Petition Soapbox
Posted by mom on 14 May 2008 at 01:12 pm | Tagged as: PETITION Soapbox
This is your space to comment beyond “I Agree” … or other less productive sentiments. Play nice.
Keeping Modesty in the Public School Sex Ed Classroom
Posted by mom on 14 May 2008 at 01:12 pm | Tagged as: PETITION Soapbox
This is your space to comment beyond “I Agree” … or other less productive sentiments. Play nice.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to inform other parents and write the petition. I agree wholeheartedly and will pass this on to many other concerned parents.
Tracey
Thanks Tracey for your support, and for passing the info along. It’s much appreciated!
I have great concern based upon what is happening in other provinces when it comes to educating children under a government system. Sex ed is now a mix of guests with agendas, teachers who have no clear guidleines or who are using some materials that violate what MOST parents teach their children.
It is a moral and we think a legal responsibility of schools and teachers to inform parents of “controversial” teaching.
Brian, you’ve hit the nail on the head.
I’m encouraged to see that your site, Canada Family Action Coalition supports the belief in “policies which protect the inherent right and responsibility of parents in the raising and education of their children.” Dare I say, that’s the way it should be.
Thank you for taking the time to acknowledge and support our petition.
I agree that parents should not only be notified of sensitive “lessons” regarding sexuality or morality, but also have the choice of having their children opt out of these classes. This area of education should be left to the parents.
As a retired school librarian and teacher I am very concerned at how sex education is treated today, especially in elementary schools. In the schools I taught the teachers sent out messages to parents informing them of what was to be taught and if they consented to having their child be in the class during that lesson. At that time there were many parents who did not permit their children to attend public school sex education as they felt it was their job to educate their child on that subject. I very strongly agree that teachers should ask permission before teaching their view of sex education, which often does more harm than good in my experience.
Thank you for your comments, Gail and Helen. I continue to be encouraged!
We’re empty nesters now, but the way we beat the public school’s influence was to homeschool. Hard work on my part, but I’d do it again; no regrets!!
Yes, situations like this certainly fuel the fire for homeschooling!
I agree and am so thankful that someone is standing up for what we believe is not only the duty but also responsibility of the parents only. The way sex has been encouraged and even promoted as a normal “passtime” of our youth makes us grandparents shudder. No wonder so many sad things, like abortion are considered as a way of undoing the harm that follows this promiscuous lifestyle. Keep up the good work. Sincerely, Betty Vogelaar. Grandparent of 11 grandchildren.
I strongly agree, thank you for taking the time to try to make a difference. Most of us are so busy just trying to get through each day, it is refreshing to find someone who is fighting for our youth. Thanks so much.
Thanks Betty and Shannon for your support!
I had an interesting experience about 7 years ago. My son’s teacher sent home a letter “allowing” me to grant or withhold permission for my child to sit through grade 6 sex ed.
I declined to have my child sit through the unit because it included a section on AIDS education. The rest of the unit was, in my opinion, age appropriate and sensible. I could not, however, see how the segment on AIDS education fit in with the rest of the material to be presented.
The nurse from the health unit (who was to teach the unit) phoned to convince me that my child should attend her class; we talked for about 20 minutes. She could not understand why I had a problem with the inclusion of the AIDS segment in my 6th grade child’s education; shouldn’t he learn to be compassionate and understanding of someone with a “life-altering” disease.
I agreed that my child absolutely needed to learn to be compassionate and sensitive to the needs of others. I suggested that if she wanted to teach him about all sorts of life-altering diseases (cancer, hemophilia, diabetes, etc) then she could appropriately teach him about the misery of AIDS as well.
Alternately, if her objective was to teach about STD’s, there were other considerations. A unit on STD’s would have to include a bit about herpes, syphilis, etc. I wondered aloud if she really thought that such material was appropriate at his age.
Another possiblity was that the inclusion of AIDS education in a 6th grade classroom was a result of the government catering to a very vocal special-interest group. I advised her that my son didn’t need to be a participant in such a venture.
She didn’t get it.
His teacher did. She took me aside at the end of the last day of school (when she was no longer his teacher) and thanked me for writing a letter explaining my outlook.
Obviously things haven’t improved.
Nice to hear that you stood resolute in your decision! Interesting though that the nurse was presumptuous enough to call you at home to convince you to change your mind.
Thank you for taking the time to do this. I agree that paretns should have a say with what is being taught to our children expecially int he area of sex education.
Sex education instructions should be left to the indvidual parent and not teachers.
The teachers have a responsiblity to notify the parents on the subject outline.
Thank you Eileen and Norma for your support!
