18 Texas school districts use Focus on the Family and Southern Baptist materials

[madfloridian]

in teaching sex education.

Abstinence-only sex-education programs have a "stranglehold" on Texas public schools

The real danger here is that some are locally done, funded by religious groups, and do not appear to need the federal abstinence only education funds.

In nearly 10 percent of Texas school districts, Christian teaching is a key component of the abstinence-only program. Eighteen districts use materials distributed by Focus on the Family and one uses True Love Waits, distributed by the Southern Baptist Convention.

Other districts use "homegrown" programs, like Wonderful Days, used by three Fort Worth-area districts, which advises students that they can be "born again of The Almighty Himself." The program also counsels that "you will be amazed when the 'sperm' of His Spirit connects with the 'ovum/egg' of your spirit and you become a 'new person' with his character" and points them to supporting biblical passages. A handy letter encouraging school districts to adopt Wonderful Days explains the program's name: the two best days of a woman's life, her wedding day and the day her first baby is born -- in that order, of course. Another district reported using Motherwise, which is intended for church use to "equip mothers worldwide with God's truth that transforms the family."

Ryan Valentine, TFN's deputy director, said that the "homegrown" programs -- whether they are blatantly or latently religious -- are the most "egregious" and are often adopted by school districts because "the superintendent gets a call from (a local) group that says, 'we'll give you your sex education for free.'" (The programs, therefore, are not dependent on federal abstinence-only funding.) While some of the programs clearly violate the First Amendment's establishment clause prohibiting government sponsorship of religion, Valentine said, "districts that include most obviously unconstitutional material tend to be rural, with homogenous, conservative populations," making it less likely that parents would challenge them.

"the superintendent gets a call from (a local) group that says, 'we'll give you your sex education for free."....NOT how public schools should work.

Our Democrats have not done anything to help the situation or to discourage the use of failed abstinence only programs in public schools.

In fact the Democrats increased funding for discredited abstinence-only policies

They increased it by 27.8 million dollars in 2007.

"The Democratic leadership of the House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Service, and Education (LHHS) Sub-Committee set science and commonsense aside by increasing the funding for discredited abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Despite a congressionally mandated report that found these programs do not work to help teens delay sexual initiation, House leadership allocated $141 million (an increase of $27.8 million) to continue feeding America's young people misinformation.

"Let's face it, with friends like these, who needs conservative Republicans?" said James Wagoner, President of Advocates for Youth. "By continuing to fund these ineffective programs, the House Democratic leadership has signaled that the health and well-being of America's teens are not their priority. Young people and their parents should be outraged.

One good thing...in Florida Charlie Crist has agreed to review the state's abstinence only education at the request of Planned Parenthood.

Sarasota, FL — The Healthy Teens Campaign, a broad-based group of over 80 organizations working together to advocate for comprehensive sex education in Florida public schools to improve the health and safety of Florida teens, applauded Governor Crist today for his commitment to “review abstinence-only funding.”

At a town hall meeting today in Ft. Lauderdale, Governor Crist was asked a question about government inefficiencies and wasting taxpayer dollars on ineffective abstinence-only programs.

In response, Governor Crist said that he will “review abstinence-only funding.”

“The weight of the evidence cannot be ignored, and it is time to answer tough questions about why we continue to waste millions of dollars a year on a policy that has failed to keep teens healthy and safe,” said Adrienne Kimmell, Healthy Teens Campaign member and executive director of the Florida Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates. “We encourage Governor Crist to take the next step and join the 25 governors who no longer accept federal abstinence-only funding.”

Currently, Florida receives the 2nd highest amount of federal abstinence-only funding in the country – nearly $13 million. In fiscal year 2008, Florida spent $6 million on abstinence-only programs through federal Title V abstinence-only funding, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Maternal and Child Health Grant Block (MCHGB) funding, despite the fact that abstinence-only programs have been proven ineffective.

Good for Charlie.

We really need to be on guard about school districts that are able to incorporate such blatantly religious material from Focus on the Family's Dobson and the Southern Baptists.

[grantcart]

1. Absolutely astonishing. I am willing to bet that those districts suffer from huge

teenage pregnancy rates.

[BOSSHOG]

2. The old do not fuck "training" is highly valued in Mississippi

The #1 state in the nation for teen pregnancy. How do all those virgins get pregnant?

