I've been scouring the internet trying to figure out what the requirements are for sex education nowadays. Turns out, there are a whole lot of kids growing up ignorant. And given the fact that I am overly educated in this area and still don't know what the hell I'm doing, that's a scary fact. Go here for a brief rundown of the states and what they require. Only 22 states (and DC) mandate sex education. 21 states (not necessarily the ones that mandate sex ed) must stress abstinence. Only 13 states must cover, but not stress, contraceptives. 37 states and DC mandate STD/HIV education. How can you have STD/HIV education and not have sex education? I imagine the following:
I'm a firm believer that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Do legislators, ministers, or whoever, not get that educating someone about sex makes them much more likely to make the right kinds of decisions? Do you give a 15 year old a gun and not teach them how to use it safely? Does teaching that kid gun safety make him more likely to become a killer? No, as a matter of fact, it's probably the opposite. He's more likely to treat the gun with respect and not accidentally shoot someone. Is the same not true for kids and sexuality? Once the mystery is gone so is some of the allure.
I think I may have found a cause I need to put more time and effort into.
"Now kiddies, there are diseases out there that we can't tell you how you can get but God is watching you so be good. If you get one it means you are a bad person and God has punished you."
I'm a firm believer that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Do legislators, ministers, or whoever, not get that educating someone about sex makes them much more likely to make the right kinds of decisions? Do you give a 15 year old a gun and not teach them how to use it safely? Does teaching that kid gun safety make him more likely to become a killer? No, as a matter of fact, it's probably the opposite. He's more likely to treat the gun with respect and not accidentally shoot someone. Is the same not true for kids and sexuality? Once the mystery is gone so is some of the allure.
I think I may have found a cause I need to put more time and effort into.
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