25+ years later.

The first part on anatomy and physical development was outsourced and a field trip:

Robert Crown Center for Health Education

Again, my kids and myself went to public high schools and once again sex ed was covered, in 9th and 10th grades. First was about sex and contraception, stds. Second was on child care and expenses. My daughter went to the same high school I did for her first 2 years, all of them went to another high school after that, in same county.

I might support teaching about STDs at a younger age, but elsewise this sounds just about right to me, Annie. I assume neither you nor your kids were corrupted by that information?

Morality cannot be enforced by ignorance.

 

[Madeline]

Whats so bad about planned parenthood?

The right demonizes PP because in many communities, it is the sole abortion provider, High Gravity.