[madfloridian]

3. Looks like you need this lady from Lubbock to visit your state. She sounds great.

I just ran across this article about a lady from Texas who is in Florida pushing for more sensible sex education.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/feb/10/na-sex-education-crusader-brings-passion-here/

"The subject of an award-winning documentary that chronicled her efforts in Lubbock, Knox is the speaker today for "A Choice Affair: Sex, Lies and Education," a program by Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida.

The noon event at Maestro's in the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center commemorates the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark court case giving women the right to choose an abortion.

Knox was a member of a teen commission exploring issues that concerned high school students in 2001 back in Lubbock. Many of the teens brought up the city's teen pregnancy rates, among the highest in the nation, and their disappointment in their sex education classes.

Those classes still don't teach teenagers what they need to know, Knox lamented.

"We haven't been trusting our young people," she said. "Giving someone an umbrella doesn't mean it's going to rain. Prevention doesn't cause the problem."

[Politicalboi]

8. Toielt seats Don't cha know

[Tesha]

31. They were touched by his noodly appendage! (NT)

[EmilyAnne]

4. Dear God, this reminds me of my school days in Texas. Christianity was always a part of our

education. Though I was taught evolution, there was a small paragraph in the textbook that mentioned the alternative called "creationism." Our exam allowed us to answer a question about the origin of life as our own personal opinion!

In junior high, our school play was some kind of Baptist thing that had parts where the characters would pray for guidance. We sang a Christian radio hit called "Friends" that has a ton of references to the "Lord."

Let's see, my sophomore year we had a Christian student group called Higher Dimensions. We had a obese, heaving, sweaty coach to teach health class. He told racist jokes all the time. And told us to abstain from sex and that condoms don't really work. And that was all the health and sex education we got. This was mid 90s when HIV was a well known problem, so no excuse for such stupidity.

[w8liftinglady]

5. we had a prayer every morning over the loud speaker.(back in the 60's)

Texas is not the most enlightened state.

[snappyturtle]

28. I know of a high school where the principal along with students who

choose to join in, pray outdoors under the flagpole each morning. My worry is for the students who choose not to join in.....this is a small school. A picture depicting such has been removed from their website but I wonder if the practice is gone.

[8 track mind]

39. What town in Texas was this? n/t

[EmilyAnne]

42. It was in Cypress, Texas. Cy-Fair ISD. Its a suburb about 30 minutes NW of Houston.

My parents' next door neighbor has "stop abortion" tattooed on his neck.

[8 track mind]

44. Yeah thats deeeeeeeeep red territory

down there. I grew up in Paris, Texas and we had a lot of the same crap we had to deal with. I remember a play we had to attend that sang the praises of abstinence. It was an overacted joke which we mocked relentlessly.

The big thing they were concerned about was that evil Rock and Roll! The devil's music! There were several seminars given at the various churches and they always tried bribing us with pizza to go to this dumb shit.

[tanyev]

6. The local news had a story a little while back about an alternative school

for young mothers in the Dallas ISD. They talked to one girl who first got pregnant when she was 14. She got pregnant the second time she had sex. She said that when she didn't get pregnant the first time she had sex she figured she was not able to have children.

:grr:

[madfloridian]

19. Oh, that's really pathetic and sad.

There is no excuse for not presenting kids with the facts in an honest way.

[paulsby]

7. creepy

"The program also counsels that "you will be amazed when the 'sperm' of His Spirit connects with the 'ovum/egg' of your spirit "

ok. that is just CREEPY.

i had instant flashbacks to that scene from jacob's ladder, or maybe rosemary's baby

[madfloridian]

9. Correct. It is "creepy" that is being taught in public school. Scary.

You would think someone in the communities that teach such as that would notice how weird it is and speak up.

:wow:

[Mariana]

18. It would be creepy in ANY context! eom

[madfloridian]

22. Yes, it really would.

It is almost beyond that into the realm of scary.

[KamaAina]

37. So they think that everyone's inherently female?

the 'ovum/egg' of your spirit

So I guess they don't have any problem with transgendered people. :sarcasm:

edit: spelling

[Dollface]

38. I'm surprised that teens in Texas aren't going blind from rolling their eyes

[Warren DeMontague]

10. Um, how the FUCK can anyone claim that this shit is reconciliable w/the Establishment Clause?

It's what many of us have been saying all along: That all this "abstinence only" gibberish, in addition to NOT WORKING, is just a thinly-veiled cover for pushing Jeeebus on kids in public schools.

