Today has not been a good day for my nerves. First it was Johnny Damon being a tool (read the earlier entry detailing my rage). Then it was NPR's morning news. I was pulling my boots on when the local news began.
"In Massachusetts, Governor Mitt Romney is introducing a new abstinence-only education plan in Massachusetts public schools."
"What?" I hissed, probably scaring my roommate who thinks it's weird that I talk to myself.
"The program will target certain schools, primarily in black and Hispanic neighborhoods."
"What?!"
"The plan will teach abstinence, and not mention the use of condoms as a way to protect against sexually transmitted diseases."
"What the fuck?!" My boots were on, and had Mitt been nearby in my pre-coffee indignation, they would have ended up up his ass.
Buried in the news of Johnny's assholery, I found the article on boston.com. Check it:
The Romney administration plans to introduce a new abstinence education program in Massachusetts schools beginning next month, the state's most aggressive effort yet to use a controversial method of teaching Bay State teenagers about sex.
The campaign, scheduled to last through June 2007, will only target certain schools and will be aimed especially at teens in black and Hispanic communities, who tend to have higher rates of sexual activity. The proposal by the state Department of Health, quietly posted on its website earlier this month, would add an abstinence education program for 12-to-14-year-olds in an unspecified number of schools.
The campaign would be funded by a $50 million federal abstinence-only grant program, which provides money to states for initiatives that teach abstinence but deliberately do not address condoms and other methods of contraception.
Not in my state, Mitt. This is happening in Massachusetts now. The bluest state of them all is allowing the governor to set policy that will hurt kids. I'm not saying that abstinence shouldn't be encouraged-- kids who are twelve should not be having sex. But if they choose to, if they want to engage in risky behavior and will do so with or without an education, they need to know how to protect themselves and others. Not discussing sex doesn't make it go away-- it keeps it mysterious and bad, and makes it more appealing to a rebellious teenager. I hate the whole idea that some people have that teaching kids about contraception and condoms encourages sexual activity. We teach kids CPR and the Heimlich, right? But they don't go out and try to choke to try it out. As adults, we prepare children to handle the worst-case scenario. Most parents don't want their young teenagers having sex. But the kids need to know the facts. Condoms help prevent (note I didn't say "always prevent") the transmission of STDs. It's a fact. Condoms help prevent (note I didn't say "always prevent") young women from becoming pregnant. Not telling kids about condoms, or, worse yet, saying that condoms are ineffective, which is what some abstinence-only programs preach, makes teen pregnancy and STD transmission more prevalent.
This Massachusetts program is especially enraging because of the nice hint of racism that's involved. Only the poor minority kids are doing it? Please. I lived in a relatively affluent, white-bread area of Rhode Island and several of my young white classmates had kids. And we had proper sex ed with mention of birth control, condoms and other methods of contraception. You can scare most kids into keeping it in their pants by mentioning the gnarly diseases, showing them a child being born (still scarred TO THIS DAY), and other issues unsafe sex can bring up. Sweeping sex under the rug (heh) doesn't make it go away, Mitt. I know it may have worked with Mrs. Romney all these years, but not everyone shares your aversion to their bodies.
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