ACLU attorney Kelli Evans SAYS!!!

[Married15]

"While parents have many rights, they do not have the right to prevent their children from exposure to any and all ideas or topics in public school that clash with their personal world view,"

What do you guys think?

Religion aside because there are already laws protecting that status...

[Married15]

oops....I keep forgetting we can't edit..

I wanted to add..That I will share my thoughts on this as well, I am reading the entire article right now and am pretty disappointed in some perople that believe certain things when it comes to someone else's children...

[WildChild]

Not having read the article it's difficult to respond. The purpose of education should be in part to teach critical thinking, this involves learning to discern the value of a position or statement. Too few people in the US today seem to have the ability to do this. Examining a variety of beliefs and topics and discussing them should assist in this. Parents who hold to specific beliefs which they feel are too weak to stand on their own so that they don't want their children to hear other ideas have the option of placing their kids in schools of their choice or homeschooling.

Parents need to be part of the process by talking with their children, discussing ideas and views and being aware of what they are studying. Schools should serve the public, not narrow groups with specific beliefs. What has happened to sex ed in many places is a good case in point, it has been co-opted by a small group of highly vocal religionists and in parts of the US turned into a largely useless program promoting abstinance. Young people are coming out of this thinking that bc doesn't work and carrying that idea into their adult life. There is no data to support that the abstinance teaching works, in fact the data points to the contrary. STDs continue to soar, teen pregnancy in the US is the highest in the developed world. Not dealing with the reality that some people of all ages will have sex no matter what you try to sway them to and failing to give them the tools to do so safely and responsibly is stupid but it's happening.

As a parent you have the choice to be involved or not or to choose other education options.

[Married15]

What has happened to sex ed in many places is a good case in point, it has been co-opted by a small group of highly vocal religionists and in parts of the US turned into a largely useless program promoting abstinance.

I agree......I am very aware that no matter what I do or say my kids WILL have sex...It's MY job to teach them about the consequences, birth control etc etc...I don't think I could look at my kids with a clear concious and say "you must remain abstinent or else" type thing..It would be naive and down right stupid to believe that they are not blessed with human nature!..lol

Recently in Cali they had a proposition blocked that made alot of the parents happy. I guess I have to say it, I was happy with the vote also...I felt that teaching my children the basic sex ed in school was okay but anything deeper should be my job to teach them..I feel that teaching children at such a young age(5 and 6) about the more "in-depth" sexual aspects is wrong and way to soon. not to mention is my job as a parent!

[Hopeless Dork]

I really wish that public schools would do even MORE sex ed than they do and start with age appropriate tops as early as kindergarten (good touch, bad touch education etc). It would be nice if only responsible people were parents, and they they would all teach their children and teens appropriate realistic information about sex, but sadly that is not the case.

I understand people that want to teach their kids nothing, and let their friends educate them with misinformation. I do. And my opinion is not a popular one I'd imagine, since most people consider the way they are raising their children to be the right way. Unfortunately even kids growing up in abusive households have parents that think they are raising their child the right way.

Public school could serve as a mediator between extreme views, or lack of info received from the home. Giving children and young adults options to form their own decisions after receiving facts from all sides. Morals should definitely be taught at home, but basic facts and safety I think the schools would do a great service to teach.

My mom gave me a book about 'you might get your period one day' when I was 15 years old, 4 years late for the info to be useful, not to mention I was no longer even a virgin at this point.