[FiveGoodMen]

49. Indeed.

Or, to put it another way, why doesn't anyone stop them?

Surely someone has the jurisdiction.

[AlCzervik]

11. i'm buying stock in whatever company makes pregnancy tests.

[Wednesdays]

30. Remember, they don't believe in pregnancy tests

That just encourages "abortionists." :eyes:

No, better to buy stock in diaper companies.

Edit: Oh, and baby formula companies. After all, there's nothing more unnatural than breastfeeding a baby.

[seabeyond]

12. my son says no way.... in the schools in amarillo texas. nothing... nothing about religion

it is all science and health.

they do suggest waiting for marriage.

but they teach birth control, condoms, sexually transmitted disease, social aspect

son thinks they do a good job and not preachy at all.

kid asked is it normal to watch porn, teacher said, talk to parents.

this is middle school

[madfloridian]

13. Here is the original report from TFN...pdf and videos

Just like in FL I am sure some schools and districts do a great job...it is the ones who are allowing Southern Baptist and Dobson material in their schools that should be called out on it.


http://www.tfn.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SexEdReportIndexPage

[seabeyond]

14. i would like to see exactly what areas are attributed with this. the program for kids school

called, "worth the wait" but it is as i described and not religious. i have a hard time believing a big city like fort worth uses a religious abstinence program not teaching the appropriate stuff, and the panhandle of texas doesnt.

[madfloridian]

15. You have two choices.

You can believe the report with videos and summaries and names...from the Texas Freedom Network. Or you can choose not to believe that report.

I quoted from the FundamentaList at American Prospect who did choose to believe the report.

Here are the sponsors for the program you mention in Amarillo from the program's website. I don't see the Focus on the family mentioned nor the Southern Baptist.

http://www.worthwait.org/cms/index.php?page=list-of-sponsors

I am pointing out the ones who take material from right wing religious sources and use it in public schools.

Complete report

http://www.tfn.org/site/DocServer/SexEdRort09_web.pdf?docID=981

[seabeyond]

16. i appreciate it. and even more

i appreciate you went beyond, lol and found the program in this area and making your point.

i find it amazing that an area like fort worth would have this.

three years ago in pta with a member on the education board and a councilor at a school, one particularly fundamentalist clearly said the abstinence program is a failure. that one councilor wanted abstinence program but she knew it didn't work and created more problem and it is well known in the educational groups in this area.

thanks.

[Alcibiades]

33. Fort Worth, home of J. Frank Norris?

It's not like Fort Worth is a progressive place, as McCain carried Tarrant County by 75,000 votes. I wouldn't be surprised if they taught children faith-based contraception.

[8 track mind]

40. well

i wasn't one of those 75,000 :hi:

[Alcibiades]

51. I know you'll turn it blue yet!

We did it here in Jesse Helms-land. Only a matter of time. :patriot:

[Aristus]

34. I had always assumed that the Panhandle was one of the more conservative

parts of Texas. But Lubbock gave us The Dixie Chicks, and it sounds like they have sensible school administrators in Amarillo. Cool. Maybe one day, I won't have to hang my head in shame and embarrassment when I say I was born and raised in The Lone Star State. B-)

[seabeyond]

47. i had assumed the very red panhandle would beat out the blue metro areas myself

color me surprised.

i am not into defending texas. i wasnt born and bred and not to thrilled to be living here, but i also like to honor when an area believes one way, yet doesnt use it to brain wash those in school.

my boys aer texan, and my hubby and they have been defenders of both kerry and obama, ... hubby even being from midland, lol... born and bred.

no hanging head.

there are good things about texas too

[Still Sensible]

17. All they care about is the "DON'T FUCK" with the Kool Aid

It doesn't matter if their abstinence-only approach is an abject failure.

It doesn't matter if kids will start screwing when their hormones basically lead them there.

It doesn't matter if women will find a way to get an abortion if it is illegal.

It doesn't matter if pastors at their churches are raging hypocrites.

It doesn't matter if being gay is not a choice, but a fact.

It doesn't matter if they ignore New Testament teachings about tolerence, the poor and needy.

It doesn't matter if science contradicts their world view and their Old Testament literalism.

