I expect that the small-town folks in West Virginia have their heads in the sand and can pretend that their sweet little hometown teenagers haven't heard about S-E-X yet. If they really feel the need to envision that their precious darlings would never do that, don't watch TV, and that all parents will tell their kids "when the time is right," let them. They can also move school districts when their baby gets pregnant or get an abortion under the table.
But in Pittsburgh??? Where 14% of births are by women under the age of 20??? What do they think? Every one of those girls had sex just once with her long-term boyfriend and was really unlucky???
It's criminal to be teaching these kids abstinence-only education.
The biggest reason? STDs.
If a teenage girl gets pregnant, it's unfortunate and it's a burden on the system and it's another girl who will never go to college and be working 3 jobs to support her single-mom kids. That's unfortunate.
But if she gets a disease because her boyfriend said: "It's just a blowjob you don't need a condom." Or: "I'll pull out, baby." Or: "I promise I've never been with anyone." That's just willful neglect. That's criminal in my mind.
Of course, if it was me, I'd take it a step further. I'd give out the birth control pill in high school and packs of condoms. I'd introduce baby-prevention classes - teaching those girls that babies are a huge responsibility and that they can do a lot more in life than just have kids. And those kids will have a better life if they can hold off a few years. Most importantly, I'd offer free STD testing just like over at Club Pittsburgh. I'd have STD-awareness fairs. I'd make sure these kids know the dangers and the responsibility.
But luckily for you, there are moderates and conservatives amongst you that will prevent all that from happening. Instead, they're fighting for "abstinence-plus." Don't you worry, there will be no icky condoms involved. But it's a start.
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YEAH! Make the class as graphic as one can: Glossy, high-res, color photographs of male and female naughty bits infected and exhibiting symptoms of STD's and the repercussions of unsafe sex. Video of premature crack babies and perhaps an abortion to appease the pro-lifers - narrated by Clive Owen or Sean Penn...
Well, I am sort of with n’at here. The Sex Ed classes should be like the old Drvier’s Ed classes. Show movies with graphic pictures of the effects of STD’s. Emphasize how the condom is the only effective preventive measure. However, I think that Clive Owen or Sean Penn narrating the movies would make STD’s seem too cool, or too politically aware (?). Let’s have the movie be narrated by the gravelly voiced Sam Elliot, or James Gammage, or that woman from Throw Momma from the Train. She may be an efective contraceptive al by herself.
If you are going to give out contraceptives, give out condoms only. Actually, I don’t think I will elaborate on that.
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