AnonymousBy Paige Swanson
I would like to voice my support of SB Unified’s Sex Education Program for the junior high students in this community.
My understanding is there is a small, but very vocal group opposing this program and they are planning to protest it.
I also understand that parents who are against this program can simply decline it for their child.
I am upset that these people against it, are attempting to block it from MY child learning about sex in school! I WANT this program for my child.
I feel very strongly about this issue because what I see happening is Americans speak precious little to their children about sex, and school is the ONLY place MOST kids will get
“correct” information in an age appropriate way, from trained teachers.
Peggy Orenstein has two excellent books, Boys & Sex and Girls & Sex, where she talks about this very issue. She interviewed hundreds of teenagers about the current state of sex for American kids and the majority of parents are NOT talking to their pre-teen and teenage kids.
Kids are curious and smart, so they seek it out one way or another.
FACT: Kids today are getting Sex Ed from:
1. Peers (who are ill informed) and
2. The Internet, ie: Porn.
Right now in 2020, the average age for a child to see their first porn is 11! This isn’t like finding a Playboy under the mattress. This is hardcore, gnarly stuff that is very easily accessed
and shared between our teens. I have heard a few disturbing stories lately from fellow moms. (involving kids as young as 9!)
Education is empowerment. I am the daughter of teen parents. My parents had my oldest sister at 16. (That is my son in two years. Kids having kids!)
I think when kids have correct information about sex (from trained teachers in an age appropriate way), they are more likely to make good decisions for themselves.
I don’t want this small group to dictate and try to block something I want for my child. If they don’t want it for their child, fine, they can decline it, BUT don’t try and block it from the rest
of us.
What SB Unified is doing is correct and right… Educating our kids about this very important, natural part of life is the right thing to do.
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DUKEMUNSON makes two very good points. Transparency and parental buy-in. It seems reasonable that the district should choose a sex-ed curriculum which is available for view online by all parents, and the community, at any time. A school district has to earn the trust of its parents.
8380 makes a good point. There would be less controversy if they just stuck to the basics.
Schools can’t even get the basics right these days, like boys have penises and girls have vaginas. I don’t want them saying anything to my kids about sex!
What basics? Nobody even accepts those anymore.
For those of you who weren’t there, the 50’s to 80’s were torturous times for adolescents and teenagers. I remember going to the library to look for answers and being told I was not allowed to read the medical books because I was not old enough (although eventually the librarian allowed me to look over a few basic medical texts). Young people have questions and urges and they need to be informed about what they are feeling and the alternatives and consequences of their choices. Sex education, for want of a better term, is socially necessary if we are to have a healthy society.
RHS I went to high school in the late 80s and we had very graphic Sex Ed in 9th grade. They scared the hell out of us because of the AIDS epidemic. We were told if we had unprotected sex we were going to die. We were told if we got pregnant our lives as we knew it would be over, we were shown graphic photos of STDs that were so horrible I still remember them 30 years later. None of this was controversial because it was true and necessary. We learned about relationships, safe sex, domestic violence and how to respect others. Our hormones were raging. I have been boy crazy for as long as I can remember. When I was in high school boys were literally all I could think about. Thank god I learned about protected sex because no one was stopping me from having it. But that class taught me how to take care of myself and others. We need these classes because no matter how well you think you have taught or not taught your kids about sex someone else’s kid is watching porn on their phone all day.
I agree that sex education is important and should be taught. You are correct that parents can opt out. My concern is for the kids of parents who opt out won’t get any sex ed. I believe we as a community would be better off offering two programs so that every student gets sex ed. Kate Ford in the early board meeting was for Heart program, which does meet the legal requirements because she thought it was more sensitive approach. Both approaches should be offered because all students need sex ed. The needs of the students should be the priority. And the children born into conservative households should not be left without anything because typically it leads to unplanned pregnancies at early age which is not great for anyone.
monie
A problem that I see is the obsession with secrecy regarding the curriculum that these outside groups bring with them. Everything that is being taught should be available to be seen… by everyone! Why hide anything? As a district we should strive to keep and get parents as involved as possible… and any group that refuses to let their lesson plans be seen should immediately be shown the door.
I remember a time ( boomer-me), when the “ThreeR’s” were the focus of my education.
There was alot less rape or impregnated teachers back then..
