And the debate goes on!  Should we teach comprehensive sex education in our schools or abstinence education?  Seems like every year this hot button issue surfaces in state legislatures and school systems across the country.

One example is in North Carolina where state law requires public schools teach teens that “a mutually faithful monogamous heterosexual relationship in the context of marriage” is the best means of avoiding sexually transmitted diseases.  They teach the benefits of abstinence as the only certain means of preventing pregnancy, STDs, emotional problems, etc.  They teach the positive benefits of sexual abstinence until marriage and the risks of premarital sexual activity.  They teach respect, responsibility, maturity, discipline, and character.  And they teach the facts about contraceptives.  That is they will reduce some risks of pregnancies and STDs, but the emphasis is - the risk is still there (as it should be).  Sounds pretty “comprehensive” to me!

But advocates of so-called “Abstinence based comprehensive sex education” led by Planned Parenthood, NARAL (abortion rights group), ACLU, and radical gay rights organizations are strongly opposed to this kind of teaching.

They believe we should be teaching our 13 years olds all FDA approved methods of contraception.  They want Johnny and Susie to learn how to use male and female condoms, emergency contraception, diaphragms, cervical caps, sponges, spermicides, oral contraceptives, skin patches, vaginal contraceptive rings, contraceptive injections, implanted contraceptives, intrauterine devices, and surgical sterilization.

They want to replace the word “marriage” with “committed relationships” which includes not only unmarried heterosexual relationships but also homosexual, bisexual, and multi-partner relationships.  They want these lifestyles taught on a footing equal to marriage.

What’s interesting is current NC state law allows for any public school system that wants to teach comprehensive sex education to your teens may already do so.  All a school board has to do is allow for a public hearing following public notice and making the objectives of the proposed program and instructional material available to parents for review 30 days before and after the public hearing.  That’s local and parental control which allows communities across the state to decide for themselves what’s best for their kids.

Since 1995, only 10 out of 115 school districts throughout NC have decided to go this route.  That’s overwhelming opposition to comprehensive sex education.  Yet advocates want to change the law to automatically shift all teens into these classes unless their parents sign a form that says they only want their teens taught abstinence.  If you don’t sign the form or if it is not returned to the school, guess what classroom your little boy and girl goes to?  Welcome to comprehensive sex education Johnny and Susie!

And talk about stigmatizing and segregating teens at such a vulnerable age.  I can hear it in the hallways now.

“Hey Johnny, I hear you’re in the abstinence class.  You’re a nerd!”

“Hey Susie, I hear you’re in the comprehensive sex ed class.  You must be a slut!”

The unfortunate sounds of segregation may be coming back to NC Public Schools.

Until next time…

M.L. Productions, Inc.