Sex Education

Last edited by Reepicheep on Mon Apr 26, 2010 5:59 pm; edited 2 times in total

I was reading in the paper the other day about something that got me thinking. Dalton McGuinty (you may not have heard of him, he's a Canadian politician who I'm not very fond of) proposed teaching the basics of sex ed. in Grade 1 and start getting in depth in Grade 3 in Canadian schools. Due to it's controversial manner, the idea wasn't accepted... yet.

Let me say that I think this idea is so stupid, I can feel my temperature rising. I'm going to use my upbringing as an example (please be aware I'm not trying to glorify myself, but it's the most convenient example), I knew the full story of how babies are made when I was about eleven-twelve, although I knew bits and pieces before then. It isn't like I was being blinded. Now that I'm older, I place ideals like chivalry pretty highly, but far too many kids who have been spoon-fed this stuff as soon as they could comprehend it are sexually immoral.

I think the reason for this is that when you don't know what the full story is, it makes it a mystery. You're not sure what the heck it is, but at any rate, it is definitley not to be taken lightly. It has signifigance.

Now am I saying children should be completely in the dark? Absolutely not! They need to know about those particular areas of their bodies so they'll know if someone is over stepping their bounds. But for goodness' sake, let them just be kids after that. If you want to gradually reveal it, fine, but that is the last things kids need to be thinking about. They haven't even experienced feelings or emotions related to the subject (and if they have, that's a product of kids being forced to grow up too fast from things like this).

It might not even be as big of a deal if they bothered to teach about sexual morality (or is that old fashioned now? Rolling Eyes

), instead of just the biology of it.

I certainly know where I stand on this issue, but I'm wondering what you guys thought.
_________________

Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

Master Joined: 29 Feb 2008 Posts: 745 Location: Denver

I would need to know more before I comment yes or no. I am not totally against the idea of stepping up sex ed to an earlier age. Times have changed and access to information (both good and bad) is considerable. I think in some ways TV and pop culture push and present sex in the wrong light. A big part of growing up is coming to terms with both sex and sexuality. Its something everyone deals with well into adulthood. SSSSoooo, I think it depends on how you go about it. That said, I am also surprised it would be introduced that early. I had my sex education in 7th grade. We had a day of sex ed in 5th grade but it was very technical stuff.

Master Joined: 21 Mar 2010 Posts: 813 Location: Maryland

I learned sex ed in 7th grade, and we were too immature then.

Laughing

I believe sex ed is the responsibility of parents, not the school system. They should be the ones to decide when their children are ready to learn these things.
_________________
All things die, Anakin Skywalker, even stars burn out.

So this is how liberty dies....with thunderous applause.

Those without swords can still die upon them

The world is a mess and I just need to rule it.

Well my mom had that talk with me when I was like 4 or 5, though I don't really remember the actual conversation. Nonetheless, I basically had an idea of how things worked, and over the years it became clearer and clearer and made more sense. We didn't have a sex ed event in school until late 5th grade, and there were no sex ed classes, just that sex ed day, that was it.

The way tv is today, heck, just the commercials, it's almost a must that kids have some idea of what sex is, even at a young age. But I agree with Padme, this is the sort of thing that falls under the parents' responsibility. Now days there are too many people shoving off responsibility onto others and not enough people willing to bear the responsibility themselves.
_________________

Master Joined: 29 Feb 2008 Posts: 745 Location: Denver

Maybe they should've reconsidered being parents then...

I wouldn't say sex ed. is a must because of the media though. What will it hurt if they don't understand one more dumb commercial.
_________________

Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

Master Joined: 21 Mar 2010 Posts: 813 Location: Maryland

But when you're a kid, you've got that innocence about you. The sooner you get pulled into the adult world, the sooner you live it.

And who wants to be an adult? Wink

Master Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 602 Location: boston

Well, I think sex ed is the responsibility of the parents. If you can't handle that, don't have kids. School should not be involved until high school, when you are actually learning the biological process. At most, it should be an elective, after school thing, maybe as early as 6th grade or so, but would have to be signed off on by the parents.

I personally was exposed to too much stuff, too young(thanks to very young and lacking of common sense parents). I got caught with a playboy in 2nd grade and thought sex and relationships all worked like they do in porn. Needless to say I had a lot of learning to do on my own due to my lack of proper role models and no school education(catholic school) in this matter.

So, about a month ago my 10 year old brings up the sex topic(in a sort of comical, roundabout way). I proceed to give the very scientific version of what goes where/how babies are made/ etc. My very naive and loveable son says, "so you and mommy had sex 2 times?"(we have two kids). I had to explain that not every time ends in pregnancy, along with responsibility, being with someone you love, etc. It was a weird, awkward situation.

But if I didn't do this, his ideas would flow from things he heard in school, bits and pieces of stuff he catches on TV(and boy do a lot of things end up on TV that really shouldn't). I grew up with some very warped ideas of how things worked, and it is MY responsibility, not the school's, to make sure he knows the real deal in a way he can understand. And I basically left the conversation on the note of assuring him he can keep coming to me with any questions he ever has, no matter how awkward it feels to either of us.

There's my long winded 2 cents.

Master Joined: 11 Jun 2009 Posts: 1346

My dad sat me down and explained to me everything about sex when I was 9.

I think that school should teach the basics of it if they say you shouldn't have it before marriage. Christian or not, it isn't smart.

A whole class though? No, put it in with health class as OMB said.
_________________

My mom had a talk with me when I was 12. It's better than learning about it from sex ed class. I think parents are copping out by sending their kids off to learn about it at school. I think it's also important that parents be open to questions so kids won't be embarrassed and go to someone else. Unfortunately, that's how my parents make me feel about it to this day, which is why I knew about it from a friend before my mom gave me the talk. But I still think it's the parents' responsibility, even if mine waited too long to talk about the actual process, they still gave me the values they needed to (and I've worn a purity ring since I was 16). This is why schools shouldn't be involved in sex ed. There's no way they can gave every student values that match up with the parents' beliefs.
_________________
All things die, Anakin Skywalker, even stars burn out.

So this is how liberty dies....with thunderous applause.

Those without swords can still die upon them

The world is a mess and I just need to rule it.

Well said.
_________________

Where sky and water meet,
Where the waves grow sweet,
Doubt not, Reepicheep,
To find all you seek,
There is the utter east.

Master Joined: 29 Feb 2008 Posts: 745 Location: Denver