So sex ed doesn't help, huh?

Last month Premier Dalton McGuinty found himself facing a firing squad of inflammatory and poorly-informed right wingers who screamed from rooftops that a proposed new sex education curriculum was an affront to morality and religious freedom.

These groups said that the new curriculum was "bordering on criminal" and tantamount to "indoctrination of a special-interest agenda."

In a turn of events terribly discouraging to thinking people, McGuinty ended up agreeing to delay the new curriculum to conduct broad consultations with the public.

I wrote my defense of sex education in this blog and there was a vigorous debate in the comments. Many were supportive, but some insisted that sex education does nothing to help delay sexual activity or prevent teen pregnancy. "Concerned Mom" said:

"I don't think that having this kind of sex education will prevent in any way teens from having babies as you mention or of having sex at all. They will do it or won't anyways mostly depending on the education they have had at home."

A commenter who went by "Upset Mom" said:

"Education does not prevent anything...if it were true then the rate of teen pregnancies would have dropped, and it has not."

Well, actually, it has. And today we have recent proof of that. The Sex Information and Education Council released data that shows teen pregnancy dropped 36.9 per cent between 1996 and 2006. 

Francine Kopun's story "Teen pregnancies plummet in Canada" outlines the details, including that Canada has the lowest teen pregnancy rate among the countries surveyed. The others were the United States, Sweden, England and Wales.

The researchers postulated that access to contraception and higher quality sexual education were the reason behind the drop in unwanted teenage pregnancy by more than one third.

Several commenters shared how lack of access to basic instruction on sexual health and human reproduction negatively impacted their lives:

"Sarah" said:

As someone who grew up in a household where no straightforward information about sexuality was permitted... I can verify that nothing leads to experimentation with sex like absolute ignorance! I didn't want 'how to' information, I wanted 'about' information."

Kenn Chaplin shared this:

"Guess where I stand as a kid who only figured out I was gay when school kids said enough derogatory, descriptive things that bore some resemblance to my innocent feelings, bullied by a head teacher who broke his trust with me and made my first seven years of schooling hell, I was then abused by a much older sexual predator. If there had been more formal talk and less learning important words outside and in illogical order…who knows how much better even just a little sensitively-discussed information would have helped me and others."

Jillian Walker had this interesting perspective:

"I grew up in a household where sex was an open topic of discussion. My girlfriends grew up in households where sex was a taboo subject. Is it a coincidence that those same girlfriends were all having sex by aged 13, and I was almost 18? I don't think so. I believe that if my kids have all of the correct information (including what repercussions may follow, be it a disease, a broken heart, a soiled reputation, a teen pregnancy), they will make informed choices about what they will do, when they will do it, and who they will do it with. I'd rather them make informed choices than make blind choices that they have to pay for later.

"Bravo to you for writing this blog. Cheers to all of those people who support the proposed curriculum changes, and to those who don't...do your research, get informed, and don't come crying to me when you find out your 14-year-old is going to be a parent because you refused to keep a supply of condoms available for them just in case."

Comments

[Natasha]

Try reading a little reality: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2010/05/27/teen-pregnancy-study-falls-prey-to-wishful-thinking/

"As well, abortion still accounted for 47% of the decline in Canadian birth rates in 2005. If sex ed were really working, wouldn’t contraception be more widespread and abortion rates in decline?"

So, teen pregnancies aren't so much "plummeting" as abortion rates are rising.

[Joey]

@Natasha

If you had read the article by Francine Kopun, you would have found out, the teenage birth rate number, 27.9 for Canada, abortion is COUNTED. It is not a separate issue.

As a teen myself, I'm a huge supporter for the new sex-ed curriculum. We need it. Sex-ed isn't just about "insert this into that" it consists of many other things that we need to be taught about; ie. gender identity. Having this curriculum introduced to kids today, it can further educate us, and stop stupid remarks like: "You're so gay." - I'm pretty darn sure, there's lots of 'adults' out there who needs these type of education. And I REALLY do not want: 1. Be like that in the future. 2. Let other kids be like that in the future.

Keeping kids ignorant about things they need to know, based on "tradition" or "religiously proclaimed moral" grounds, is not a good enough reason.

[Tree]

Shocking, Natasha! The most right-winged newspaper in the country had an article trying to dispel proof that religious people would rather not see (as it weakens their suspect rationale's on the topic).

[PR]

My mom was a teacher before I was born. One day, she discovered her school's library was withdrawing two children's books about where babies come from, due to parental complaints. Mom took those books home with her, reasoning that someday, they'd help her teach her own children where babies come from.

When I was 3, my brother was born. A few months later, I demanded to know where babies came from. Mom got out the books and gave them to me, saying, "You read these, and when you're done, you can ask me any questions." (As Mom had taught me to read before I even knew how to walk, this was perfectly reasonable.)