I agree as far as I am concerned, sex education has no business in the public schools. It is my understanding that the tax free foundation banned parenthood provides sex ed materials. Studies show that this education promotes behavior because it is a how to. It is also important to know that the founder Margaret Sanger was a racist and a eugenicist.
Thank you Pam, for taking the time to support our ongoing petition.
And yes, there is an underlying unspoken historical influence that is equally disturbing to the plight of preserving modesty and morality in our children’s lives, in and out of the classroom. But that’s another soapbox ;)
William wrote the following comment in defence of “I Disagree:”
Following, is my response:
(Note: CAPS are for emphasis only (no html plugin)
To be clear, this petition isn’t about keeping our children in the dark - it’s about preserving their modesty. After all, they are still children.
OUR children.
I’m glad that you agree (as do I) that children have an inalienable right to this information. Where we differ is in the source.
If parents want someone else to teach their child how to have sex when they’re thirteen, that’s their call. I hope you will also successfully portray a responsible example of ‘parenthood,’ along with consequences and ownership.
If parents would rather ignore the concept of abstinence, that’s also their call. I hope you stand by your child through labor (and continue to support them in pursuit of further education/employment/daycare).
If parents feel strongly that their children have a right to know “this information” (without limitations as the uploaded lessen plan shows), teach them yourself - in your own home. I already know that you prefer having nothing to do with MY values so why am I expected to accept yours?
Sure, it would be naïve of parents to think that their children aren’t curious about such things as sex and other “adult” behaviors but again, as their parents, we have a responsibility to…
1. Set an example (for passing on our modesty and values), and
2. Protect them as long as we can from anything that infringes on their boundaries (including their ‘thought life’).
It would be equally naïve to think that, just because a child is given information about contraceptives, they won`t end up becoming pregnant. (By the way, this isn’t all they teach in Sex Ed.)
And for the record, William, this is EXACTLY about “what I/we think.” Do you honestly believe that your children base their decisions entirely on the influence of their peers? Are they so weak in character that they can’t make decisions based on the values that have been continually reinforced at home? Or were they taught to go out and experiment as soon as they felt “ready?”
Just because a child experiences puberty (a la body changes) doesn’t mean that they’re suddenly free to behave like adults (esp. re: sex). Schools may be anxious to teach our children about contraceptives and how to use them but I’ve yet to see any classes on morals and modesty. How did that arrangement happen?
* Why is it acceptable to teach kids how to have sex at an age before they are recognized to legally drink or drive?
* When did sex become a socially acceptable activity for CHILDREN?
* Who decided that the sexual activity of junior and high school students was a measurable metric of the majority of children their age?
* Why are we catering to the uncontrolled behavior of a MINORITY of sexually undisciplined children?
* Who decided that this student MINORITY should warrant a blanket restructuring of public school health outcomes, with a total disregard for the morals and personal interests of students who make better choices (or have no interest)?
* Why do we propagate the unaccepted behavior of a MINORITY, instead of defending and preserving good old-fashioned values?
Let me wrap up by asking whatever happened to the credo, “It takes a village to raise a child?” There is something to be said for “community” but only if it is respectful of the most fundamental ethos of the group. As soon as that respect is breached, trust follows.
It’s one thing to have different opinions but to intentionally impose them on unwitting participants is, in my mind, unconscionable. If there can be no agreement – there should be no enforcement of opinion. That’s clearly an environment void of trust, and respect.
As a grateful and loving (and old-fashioned) parent, I’ll defend my child’s environment all day, every day.
Let parents be parents - and diligently explain our morals and values to our children in a loving and appropriate way. Just because it’s awkward doesn’t mean it’s a job for “someone else.”
Let the public schools teach academics – when did ‘sex education’ become part of my child’s academia? What is the “educational value” in teaching my child where to purchase contraceptives and which community service to visit for private STD counseling?
Let the government govern – operating “outside of one’s comfort zone” may be familiar territory for politicians but definitely NOT for my thirteen-year-old, ESPECIALLY when it comes to sexual activity.
Let our children be children. Period.
How about YOUTH have a right to learn about Sexual Education so they are more informed when making relationship choices. WHo has STOPPED and thought about the 35% of parents who are disinterested in their child’s education? Are those kids going to learn anything at home?, or what about the child who’s father sexually abuses his/her mother and then verbally abuses the child at home? Or what about the family that tells their child if you masturbate you will go blind or go to hell? Who has stopped and considered that children need an education, it is those children who being taught all the WRONG information at home…. I don’t want my daughters engagin in a relationship with a boy who thinks its okay to put her down and call her a slut, becuase his parents didn’t allow him to go to sex ed class, and all he learned was what he saw at home…. COME ON! Give your head a shake and realize that sexual education is not bad,and that it is VITAL to our society and to our women and girls that they learn to respect themselves when it comes to right and wrong sexual behaviors…
Thx for your comments, Amanda.
