This is a FANTASTIC point.
That much we know to be true. Every study that has ever looked into that topic has found decreased or no change in sexual activity after sex ed is started, and an increase in safe sex practices.
To what socioeconomic class do you belong? What culture? Better yet: do you think your beliefs should dictate how others view the topic or what can be done about it?
Yes, I feel I can give a sex ed class to my own children FAR better than PP and better than any teacher. This has much less to do with knowledge than the fact that an open conversation with your parents on sex and its effects is worth far more than the information itself. That openness and relationship foster an environment around the subject that you will need as a parent if you wish to influence your children's choices in life. I am not saying the information is not extremely important or that I do not have the information to present but the 2 way relationship is even more important. Planned parenthood is not going to be there when these situations occur and you will. Sex ed should never be on its own anyway. It is more of a supplement to what you and your child should be talking about.
For the most part, yes. Much of those questions you asked are irrelevant though. I do not need to know the advantages of one contraceptive over another for example. That is a matter that needs to be discussed with a doctor that would be prescribing it though the basics like condom use I can convey.
I never said the knowledge was not necessary or unimportant, just that the open conversation between you and your child is even more important. It is important to have the info but it is VERY important for you to be involved. If you think your child is going to make good decisions because of some instructions that they got from a stranger for one afternoon then you are sadly mistaken. As a parent, you need to be deeply involved in order to guide your child. If you are asking the school system to do your job for you and not instilling the wisdom and morals that you hold dear then your children are likely to be a basket case. This one aria is no exception. You need to be there for your children when it comes to sexual morality and practices just as much as anywhere else and of you are not then those values and good decisions are not likely to happen.
Where have I said that I do not want sex ed taught in schools? Where have I opposed that practice? I directly stated that I wanted it taught. Abstinence is not sex ed and no one here has even whispered that it should be taught. We all know that is moronic and repeating it like that is the only opposition to the OP is rather mundane. I stated that an EDUCATOR, not a representative from a politically active organization, one that sells a service no less. This is not simply because this is planned parenthood. I am not opposed to the organization itself though I disagree with some of it activism. Nor is this the only instance that I would not want a politically active organization in our schools. I do not want ANY political entity there.
And that's certainly a good thing, but don't you think teenagers should receive more information than just a single doctor's appointment? Here's a better question: what percentage of teenagers do you think go visit a doctor just before they expect to become sexually active to discuss their options? If they don't know what options are even available, why would they go seek them? Teenagers can learn condom use by reading the box. Society needs more than the basics, though getting the information again from parents is always a good thing.
Deeply involved? In their sex? I can guarantee that when your kids are having sex, you are NOT involved. Parents can certainly help in safe sex goal, and I'm glad to see you are so invested in the well being of your children, but such is not an asset afforded to most children. To that end, they need to hear it from as many people as possible, be it strangers or otherwise. Time and time again it has been shown that education is what reduces unwanted outcomes. The more, the better. Parents rock, if they invest themselves appropriately.
I was not inferring you have promoted abstinence only education. The point is that we know that parents left to their own devices have three outcomes: providing full factual information on the topic, providing a mix of fact and error, and providing nothing. If we leave things for parents to do on their own, we will get a lot of the middle category, which is abstinence teaching, and a TON of the last category.
Case in point.......
And I have agreed with that. The only difference is that I place more importance on the parenting aspect. Hell, we have major problems now and the information IS standardized and taught in schools but the parenting is what is missing and that is where our problems are coming from. Hands down, schools will NEVER be sufficient enough to address this issue and, quite frankly, parenting will never get there as long as we have this insane view on sex that Americans seem to have. My main point to the OP was, and remains, that I believe planned parenthood has absolutely zero reason to be the educator here. That is what we have teachers for.
