Sex in the Schools

Sex education is de rigueur up here in Canada, thank god. We don’t have to constantly grapple with the “abstinence only” crackpots that are hijacking the American school system, despite overwhelming support for a more comprehensive sex ed. Remember, “abstinence only” is a gateway curriculum to creationism. Nonetheless, the Globe and Mail reported yesterday that some parents are concerned that these programs are too explicit and the pupils too young. What’s more embarrassing than having to buy a condom at the drug store for a school assignment? Having the national media report that you went crying to your mommy over it, that’s what.

The larger question looms: do parents have the right to censor what the schools are teaching? And the answer is no. They can certainly impact the curriculum by voicing their opinions and concerns. In fact, I would encourage parents to actively engage themselves in their children’s school work and to teach their kids about critical thinking on all fronts. But we send our children to public schools and give the nod to the prevailing orthodoxies and most of us expect the teachers and trustees to uphold basic academic principles. (Others, like this guy, would be first in line at the book burning for the sake of our children’s naivety. And others simply opt out and home school their children.)

Even though sex education is as much a health initiative as it is a school subject, parents need to let the schools do what they will. For the most part it will be the kids who need it the most, whose parents are the least likely to broach the topic on their own, who will be the most uncomfortable. And whose parents are most likely to complain. (This teacher makes a good case for a frank approach to human physiology from a young age before shame and embarrassment kick in.

Does it work, though? Last year ABC reported on a study that showed a 50% decline in teenage pregnancies among those who had gone through a comprehensive sex ed program compared to those who had learned only about abstinence. There was a 60% drop when compared to those who had no sex ed at all. It just stands to reason that when condom use is the expected norm, more young adults will conform to that expectation.

I have an infant and a near-three-year-old, so it’s easy for me to be clear headed. I don’t have to worry about my babies growing up and exposing themselves physically and emotionally for a long time. Of course sex is going to be a touchy topic for parents. (All the more reason to leave the nitty-gritty in someone else’s hands.) Beyond all the “risks” associated with unprotected sex, there is a responsibility and an emotional maturity that should accompany sexual activity. All that parents can do is help their children develop that maturity, which includes staying true to their own moral compass.

(Image courtesy of Look PDF.)