Clear
That our young people need to know the "facts of life," I am in complete agreement. As a 30 year veteran high school biology teacher, sex education was a part of my curriculum every year. I was always grateful that it was the last thing on my agenda, for, while other teachers were dealing with student "burn out" during the last 2 weeks of school, I always had very attentive classes!
My curriculum consisted of anatomy, physiology and pathology. What are the organs for reproduction? What do these organs do and how? How does pregnancy occur? What are the events of fetal development? What diseases are associated with these organs. Again, like Sgt. Joe Friday, "Just the facts, ma'am."
I taught how the organs worked, but NEVER suggested how they should be used or with whom or how often or by what techniques. Sexuality was an issue I left for parents to discuss. I knew that I had gay and lesbian students in my classes, but by age 15 to 18, they knew it, too.
Cloudy
What I'm not sure of is how I would teach sex education to middle school or elementary kids. I must admit that I don't know, because I have no training for dealing with that age group and I haven't seen the curriculum. My own children told me about the separate sex HIV classes (they were system wide in the 80s), but they never told me if they had to demonstrate putting a condom on a cucumber.
I offer you this video, only to let you know what some others are doing to educate young people. This is a legitimate museum set up to teach youth about sex and sexual behaviors. Look at how young they are! I also think it is very obvious that this is a group, not individual kids with their parents.
I took my children to see the circus and the Impressionists.
I love that last statement, and, TBH, I don't know how I feel about sex education in schools. As a conservative, and worse maybe, a Southern conservative, I guess we're supposed to be against it. At least, that's what our liberal counterparts would say, right? But I certainly see the need. I do think this without question or confusion: sex education SHOULD be taught by parents. It's their job. UNFORTUNATELY, we don't live in Utopia, and there are WAY too many parents avoiding much more minor parental skills, that I have no hope that they're actually going to teach their kid anything about sex, let alone safety, unless it's to throw the latest porn rental at them. That is, I should say, the impression I get from far too many people around here. So, I guess, teach away! Apparently, I'm a lot more clear on my position than I thought.
ReplyDeleteOur middle school handles it by having a couple who were experts come to an evening meeting to talk about sex, sexuality, puberty, etc. If you want to attend you come with your child. Anyone was allowed to ask questions after the video and talk, but it was done via a 3x5 card put into a basket without names. No one knew who had asked the question, and no one felt odd for asking it.
ReplyDeleteHealth is taught, but it is kept to the scientific facts.