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Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Sex Education in Schools


Parents in the Elmbrook School District are up in arms that the curriculum was to include a discussion on Oral Sex.

WTMJ TV 4 Report

Now first of all, lets clarify what the conversation was to entail. It was a discussion on the dangers of Sexually Transmitted Infections. It wasn't about how to do it!

It was originally intended for 6th graders, but after the public outcry it was changed to the 8th graders. 8th Grade Parent Leigh Cierzan says that it is still too soon. She is quoted by WTMJ as saying, “I find no place for that in middle school whatsoever. I’d be surprised to find out that a majority of kids even know all that much about that." I am the parent of a 6th grader myself, and after having kids around for sleepovers and listening to them at school functions, they are alot more informed on sexual issues than many parents are willing to admit. Although I am not really sure this is a topic that I would choose to have conversation about with my child, I would much rather it be in a formal setting with adults, than with other kids putting their uninformed spin on it.

In this day and age, Parents need to wake up and get in tune with what is going on with their kids. It doesn't make them bad kids to be curious and discussing sex, we as parents and educators need to help them to be informed so they can make the right choices. It is the parents and educators who try to avoid having the conversations, or want to lock this away in a closet until the parents are ready to discuss this, that are doing a disservice to the youth today.