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September 12th, 2008 at 10:00 am
A legacy of the Romney administration, when he squeezed the local aid money and offered some conditional federal money in its place.
http://www.massteenpregnancy.org/pdfs/Lowell%20teaching%20abstinence.pdf
September 12th, 2008 at 10:56 am
The other thing that gets me…if they don’t learn about contraception in high school, when are they? I mean, when they DO enter into a committed relationship, even marriage, but don’t want to get pregnant right away (or ever), are they just supposed to magically know everything about the options available?? Or are they supposed to just blunder on in ignorance? Or rely on the rumor mill and myths they heard about in school to protect them?
A portion of the anti-choice pro-abstinence-only people are also just against contraception period. At least the pill or EC or anything like that. Leaving out contraception in education ensures a segment of our kids will grow up ignorant - even if abstinent until, ahem, something akin to marriage, well into adulthood, and not be able to make the choices they might otherwise make. Which is fine by some of them.
September 12th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Umm…. parents?
September 12th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Josh, I had wonderful parents. They were loving, and to this day are still together. A nice traditional family.
However, they found it impossible to talk to me about sex. I believe I got a book - a rather silly one at that. A lot of parents themselves are not educated enough on the choices and contraception available out there. Of course, my parents had expectations for me, and of course, that helped me make better choices, but it’s unrealistic to expect this very crucial information to be passed on father to son and mother to daughter. My mom taught me to use soap to shave my legs. Turns out, there’s shaving cream for that, and it’s much safer. Not everything parents do is the right thing, even in the best of circumstances.
Then you take single parent families, or families with even less educated parents, or other difficult situations, and what do you have? A recipe for disaster.
The education system exists because it is in our society’s best interest to have educated children, who can use a computer, write an essay, or are capable of solving math problems. Giving teens comprehensive sex education is hardly different than ensuring that our kids can READ. Is it in society’s best interest to leave it to “personal responsibility” as to whether or not a kid winds up with an STD or pregnant? Nope, because we all pay when that teen doesn’t finish high school or college, cannot afford to feed their new baby, or worse.
Your “ownership society” really amounts to “you’re on your own.” That way leads to the erosion of the middle class, a downturn in upward mobility especially for our poorest, and the degradation of pretty much everything we as Americans hold dear. So save it for someone who thinks like you, because most people do not.
September 12th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Can we have a show of hands here - how many people’s parents actually provided useful information about sex and contraception?
Ok, now how many with your hands up actually listened to a word of it after you heard ‘bees’?
You can argue parents should provide this info to you’re blue in the face - the fact is too many of them don’t.
September 12th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Josh:
You have to agree that 100 teenage parents out of student body of 4000 at LHS is way too many, so whatever’s being done now re: sex ed is obviously not working. What’s being done now? Relying on “Healthy Futures” and parents to teach our kids about the facts of life. It’s time for a change; it’s time to replace an abstinence-only approach with a common sense approach.
September 12th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I can imagine now my dad trying to explain an iud. Many girls are not so forunate to have a mom in their home. Josh you need to get over the leave it to families thing because we did not all have that “ideal” family. (cancer, abandonment, other illnesses)
September 13th, 2008 at 10:04 am
LOL to kpem. I can remember one hilarious paternal conversation…when I was 20. After I met Mr. Lynne. LOL.
I did, however, in high school, have a pretty awesome (and hip) health teacher who did a whole lot with sex ed, talked about abstinence AND contraception. Not only that, but her comfortable way of speaking to the issue helped us to become more confident in talking about it. Now, did every kid in that class then go out and make responsible choices? Of course not. Did more kids make responsible choices because they were better informed? You bet.
September 13th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
With all due respect, to offer Planned Parenthood as an alternative is laughable. Their bread and butter is abortions and for the city of Lowell to bring them in is sickening. They are incredibly partisan and have done more harm to girls than you can ever imagine.
Yet another reason my children will never attend a public high school.
September 14th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Brian, raising your children in the same way that Sarah Palin has raised hers is your right. They can learn all they need to know when they leave home for college, if they aren’t parents before then.
September 14th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Clarification: Currently Lowell public school children don’t learn about contraceptives until sophomore year of high school (when they are 15-16 years old). The Planned Parent curriculum to be reviewed by the subcommittee tomorrow night specifically refers to a change in middle-school sex education. I understand some folks object to comprehensive sex ed for that age group, which is why the district will continue to offer parents an opt-out policy for their children, but given the number of teen pregnancies with younger and younger students becoming parents, waiting until sophomore year to even address the issue is too little, too late.
September 14th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
The district offering an opt-out policy is more then fair. If you feel that this is a family discussion to have then you can opt out and if you are a single dad that is uncomfortable with the whole “talk” then you can opt-in knowing your child will be taught about abstinence and contraception if they choose not to abstain.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Brian: Your ignorant comment shows you are not knowledgeable at ALL about Planned Parenthood.
I have been going to Planned Parenthood since I lived in NH and was broke, uninsured, and living hand-to-mouth in my first few temp jobs. They have been my reproductive health provider since then, and I still insist on going all the way into Boston to continue to see them now that I am fully insured.
Why? Because PP was there when I needed them. I couldn’t afford a regular doctor, but thanks to their sliding fee scale I could see a GYN and at least protect my reproductive health, and have access to affordable contraception. Let me repeat that: I had access to affordable contraception. Had I attempted to purchase that contraception out of pocket without their sliding fee help, I would not have been able to afford it. I would likely have had to resort to less certain over the counter methods, and could have ended up with an unwanted pregnancy. A child which because of my circumstances, we never would have been able to care for.
PP is first and foremost about prevention of unwanted pregnancies and disease. Their concern about your health situation goes so far beyond just being there if you need an abortion. I should know, I have been there more times than I can count. They want to know that women (and men, who also do go there) are safe, secure, and able to control their reproductive health.
If the right wingnuts ever went as far as Planned Parenthood does to help women in those situations, maybe they would have some credibility when they talk about being against abortion and demonizing those who perform them. But they could care less about the health and well-being of the people whose wombs they would like to control. Anyone who says a word against Planned Parenthood has me to contend with. They, and other orgs like them, are the first line of defense a woman has against poverty and unwanted pregnancies - two situations that unfortunately go too well together - and preventing them before they happen. Their aim is to educate and protect women’s health. That they perform abortions - which by the way are LEGAL - is only a part of their program to do this.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:48 am
On the other note, sophomore year is definitely too late for far too many teens. At least, back when I went to high school it was. I knew kids who had had sex by then. If I had a child in Lowell public schools, I would definitely opt into the jr. high program. I think it’s a marvelous idea, and if you don’t think your kids at that age are not talking about sex (and getting it largely wrong, spreading bad myths and information around) then I have a bridge to sell you in Alaska…
Thanks Jackie for the clarification, and I look forward to tonight’s meeting!
September 16th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Like the person earlier, my parents provided no useful information on sex ed. Of course that was over 50 years ago- so things were a little different. We did have one session = girls only- where we got to watch a film and there was a nurse available to answer questions either out in the open or privately. I actually obtained my knowledge from an old-mail aunt, who was ahead of her time. Abstinence only is not the answer. There are those raging hormones, peer pressure, a desire to please ” the one” , etc. And sophmore year is waaaay too late for contraceptive education. It should be done by the end of 6th .
September 17th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Anyone who thinks what we are currently doing “works” needs to read Restless Virgins by Jones and Miley. I was absolutely *horrified* at the casualness of sexual contacts at Milton Academy during the same school year that the hockey team scandal occurred!