All that matters to them is that their followers have drank their Kool Aid and believe in the fundamentalist Christian doctrine. They so badly want to return to the 1950s when it did not matter if all this shit happened... it wasn't acknowledged or discussed so people could live their fantasy Ozzie and Harriet life. That's what these assholes are really preaching!

Oh, and they're making a few bucks along the way.

[anonymous171]

20. I hope TX enjoys its high teen pregnancy rate.

Let them destroy themselves. It will do us an electoral favor.

[madfloridian]

21. Here is more about the "Wonderful Days" program used in 3 districts in Fort Worth area..

http://www.star-telegram.com/state_news/story/1223435.html

"Some Texas classrooms mix religious instruction and Bible study into sex education programs.

"Hardly a page can be found that does not include multiple references to Bible verses, invocation of Christian principles, even attempts to proselytize students with the Christian plan of salvation," the report states about a program called Wonderful Days used by three districts in the Fort Worth area.

To fix the problems, the report suggests that districts appoint at least one certified health professional or educator to their state-mandated school health advisory council and have that council review sex education policies every three years. Districts should also use qualified, trained classroom teachers and materials from reputable sources.

..."Kathy Miller, president of the Freedom Network’s Education Fund, said in a news conference announcing the report Tuesday in Austin that she wants education programs to encourage abstinence.

"But we must stop burying our heads in the sand about high teen birth and STD rates and make sure young people get the medically accurate information they need to protect their health and their futures," Miller said.

The Star-Telegram recently reported that since 2001, the Hurst-Euless-Bedford school district’s eighth-grade science curriculum has taught that if used correctly, latex condoms are 80 percent effective in preventing pregnancy. But the success rate of condoms when used correctly is 97 to 98 percent, according to most experts and manufacturers. H-E-B officials said they don’t know where they got their information. In January the district, in an addendum, corrected the information in its online curriculum. A district review committee has found several other problems, administrators say, and is now working to correct them."

[Warren DeMontague]

23. "Some Texas classrooms mix religious instruction and Bible study into sex education programs."

I'm shocked. Shocked, I tell you! :eyes:

As always, mf, thanks for staying on top of this very important subject. :thumbsup: :patriot:

[madfloridian]

24. I can see in FL they will not give up...ever.

It is meant to harass, more than because they believe so firmly. I really believe that.

[SoCalDem]

25. Too bad someone does not expose these fraudsters..once and for all

:puke:

[moggie]

26. From these nuts' pov, "abstinence-only" is not a failure

Sure, if you're a member of the reality-based community and care about the rates of teen pregnancy and STDs, abstinence-only education is a failure. But to the people pushing it, that's not what it's really about. It's about dividing kids (particularly girls) into two groups: the virtuous, and the sinners. For this purpose, it works very well - particularly for girls, who get to display their sinfulness for everyone in their community to see. You either do what your preacher tells you to do, or you get "punished", and that's the way it should be.

[mwooldri]

27. In the meantime, I guess sex-ed begins at home.

And us parents will have to do the education with our offspring. But then some parents are too embarrassed to do this, so some kids will be deprived.

Such a shame. If I recall, Sex-Ed is part of the UK "National Curriculum" and taught in both Science classes and part of Life Skills classes. And it sure isn't "abstinence only". That's how I got taught.

Mark.

[LibertyLover]

29. Oh yuck - the "sperm" of His spirit meets the "ovum" of yours?

I have to say that I find that statement revolting and in extremely poor taste. I am no longer Christian, so I'm not sure if I can add "blasphemous" as well. It never ceases to amaze me how some Christians act toward sex education, especially when the numbers show abstinence-only doesn't work to keep teen from either having sex or getting pregnant.

[8 track mind]

41. This is what we get to put up with down here in this trash-can state. n/t

[ehrnst]

32. And here are the teen pregnancy and live birth rates in Texas:

http://womensissues.about.com/od/datingandsex/a/TeenPregStates.htm

(as of 2006 data)

States ranked by rates of live births among women age 15-19 (births per thousand):

Mississippi (71)
**Texas (69)**
Arizona (67)
Arkansas (66)
New Mexico (66)
Georgia (63)
Louisiana (62)
Nevada (61)
Alabama (61)
Oklahoma (60)

States ranked by rates of pregnancy among women age 15-19 (pregnancies per thousand):

Nevada (113)
Arizona (104)
Mississippi (103)
New Mexico (103)
**Texas (101)***
Florida (97)
California (96)
Georgia (95)
North Carolina (95)
Arkansas (93)

[DaLittle Kitty]

35. K&R! When Will The F***ing Dems Stand Up! Because There IS No opposition To This NONSENSE!

The weak ass Dems are just as bad as the rep's! Just goes to show you all the frigging morons hat live out in the sticks! Listening to illiterate preachers and alern'n that the dang world is ... STILL FLAT... doncha know#@$&%*%@!

