Watch this video and read the
following. Please commit on the questions below in bold.
The
Franklin County, North Carolina, school board ordered chapters on sexual
behavior, contraception and AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
cut out of its health textbook for ninth graders. The deleted material, the board said, did not comply with a
new state law requiring public schools to teach abstinence until marriage in
their comprehensive health education program for students in kindergarten through
ninth grade.
The
school board also instructed teachers to discuss only failure rates in response
to students' questions about contraceptives. If asked about AIDS, teachers were to say only that, the
disease is caused by a virus that is transmitted primarily by contaminated
needles and illegal homosexual acts.
The
board's new policy is a compelling example of the controversy raging in many
communities over what public schools should teach in sex education
classes. Although national and
state polls consistently show that 80-90% of adults support sex education in
schools
Why do you think many
teachers continue to provide sex education in schools despite the surrounding
climate circling this issue? And
what do you feel the role of the teacher should be in providing AIDS education
for students. Remember, comment on others'
experiences, ask others questions about their ideas and experiences and take an
idea being discussed, and offer a different perspective on it. Thanks.
These are great questions and are a bit of a political "third rail," so I hope I don't offend anyone with my answers here!
ReplyDeleteI think that many teachers continue to provide sex education in unsupportive school districts because they are acting on principle. They have seen study after study showing that abstinence-only education leads to an increase in teen pregnancy and the spread of STD's, so they are acting in the public interest rather than in response to pressures from some politicians, parents, or ideologues.
I think the role of the teacher should be to present the facts about AIDS to students. Abstinence is one way to stop STD's but it isn't the only way. Parents can have their own conversations with their children about these topics in the privacy of their own homes, but in a public school, teachers should act in the best interests of our society. If a parent is uncomfortable talking about these topics and declines to do so with his or her children, we need the schools to be there to present the facts and the science on these topics.
Thanks for sharing Andy. You are right about this being a hot topic. Once the topic of sex enters the picture everyone has his or her own option about the morality surrounding that issue. Religion and the state like to wade in on this conversation and try to control the dissemination of facts. As you say quite clearly abstinence only education leads to an increase in teen pregnancy. The teacher’s role here is clear. Science education is about sharing the most current facts about a topic. The information should be truthful and should be support by the data. This much is clear abstinence is one way to stop STD's but it isn't the only way. Perhaps this could be an opportunity for parents to help their teenage children to understand the difference between using a condom and choosing abstinence because of their family’s faith. It is a more profound approach. It is difficult at time to acknowledge an opposing perspective but this is a greater lesson to teach your kid. This is will not be the last controversial topic. Just saying.
DeleteI believe that teachers are going against school policy to deliver sex education lessons because they understand it's importance. We all know that parents are the first teachers, but if parents, for whatever reason are not having these tough conversations or are too embarrassed to talk about sex to their children, and schools are taking away sex education classes, then who's teaching the students? If know one is responsible for teaching students about STD's and teen pregnancies, then that mean that kids are learning on their own. Or other kids are teaching them.
ReplyDeleteWhen thinking about sex education, I believe the teacher's role should be to present facts and provide students with accurate information regarding AIDS and other STD's. Teachers should be open to answering questions relating to the topic at hand.
Danielle thanks for sharing your thoughts. As you say if no one is talking about sex education then the child is going to have to discover it on his or her own or from friends. Sometimes the facts are hard to handle. You would think parents would be happy that the school is covering this most important topic in the context of the classroom with the proper coverage of the facts. It would then be the role of the parent to either support the teachers or they could support the teacher but yet remind their child that their family’s religion thinks differently. It would be a mistake to question the facts. This would only result in the parents losing the respect form their child. Parents need to take the high ground on this matter. I agree that the teacher's role should be to present facts and provide students with accurate information regarding AIDS and other STD's. Teachers should be open to answering questions relating to the topic at hand. Thanks Danielle for such a thoughtful response.
DeleteIt's pretty hard to imagine teaching sex education without talking about the modes of contraception, and protection from sexually transmitted infections. In California, it's part of the state standards to teach specifically about HIV in a biology class.
ReplyDeleteI know the school board means well, and that they are hoping that abstinence only education will keep them abstinent. Sadly, that's not how it works. Mississippi has the highest teen pregnancy rate, and they also have abstinence only education. Teachers have seen the connection and know that teenagers will be teenagers no matter how often you mention abstinence. Teaching them about the world will make them more prepared for it, and more prepared to make the choice (which can include abstinence!)
In my personal experience, if you want students to choose abstinence, show them a video or two of a birth. Haha!
It’s funny that you should mention showing birthing videos. I do show them in my Physiology class and you are right about the abstinence effect. When you say the school board means well I think I know what you mean. They are looking out for the great good of the children. Here is where they are misguided. If they really cared about the children’s education they would support teachers who teach the facts. Moral judgment has a role in the conversation but that needs to come from either their parents or perhaps from the student. Thanks Rachel for sharing.
DeleteTeachers are continuing to inform students about sex education because they see the reality of the behavior of the students, and not simply the idealized conformity that the particular mores of a regulatory school agency retain. Many people may agree with what the regulatory boards may hope to achieve, but culturally there is a lot of pressure working against those goals. if it's a health class, the teacher's role in teaching about AIDS and HIV transmission should be entirely factual, and should include as many facts as possible. If the notion that getting AIDS is just through dirty needles or illegal homosexual acts, clarification about those incorrect ideas may actually help someone not involved in those categories of behavior. And, good Lord above..., "illegal" homosexual acts? I don't really know the laws-of-the-land around the country, but, are there still locales where a homosexual act would be illegal?
ReplyDeletePerhaps a celebrity figure like Magic Johnson would help move any discussion forward, being that he admittedly fits neither of those categories. And of course the AIDS crisis in Africa is predominately affecting mothers and their newborn children, which are demonstrably not caused by either contaminated needles or homosexual acts.
Good topic for your students, Ray. Lots of opportunity to branch out in science topics, or sociological topics, too.
Patrick when you say the teacher's role in teaching about AIDS and HIV transmission should be entirely factual, and should include as many facts as possible I think that you have hit the main point. The role of the teacher is providing information that science can support. The morality is important but who can say what is right or wrong in that area. Can you imagine if teachers would try teaching the students the difference between right and wrong as if there was just one way only? That would be extremely damaging to the student. The teacher needs to remind the parents the difference. The might be a variety of approach to this but what we know for sure is with holding the facts is wrong. Thanks for sharing.
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