Remember the point of the petition – preserving modesty in the classroom, and establishing appropriate curriculum.
Remember too that nurturing supportive relationships for, and with, our children always begins at home.
Finally, respect for others goes a long way in presenting opposing points of view, and bear in mind that the loudest voices don’t always make for sound arguments.
Have a nice day :)
I completely DISagree.
While I think it’s important that parents know what their children are learning in the classroom, I think it’s MORE important that youth learn about all aspects of sexuality. While perhaps some sexual practices go against the family’s sense of values, it does not mean that LEARNING about those practices turns into the youth experimenting with them.
Too many parents neglect to talk to their children about sexual and reproductive health, or believe that a single conversation will satisfy their questions - having a trained sexual health educator in the classroom allows for questions to be asked to an impartial expert.
In addition, while some youth might not feel that the information is relevant to them at the time the sex ed is instructed, it may be SO important for others in the classroom to be learning about it!
Thanks for your comments, C.Scanlan.
Again, I will briefly remind respondents that the goal of this petition is to Preserve Modesty In The Sex Ed. Classroom — not to debate the inappropriateness of a parents’ decision to defer their child’s promiscuous curiosities to total strangers and other ‘wayward’ peers.
The point is twofold:
1) As long as there is one child who is uncomfortable in a classroom discussing sex, NO ONE (teacher, health administrator, government policymaker) has the right to perpetuate that environment.
2) As it stands, provincial curriculum does NOT endorse explicit sexual discussions in the classroom (one of the motives for this petition).
Remember…
Schools are NOT a panacea for parental shortcomings.
I disagree. By its very nature sex education is an education that you need to have at a young age. While I wish with all my heart it was otherwise, there are some very young boys and girls who are sexually active.
Children need the facts so that, even if they don’t make the choice we would wish, they at least make an informed one. Few parents are aware of the facts about STI’s. Children need to how they are transmitted, the health risks associated with them and how to limit their exposure.
If you have cover this with your child–great. I garentee that their are people that haven’t and I would rather have every single child feel uncomfortable in a classroom then to have a single one live with a life long infection, become barren or die because they didn’t realize the risks that they were taking.
Thank you for your comments, Christa.
I agree that sex education is a necessary stage in our children’s development, and sadly, I also acknowledge that there are far too many sexually active children in the classroom.
I think we can all agree that the core problem there stems from differences in moral upbringings and the parental responsibilities of having these conversations with their children at an appropriate age, in an appropriate environment. But again, another conversation.
However, the solution to helping children-in-need should NOT involve introducing other children to the same explicitly promiscuous behavior.
What is adventurous to some children is unnaturally uncomfortable, embarrassing, and in some cases, disturbing to others.
Helping children-in-crisis (including dealing with STDs and pregnancy) is an entirely different matter than introducing innocent and unwitting children to something that they have no interest in — especially without any warning of what they are about to be introduced to.
Come to think of it, how/when did “consequential sex” ever became a public school mandate..?
But, as long as sex education remains in the public school curriculum, my desire is that modesty dictate what is presented as “necessary” and “essential” information without compromising the safe and healthy environment promoted by public schools …or my child’s personal comfort level (which by the way, should be just as important of a health concern as their sexual activity).
Explicit sex ed presentations fall far short of the school’s responsibility — and parental permissions, when it comes to my children’s welfare.
That is my point.
The fact that it takes a responsible and selfless person to be a parent and actually care about their children enough to indulge in uncomfortable conversations on the home-front is an argument better left to people with more diplomacy than I have.
In the mean time, there are wonderful tools that serve as an excellent substitute to having these conversations in person… they’re called, books.
It’s scary how school authorities at different levels decide the kind of sexual education of our kids, and not just at sexual education courses, but also at literature courses, physical education courses, and even science courses! Nobody ever told me that even as I tried diligently to weed out sexualized messages in popular culture as a way to shield my kids from being oversexualized at earlier and earlier ages, the schools would make it moot! As parents, we need to reclaim our right to educate our children within our own values and convictions, even if this goes against the school’s curriculum! I do believe there are schools where kids are “learning” much more from classmates high on lust and exhibitionism, but surely that happens because the school authorities have stopped enforcing school rules or have made them so lax policing their own school grounds is irrelevant!