[madfloridian]

36. I just posted a video in the video forum of a TFN press conference.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x276965

[NoPasaran]

43. Just to put the number 18 in perspective

Texas has 1,265 school districts.

[madfloridian]

45. Of course.

That's not the point, though.

No public school should be using religious materials to teach sex education or anything else for that matter.

[8 track mind]

46. thank you for this great post!

It's hard to get any information on what goes on behind the scenes around here in Texas. The main concern around here is football and "them durn lib-rawls"

[20score]

48. "Wacha readn' for?" Bill Hicks. Covered this type perfectly.

[Norma Druid]

50. Focus On The Family Material

So the wedding day and the first child are the two BEST days in a woman´s life? That´s enough to bring on post-partum depression!
Seriously, implicit in this statement is the idea that women are valuable only as they relate to a husband and child. Never mind your abilities or what you´ve accomplished, your BEST times are when you marry and become a baby machine. I certainly got that message as a child and wasn´t all that eager to grow up. My mother´s generation got a similar message - marriage is your BEST day and you put up with sex just to have Dear Little Babies. (This bummed Mama out, since she didn´t particularly want Dear Little Babies.)
This is an anti-woman, potentially personally devastating message to any girl.

[madfloridian]

52. Good post.

Well said...it does define the role of a woman as submissive to her husband and making babies.

[MountainLaurel]

58. Absolutely right, Norma

That's the attitude I was surrounded with when I was growing up. Thank heaven my immediate family didn't buy into it (my mother threatened me with bodily harm if I got married until I was 30 or had finished college).

Welcome to DU, BTW!

:hi:

[Christa]

53. It always blows my mind

that religious rightwing nuts are so obsessed with sex. If it isn't a pre-teen (Mary) getting fertilized by the Holy Spirit, it is same sex couples or this nonsense.

[TWiley]

54. The Mackeral Snappers are at it again.

They will not sleep until this country has been pushed back to the bronze age.

[Dollface]

56. Are these Mackeral Snappers Spics, Wops, Gooks or Nips?

Not all Catholics are fundies and not all fundies are Catholic. And in general it is an offensive term.

[TWiley]

59. oh jeskus fucking h price

I am so absolutely sick of religious people getting offended. They are willing to call everyone a god damn sinner, and send them to hell, stick their nose in your personal life, and behave offensively as hell with impunity.

It takes a thick hide to be involved in politics.

[Dollface]

60. I just pointed out that you inaccurately applied an offensive term. It appears that you also

incorrectly assumed that I am religious. You don't have to be black to be offended by the word nigger.

[TWiley]

61. so, what exactly IS a mackeral snapper?

Why do you assume that it refers to catholics?

[Dollface]

63. It is an old term that is applied in a derogatory manner specifically to Catholics.

I heard it used in a pretty nasty manner when I was a kid.

From Wikepedia - Mackeral Snapper, is a sectarian slur for Roman Catholics, originating in the U.S. in the 1850s and referring to the pre-Vatican II custom of Friday abstinence. The Friday abstinence from meat (red meat and poultry) distinguished Catholics from other Christians, especially in North America, where Protestant churches prevailed and Catholics tended to be poor immigrants from Italy and Ireland.

[jwirr]

55. It seems to me that is a BIG violation of church/state unless they

are paying for those textbooks out of private funds. That is pure teaching of religion.

[98Beatsies]

57. How do we introduce them to the 21st century?

[Rob H.]

62. "you will be amazed when the 'sperm' of His Spirit...

connects with the 'ovum/egg' of your spirit and you become a 'new person' with his character."

That's just flat-out creepy and weird. They're telling those kids that thinking about having sex with each other is dirty, sinful, and wrong, but it's perfectly okay to summon up a mental image that God and His Almighty Ethereal Woody are on their way to tap their tender underage spirits. I don't think they could've come up with a more disturbing metaphor if they'd tried.