Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
PCG --- Actually that is not true. Most of the course material covers birth control and protection. Maybe schools in the US are different? Because I always thought here, the courses mentioned abstinence as almost an after thought.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
I thought so too. Are u sure - you work in school right?
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
Muslim countries have no sex education whatsoever and they still have lowest teenage or premarital birth rates. Go figure!
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
I always feel that its better if parents talk to their kids about these issues. It would be awkward, sure.. , but I think its somewhat better than kids learning all the stuff in the company of their friends.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
Well, the whole setup is AGAINST having sex out of marriage. So, that is the biggest NO SEX education one can get.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
Quoting Bush again I see.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
i knew a guy from faisalabad. he said he caught the drinking habit from his college days in faisalabad and he had his first sex at a college party arranged by the college boys.
i was 
to know alcohol was that easily accessible at colleges in faisalabad. i told my cousins in lahore that they were dumbos :o
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
There are two of PCGs now
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
This is kind of related; I was at a clinic recently and they had brochures about AIDS and one of them said that 50% of kids until highschool think that AIDS is curable. Kind of scary huh? We think there is so much education out there about AIDS but obviously, more needs to be done.
Sex education is important but there is sometimes too much emphasis on how to prevent pregnancies, not enough on STDs and AIDS.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
Sarah, I made my son watch a movie the other day, it was on how syphilis was spread to a whole community by actions of only one girl who wanted to be popular in her High School. She gave oral sex to a few boys in her school, and the whole community broke out with this STD. It was an excellent movie for teens. My son asked me why couldn’t he have sex, I explained that you are too young to know the emotional part about sex, so it is not for you. Then the ashole says, but Daddy, if I can masturbate, why can’t I have sex? I had to have a long talk with him about that. But I was really happy that my boys are open and honest with me. I think that’s the most important relationship a parent can have with his/her kids… being honest and upfront.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
^ Doesn’t say much about the whole friggin’ community, actually. But yeah, sounds like a good movie.
Anyway, this is an interesting topic. Should kids be told to forget all about sex (abstinence), or told how to have safe sex, so they can avoid STDs and pregnancies. I guess most will say, both. However, many researchers (mostly right wing christians) say that in teens minds, this creates confusion and jumbled messages. For a number of years schools in US had gone for sex-ed and how to avoid teen-age pregnancies through use of condoms. There is no harm in trying the “full-stop” approach of abstinence. Soon enough we will find out which approach actually works better.
Though most important is the role of parents. And as Madhanee alluded to, parents need to have a close relationship with their kids and share with them their own moral/religious/social values on such issues. Leaving it all up to schools is a bad idea.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
Faisal, I didn’t say everyone in the community…in the movie it showed how this spread… Syphilis can be passed on without having an intercourse.
Yes, it is very important to talk to kids about it. Parents should discuss these things as soon as kids can understand these things. It is never is too early. With the kind of society we live today, it is important that we prepare our kids for these challenges.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
My husband and I were talking about this yesterday; obviously parents should fill in some of the role as well but how do they avoid sending the wrong message? What should the ratio of morality : secular sexual safety be?
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
Faisal, studies have shown that abstinence only programs do not work so there is harm.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
Sarah, what is that? how is sexual safety secular (or not secular?). And what is so immoral or moral to talk about it?
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
What studies? What was the age of the kids? Was this study in a high risk neighborhood or a Catholic private school? Sexual education must not be working either, since many people don't use condoms, even though they should use at least two methods to prevent both pregnancies and STDs.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
Sarah, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has concluded that the duel use of Sex Ed and abstinence programs is most effective. Several studies showed that abstinence only programs actual caused a jump in sexual activity and since safe sex wasn't part of the curriculum that means an increase of STD's and pregnancy.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
UTD, thats exactly the point. You can pick whichever “study” to prove whatever point you want to prove. I am sure you and Prez Bush’s eduction policy-makers are looking at different studies, and coming up with different solutions.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
Morality comes from the parents and common sense and conventional wisdom. it is not antithetical to secular beliefs... I refuse to read scripture on the grounds that they are fking stupid. It has no bearing on my morality. People who try to connect religious attributes as part of some moral superiority argument, are barking up the wrong tree. God also made STD's kids.
Re: Abstinence? Did I Miss the Boat?
No they are being pushed by The Christian right nut balls and fund this program to appease them.