Teens Sex Safer Than Ever

The media continue to publish hysterical articles about the teen pregnancy and STD epidemics, despite the fact that teen pregnancy and STD rates are at their lowest levels ever. One reason for the decline may be the effectiveness of sexual education programs that teach teens how to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies and STDs by using condoms.

Teen condom use is certainly up. The 2011 National Survey of Family Growth, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), found that 80% of teen boys ages 15 to 19 reported using condoms the first time they had sex. This is a 9% increase over the last time the CDC checked in 2002 (See the Good.IS website) and a remarkable statistic when one considers how much older males complain about condoms.

The high rate of condom use by young males is either indicative of their concern for their own health and that of their partners or their partners’ unwillingness to fool around with them without protection--or both. In either case, it shows a level of responsibility, foresight and planning for which teens are seldom given credit.

The rate of teen sexual activity has not changed in the last 11 years, remaining at 40% for both genders, suggesting that sex education programs have not been increasing (nor decreasing) sexual activity. However, those who are abstaining, are not doing so because of abstinence only programs or state laws that require sex education classes to emphasize abstinence as the only 100% effective method.

Rather, the number one reason teens gave for remaining abstinent, according to the study, was that sex was "against their religion or morals," not fear of STDS or pregnancies, which they know perfectly well how to avoid.

Reality Banned in Tennessee (Again)

It has been nearly 90 years since the infamous Scopes Monkey Trial, which made the small town of Dayton, Tennessee, the laughing stock of the nation, as they successfully punished a science teacher for teaching evolution. The state is at it again, only this time the reality that is being prohibited is homosexuality.

The Tennessee Senate has approved Senator Stacey Campfield’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would prohibit K-8 teachers from acknowledging that there is such a thing as homosexuality. The bill outlaws any curriculum or discussion of “any sexuality other than heterosexuality,” ostensibly to protect children from the complex and confusing nature of homosexuality. The law would also prevent counselors from discussing homosexuality with gay and questioning youth. The bill won’t go before the House until next year.

Contrary to the misinformation put out by the law’s backers, the law does not put into place reasonable controls over the discussion of a controversial topic at school—it seeks to completely eliminate all discussion of the topic. If a child complains to a teacher or counselor that he or she has been bullied because of their actual (or perceived) sexuality, they will be out of luck--their counselors and teachers will be saying “lalalalalala” with their fingers in their ears. And what will happen when young children mention that they have gay parents? Will they be told they don’t or simply be told to shut up?  

Also contrary to proponents’ belief that discussions of sexuality should be completely under the control of parents, it is not possible, nor in the public interest, to attempt such a delusional policy. Children need to learn about how their bodies change during puberty, as well as how to protect themselves from STDs and avoid pregnancy. If such topics were left entirely to parents, many kids would miss out entirely, while others would get incomplete or inaccurate information. The fact remains that many parents are simply uncomfortable having such discussions. Some lack access to accurate and current information, while others, like the backers of this bill, hope to control their children’s personalities and behavior by keeping them ignorant of reality.

Fundamentalist Nut Tries To Enforce Ignorance in California

Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons

Assemblyman Allan Mansoor, Republican, Costa Mesa, is introducing Assembly Bill 1348 to the California State Legislature. The Parental Oversight and Involvement Act would require schools to “receive affirmative permission from a child’s parents before providing classroom education related to sex, family life, morality, religion, gender, or sexual orientation,” the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday.

The Times did not go into much detail, devoting only a paragraph to the story. Considering that state social studies content standards include world religions, the bill could have far reaching implications that go far beyond health and sex education courses. Biology courses, likewise, routinely cover sexual reproduction and human physiology and anatomy. However, the bill seems most targeted at health education courses that cover human sexuality, reproduction and STDs, as well as tolerance curriculum that is common throughout California. In fact, the bill may have been drafted in retaliation to Mark Leno’s senate bill, SB 48, which would require teachers to discuss the contributions of LGBT historical figures in their curriculum.

While it is not surprising that some parents and fundamentalist residents would be upset over the teaching of tolerance for gays and lesbians, or the discussion of safer sex, there is a far more important public good to be gained by these practices. Ignorance about safer sex practices and pregnancy prevention increase the frequency and the costs of STDs and unwanted pregnancies, costs that all Californians must bear. Ignorance about other religions, cultures, sexual orientations, lifestyles and family structures contribute to fear, misunderstanding, prejudice and abuse.

Also, if parents do not want their children to be taught about their bodies and sexuality at school or to learn about other religions or famous homosexuals in their history classes, parents have the right and the responsibility to remove their children from public schools and either place them in a parochial school or home school them. They should not be allowed to burden schools and society simply to satisfy their fears and prejudices, particularly considering that society will end up bearing much of the future costs caused by the additional unwanted pregnancies, STDs and hate crimes resulting from their ignorance.