Mom answered all of my questions in an age-appropriate way, stressing the responsibility involved in sex. She stressed that it should be one of the LAST things in a long-term, steady relationship, because it's the closest, most personal thing you can do with another person, and because it will likely produce a baby. And a baby is a huge responsibility. She told me all the things you need to do to take care of a baby, and made it very clear that if I were to have a baby, I'd better be able to look after it, because she certainly wouldn't.

Thus, I learned the necessary facts, with an emphasis on responsibility. I was never told "Don't do it", just "Make sure you're ready & able to handle the huge responsibility.

When the time came for my brother to learn the facts of life, Mom taught him the same way she'd taught me, and Dad contributed as well.

As we grew up, we knew that we could always approach Mom & Dad with any questions we had, and that they'd give us the right answers and good advice. We never had to get our information from porn magazines or from our ill-informed peers.

My brother and I grew up with tremendous respect for ourselves and for the seriousness of intimate relations. Neither of us was in any way promiscuous, nor did we feel the need to "experiment", as so many of our peers did. And knowing as much about sex ed as we did, we didn't feel any of the sexual insecurities or pressures that our peers did.

I often wonder how many kids would have benefitted from those books that were withdrawn.

[Justin]

I can't believe how ignorant some people can be about this issue. Many of the proposed changes are not adding new material to sex ed, they are simply presenting it earlier. It is evident that children are maturing faster and accessing information sooner than ever before. The curriculum is simply adapting to those changes. Of the new information, many items are already discussed in the classroom. Things such as gender differences and respecting everybody equally and not using words such as "gay" or "fag". A good teacher will address comments like this whenever they come up. These changes simply take those things and make them a part of the curriculum that must be taught. And even so, teachers will send home a letter informing parents when certain issues in the Health curriculum are introduced. Parents have the option to withdraw their children from class for the duration of that unit.

[Sam]

Anyone who claims ignorance trumps education, whatever the subject, whatever the time or place, is severely misguided. All the major social progress I can think of in recent years has been fueled by the dispelling of ignorance and the realizations that come with understanding - abolishing slavery, womens rights, declines in racism, gay rights and so on.

If you think you are going to make things better with secrets, I think you need to evaluate what is truly governing your actions - is it fear or is it love?

[Marilyn Minden]

Often people who say sex ed doesn't help are coming from a perspective that reflects their own experience. If we can look beyond one's personal experience, many (not all) students will learn sbout their boundaries and about the "facts" of sexuality and about protecting their physical and emotional and social boundaries. For many, this learning will influence their choices. Any discussion of the meaning of relationships, emotional readiness, and the consequences of certain behaviours both physiologically and emotionally, will certainily resonate with many students. If sex ed includes these elements of relating to another person, then the education will be a positive influence that will convey good messages to support the student's self concept and self esteem. And that will influence the choices they make. A major influence on the behaviours we choose is how we feel about ourselves and how we meet our need for feeling valued,important and significant to others. And the support we have from family members and friends and others who influence are sense of belonging and self confidence is a critical factor. Just identifying that to students is so helpful to them. somany sutdents are self hating and self critical and self balaming. Many seek solace and warmth,contact and connection and from relationships . they also are playing around with developing who they are and risky sexual behaviours is one way of doing that. What if that was talked about in sex ed? If a student feels she/he can freely express their thougths, feelings and questions without danger of rejection, abandonment or criticism and supported for fears and insecurities, they are less likely to act out without thought of consequences. Sex ed can be a time to encourage students to seek out alternative activities and passions where they will feel accepted, valued, connected, and excited. "not being a virgin" is overrated and yet is a powerful enticement for feeling "mature" and accepted with peers. When else can alternatives to sexually acting out be introduced? Sex ed is a great opportuntiy! It's a good title for a course on maturationand relationships - like getting adults to a talk by advertising that wine and cheese will be served. Acting out sexually happens for all sorts of reasons and being able to talk about it and learn about it at school is a very positive step to self awareness and self support. I hope that discussion of the importance of AFFECTION AND INCLUSIVENESS will be front and centre in sex ed programs. Sex ed is not as beneficial for mature development if it only focuses on the technical aspects of sex. It is the emotional aspects and the personal ethics that are so vital to any discussion. Self respect and respect for others is the key compnonent in human relations.

[Mike Bell]

"In a turn of events terribly discouraging to thinking people..."

So people who disagree with you don't use their brain? What a horribly intolerant thing to say. The problem that I have with the whole debate is that each side figures that they know what is best for the child, and dismisses the concerns of others.

[J.J.]

I wonder if all those religious nuts have ever read a bible? It talks about sex plenty in there - maybe not in modern terms... but all the warnings about broken hearts, soiled reputations and teenage pregnancy is in there.

Don't just read the bible and think you can spout off about it - DO WHAT IT SAYS. Bad-examples of Christianity, that's what you have there. I'm insulted but also a bit understanding that you said religious believers brought a discouraging turn of events for 'thinking people'. I'm astutely religious - and I'm a 'thinking person' too. They are not two separate groups of people.