Originally posted (by me) over at Amplify Your Voice:
A new report out of the Lone Star State tells it like it is: in the state that gets the most federal abstinence-only money, only 4% of school districts teach responsible information about preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
Of the other 96%, 2% choose to teach absolutely nothing at all, while the rest use programs and tactics of the "abstinence clowns" including using program materials with factual inaccuracies about condoms and contraceptives, generalizations based on stereotypes about gender and sexual orientation, and religious messaging that violates constitutional statutes.
The report, based on materials gathered from over 1000 Texas school districts, goes into shocking detail about exactly what young people are being told about sex, contraception and their bodies.
One skit titled "Jumping Off the Bridge" concludes: Giving a condom to a teen is just like saying, "Well if you insist on killing yourself by jumping off the bridge, at least wear these elbow pads - they may protect you some?"
Another presenter inexplicalby equates pre-marital sex with post-marital murder-suicides, while yet another compares male sexual desire with a microwave and female sexual desire with a crockpot. Huh?
Texas has the third highest teen birth rate in the nation and individual cities consistently rank among the highest in rates of teen sexually transmitted infections. While governors of 25 states have rejected abstinence-only funds because the programs have been proven not to work, Texas remains staunchly behind the times.
Unfortunately, Texas' abysmal lack of sex ed has national implications.Textbook publishers that self-censor health information to snag the ab-only market in Texas don't reprint different material for every smaller state, spreading the fear and misinformation far and wide.
The report makes several recommendations for the state, including the rejection of abstinence-only-until-marriage funds and the adoption of program material that includes non-biased, medically accurate information, as well as increased oversight of sex education curricula.
Ms. C at KHS
Courtney* at KHS
- Meg D. KHS
thank you and keep up the good work!
Kayla <3 at KHS
Stephanie :) at KHS
Mk at KHS
I think you are brave, and I support everything you are doing, don't give up!!
Courtney :) at KHS
KR at KHS
--SB
I think that your fight for Sex Education in your school is a very brave thing to do.
I found your film to be very interesing and it taught me a lot about safe sex. I admire your fighting spirit.
Kc
Keep it up.
Ashley KHS
I am from the Women's Studies class in New Hampshire. I was amazed when I watched the movie you made. It ts so hard for me to imagine the idea that sex education is not a part of school. I am from a very libral town in NH and feel like sex education has been a very important part of my education. I believe that it should be taught nation wide. I really admire your fight. It's not easy to fight againt people that feel as strongly as they do in Lubbock. I also really admire your work with the GAP kids. I never thought of those two issues being related but now I understand it much more.
Thank you for a great movie and all the work that you do!
~Angelika KHS
Amber.L KHS
I think what u are doing is very goood. This country needs someone like you to stick up for their classmates and their school. u sould deff continue to do what u are doing beacause i know a lot of girls appricaite it. I loved your film, i thought it was pretty amazing, and loved to see someone soo young do what u did. i think its sad how the school doesnt look around and see all the girls pregnant, or the kids having unprotected sex, they souldnt have a problem teaching sex ed. I think your a great person , keep up the good work, thanks!!
*Elizabeth*
Thanks.
Kerri R.
I think somebody really needs to realize that teaching abstinence-only is NOT working. Kids are going to experiment with sex, it's what our minds and bodies want to do, and if we're not taught at least how to be safe, then you're not going to be. And that's why places that teach this have the highest teen pregnancy rates. I think everything you said and everything you fought for at Lubbock High School, someone really should have listened and taken everything you said into consideration, and changed how things are done. In New Hampshire we get a good amount of information and it's right information. And I would no be able to handle the amount of inaccurate information they tell you down there. If they're going to continue teaching abstinence-only then they should at least have some correct information.
I love everything you're fighting for, and i hope a lot changes from your efforts.
-cbw at khs
I too watched your movie in Women's Studies at KHS. I to find it appalling that, regardless of the fact that it is NOT helping, that school boards still decide to teach abstinence-only "sex education".
I think that in both your post and the movie, that the hardest part for me was the blatant lies fed to these children.
-God loves homosexuals as much as he loves murderers.
-STD's are spread from hand-to-hand contact
-etc, etc.
It is one thing to teach abstinence only in schools. While I don’t agree with it, and find it ineffective, it is their prerogative.
On the other hand, feeding children and teens lies about sex, or any interaction with the opposite sex in general, is horrifying to me!
This does nothing beneficial for the kids in this situation, as they need to find the "real" information somehow, and will experiment to learn a lesson.
Im so frustrated with this, so I cannot imagine how you must feel.
-Kim (KHS)