Letter to the Editor: Sex education reform needed

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The health care reform debate is dominating the news right now. One of the tenets the media is failing to address involves the Hatch Amendment, an amendment which would have serious repercussions for the health education of the American youth. Voted into the Senate Finance Committee’s version of health care reform with a vote of 12 to 11, the Hatch Amendment lays out a $50 million funding plan to get abstinence-only education into our classrooms.

We need to speak up. For the past eight years, federal funding for abstinence-only has failed to equip students with the information we need. A 2008 Centers for Disease Control study found that one in four women between the ages of 14 and 19 in the Unites States are infected with an STI, a staggering amount.

Abstinence-only education assumes we all have the same experience with sex and sexuality and broadcasts misinformation about contraception, abortion, STIs and pregnancy. We need to make sure these issues are correctly taught to those who are most at risk of being affected by them.

President Barack Obama’s budget eliminated all abstinence-only funding, and in June Congress allowed Title V money, which funded the abstience-only programs, to expire. Democrats in the House of Representatives and Senate have held firm on keeping it out of health care reform, but we desperately need to make sure the 12 senators who voted in favor of the Hatch Amendment don’t succeed in returning misinformed, obsolete sex education back into our classrooms.

The American youth deserve the non-sugarcoated truth in our classrooms. Be a part of the fight.

— — Jessica Harmon is a sophomore from Topeka.

Comments

linguo_the_grammar_robot (anonymous) says...

Education with the complete picture is always the best. It always puzzles me why some people think that an argument against abstinence-only education implies that abstinence won't be taught in sex ed classes. Of course it will be taught but in addition, students will be given the information they need if/when they become sexually active.

October 28, 2009 at 4:20 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Dan (anonymous) says...

I have to agree with linguo on this one. Being a future health care professional, the idea of 'abstinence-only' scares the piss out of me. The whole picture needs to be painted for the youth. Not just the "Don't you dare have sex!" mentality and not just the "Feel free to explore any every aspect of your sexuality" mentality. ALL of it needs to be discussed in order for our youth to make the best educated decision they can. But then, of course, to make educated decisions...one must be educated.

On a side note: I thought I remember awhile back (two years maybe?) a push for an "Opt-in" sex education program. Does anybody else remember this? I thougth this was another very scary idea. When you really think about it... Did you want to learn about sex when you 11 or 12. I'm certain attendance in an "Opt-in" program would be extremely low.

October 28, 2009 at 7:41 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Dan (anonymous) says...

vladislav: I can't help but read your comment over and over trying to understand what your point of view is. Obviously your comment is extremely sarcastic and so I'm led to believe you are an 'abstinence only' advocate. Even the most extreme conservative should be able to see the health risks involved in such a silly way of teaching. Would you rather have your children (assuming you ever plan to have children) know the consequences of unprotected sex or allow them to be completely unaware of what may happen should they succumb to the temptation?

By giving 'abstinence only' lectures we would be risking the health of our children. I'm sorry but even the most devout religious individuals succumb to sinful temptations. I personally would have them understand what may happen to them when/if they do decide to have sex.

I could babble on and on about this because it worries me so much. How can an individual (i.e. You.....assuming your above comment is completely sarcastic) truly think 'abstinence only' education will be safe and effective? Please feel free to answer my questions. I would like to know your point of view. It helps to know what other people think and discussion about sensitive topics gives us an understanding of all the different ways of thinking.

October 28, 2009 at 10:16 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

pantheon (anonymous) says...

Teaching young people that sex is a natural, healthy human activity is dangerous. If they know how to do something, they will be tempted to do it. At least with abstinence-only education, they aren't given instructions on how to have sex. Comprehensive sex education is like giving a person who has a loaded gun a lesson in how to point it away from their own face and pull the trigger and warning them of what could happen if they don't follow safety protocols. Without that lesson, they would be much safer with their loaded gun, and wouldn't even know it has a trigger.
Abstinence-only sex education is the only way to protect people from sex.

October 29, 2009 at 1:25 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

linguo_the_grammar_robot (anonymous) says...

Pantheon: "Teaching young people that sex is a natural, healthy human activity is dangerous."

The truth is dangerous? You don't believe human sex is a natural activity? and that it is unhealthy? You need to get out more often.

October 29, 2009 at 6:46 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

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