It makes me wonder as to exactly what “lessons” remain for parents to teach their kids, since everything about growing-up seems to be dependent upon teachers?..
If your kids do not share your same values, don’t wonder why.
I’m a grandmother of 3 children. I want them educationally equipped for this world. Sex education is a basic need in the schools. Look at Norway. Sex education is extensive and it results in very few teenage pregnancies, much better than in the US teen pregnancy rate.
I agree… though with the caveat that using small Nordic countries as an example/comparison is slightly silly as the differences between Norway and the US are way beyond that of an apple and orange. I do find it offensive though when curriculum is pushed in which it’s nearly impossible to see what’s actually in it as a parent. The secrecy under the guise of copyright protection is just downright silly. Whether it’s sex, math, history or anything in between… make it all available and open. We want parents involved… so help/encourage them to be involved…
Although I’m naturally in favor of pushing STEM as early as possible, I wish those in charge of setting curriculum would not lose sight of the 3 basic things our children need to be taught before they depart from the education system: 1) Sexual Education; 2) Financial Responsibility; and 3) General Hygiene. Not everyone is going to be a chemist, and that’s fine with me, but we’re all going to interact with and have an impact on each other at a very basic level. It seems like a lot of the problems society faces today are a result of these 3 very basic things taking a back burner to all the vogue and less important political agenda of the moment.
Sex Ed vs pornography. Where do we draw the line.
Family doctor? Is that something from 1960s sit-coms?
The best comment on here is from Lovesbalot. Straight up, there are two sex ed curricula available. One is available for free, and can be accessed on line by parents. The name of that sex ed curriculum is HEART. Then there is the Teen Talk curriculum which the district adopted 5-0 over the protest of 1,000 parents, which is not available for parents to view on line, and the district has to pay for it. Both curricula are compliant with the newly-adopted state standards for comprehensive sex ed. The argument from the HEART camp essentially is: “Teen Talk is X rated and pornographic, HEART is G rated and wholesome.” Both curricula cover all the necessary topics that we all want our children to learn about: preventing pregnancy, preventing STDs, healthy relationships. All of the arguments here for “why our kids need sex ed” are completely missing the point. The question is not “if” but “which.” The question is “one” (controversial curriculum) or “both” (a choice between two curricula , one of which aligns with more traditional values). Everyone wants sex ed for their child. Go back and read Lovesbalot, the first comment. Lovesbalot makes all the relevant points. What more is there to say? Why would you want 1,000 parents to “opt out” of sex ed when the district could let those parents “opt in” to HEART, and make everybody happy?
Secret education is not public education; nor appropriate use of public tax dollars.
7:51 – why didn’t you talk to your family doctor about all of this since you claimed you were a victim of your own biological “hormones”.
The further we get away from the “education” part of sex-ed and the more we focus on the “sex” part, people start to lose their minds. The more educated teens are, the less likely teen pregnancies are apt to happen. Make sex-ed a priority with caring and inclusive language. Today’s world is hyper-sexualized, especially for teens, (have any of you seen the dances and songs on Tic-Toc lately?!!). We need to address consent and make birth control widely available and affordable (FREE!). The more we head backwards toward puritan mores, the more we suffer as a society. Let’s move FORWARD and address these things with clear minds and a caring attitude. Teens are GOING to have sex, there’s no way around that. Hormones are raging at that age. We can’t wish that away. EDUCATE, educate, empower.
I agree, Chem. Some people still think schools should only teach readin’, writin’, and ‘rithmatic, but that would leave countless youngsters woefully ignorant. I feel sorry for teachers, who are asked to do so much, but that’s how it has to be if we don’t want a bunch of pregnant, STI-infected youth.
Byzan just explained why the US has the highest teen pregnancy rate among 1st world nations. Thanks for the very clear explanation.
You know it when you see it.
DUKEMUNSON Yes. Make it all available and open. Math, history, anything in between. We want parents involved..so help/encourage them to be involved. Secrecy is “silly.”
@BYZANTIUM…family doctor? In the late 80s? The only time we went to the doctor was to get signoff to be in sports. Didn’t have health insurance.
SBTOWNIE makes two great points: “I’m neither religious or prude…The excerpts I’ve found from Teen Talk online are honestly obscene. They go beyond educational and truly enter lewd territory.” “Parents have a right to see what their children are being taught.”
This is true.