Legislation would allow parents to decide how far sex ed goes

[The Straight Story]

Legislation would allow parents to decide how far sex ed goes

Accomplished Teacher® by SmartBrief | 04/08/2009

North Carolina legislators are considering giving parents choices when it comes to what their children learn in school about sex. Under proposed legislation, parents could choose to have lessons on contraception be added to abstinence-only sex education. Parents also could choose not to have their children participate in the lessons at all. News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.), The (04/07)


http://www.smartbrief.com/news/nbpts/storyDetails.jsp?issueid=9B219865-D37E-49BA-B03F-9BA5A9FFFE6D©id=33854A46-9D92-4FBF-A837-1791726B8139

[Buzz Clik]

1. The logical way to handle this is to make the current level of sex ed the default. Then, ...

... if parents want less, they should be able to request it.

[enlightenment]

2. Next up for the NC legislature -

passing legislation that will delete the last 500 years from the calendar, returning the state to the 16th century. Schools will offer basic education in reading, writing, and sums to boys between the ages of 5 and 12. The state will offer new apprenticeship opportunities in Witch Finding, Gibbet Construction, Blood-letting and Alchemy, while boys who show extraordinary talent will be allowed to advance to university where they can study Theology, Earth-centered astronomy, and Church Law. Females will be home schooled in cooking, cleaning, spinning, weaving, basketry, beekeeping, and dairy operations - with the exception of two days out of the week, during which they will be schooled in the appropriate and godly behaviour for females.

[burning rain]

7. Well done.

^

[sandnsea]

3. Parents already have to sign permission

Aaargh. What the hell is wrong with some places.

[rebecca_herman]

6. wouldn't mind firmer laws/guidelines that they HAVE to honor that permission

When I was in 5th grade, we got the sex ed form. Based on my immaturity and comfort levels (I was emotionally a very late developer when it came to the subject of sex) about learning that information in a classroom setting, my mother taught me the neccesary information at home and signed the form that said I could NOT take the class. The school didn't honor it, I came home in tears, my mother was furious. By the way I probably know more about birth control, how getting pregnant works, etc than a lot of public school students, I just learned better on my own instead of in a classroom of snickering kids. I don't remember much from that class except how upset and humiliated I was, but I certainly remember what I learned at home and on my own.

[IntravenousDemilo]

4. Parents (unless they're educators themselves) are the last people who should be consulted...

... on educational matters, inasmuch as they lack the expertise, and therefore the competence, to make decisions regarding curriculum. One of the purposes of a public education is to knock off the irrational bumps of ignorance that parents have put on their children, and turn them into good citizens.

[sandnsea]

8. But parents should flock to the school

to volunteer - just to be disregarded about their own child and then treated like an imbecile.

That attitude does more to harm children than almost any parent could.

[msongs]

5. sign up for the Wasilla mama sex ed course - do it right in the next room to Sarah nt