Mother Talkers

Abstinence only fails miserably in Florida

by Erika

Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 12:07:56 PM PDT

Remember those myths about how to prevent pregnancy that made the rounds in high school? And how some of our friends found out the hard way that pulling out or having sex in a pool would NOT stop those pesky little sperm from swimming?

Well, the myths are back...but they're new and even MORE stupid! Case in point: Florida, where most schools teach an abstinence only curriculum-- if they bother to offer any sex education at all. The result is the sixth highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation, and myths like these:

Some Florida teens believe drinking Mountain Dew or smoking marijuana will prevent pregnancy and that swallowing a capful of bleach will prevent HIV/AIDS. One reason those dangerous myths have spread is the state's reliance on abstinence-only sex education, say advocates of a bill to require a more comprehensive approach in Florida's schools.

The measure narrowly won approval from a Senate committee Tuesday. Under the proposed legislation, schools would still be required to teach abstinence as the only sure way to prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseasese, but they would have to teach more about sex. It would require, for example, teaching about condoms and other methods of birth control and disease prevention.

Teaching about condoms and other methods of birth control? How radical. But it seems the bill has a miniscule chance of becoming law, as it has to clear several committees with less than 30 days left in the legislative session.

Opponents of the bill, including pro-life activists, claim the bill will result in MORE teen pregnancies. Because accurate information about how to practice safe sex? NATURALLY results in more pregnancy and disease! Right?  Hmmm. Guess I just don't follow their logic.

One of the many reasons I'm glad to live in California: it was one of just three states in the nation to refuse federal funding tied to abstinence-only education. But instruction still varies wildly from district to district, and I will make sure that my daughter has access to information that is accurate and comprehensive. I don't ever want her to consider Mountain Dew and bleach as birth control options.

What's the status of sex ed in your neck of the woods?

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Tags: abstinence only, sex education, legislation, pregnancy, teens, myths (all tags)

Permalink | 12 comments

  • well... (0 / 0)

    i'd say in my district it is pretty awful. my dd is astonished at the lack of knowledge and misunderstanding about basic sexual function among her peers.

    let me say from the outset that dd got a picture perfect sex education at her middle school;it would no way pass in a public school.  why?  as an example it was coed and girls were handed bananas and taught how to put a condom on them.  boys made fists to demonstrate how to insert a tampon.  this was done in a coed environment. it took all the "stuff" out of sex and made it what it should be...the facts.  in addition they had serious 3 months of curriculum for all 3 middle school years around all STDs, biological explanations and exactly how you could contract them. this also included drug/alcohol and tobacco curriculum. it was taught by a trained educator, in a class room, with tests.  they even had sex jeopardy...again to take the stigma out of sex and make it so this stuff stuck in their brains.  frankly, it was awesome. but then my dd basically went to what we now call "hippie school". none of this would fly in public school.

    unfortunately my dd reports that her peers are woefully ignorant to how STDs can be contracted.  and they are extremely ignorant about basic sexual function.  an example is many are not clear that when giving a BJ the boy "comes"...they weren't clear that the boy ejaculates.  forget about understanding HIV.

    since dd has attended her high school, she has not rec'vd a single sex education class, despite one that was suppose to be given by PE teacher in freshman year...never happened.  apparently in our school district there is some sex ed in middle school, but based on the level of ignorance, it wasn't effective.

    given i have no hope that public schools will pick this up along with drug/alcohol and tobacco education...i am thinking about how we can start a private education program that parents can send their kids to.

    by parentalunit1 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 12:23:51 PM PDT

    • DS is just finishing up (0 / 0)

      at his K-8 hippie school.  He's had great human development / sex ed / body image / substance abuse ed since 4th grade.  They have focused on decision-making and on helping each student figure out their comfort zone wrt sex -- is kissing going too far?  Intercourse?  I like how they've tried to create an internal locus of control.

      I'm not sure what sex ed will be like for him in HS but I feel like if he never had another class, he's pretty well prepared to be safe.

      In talking with neighbors whose kids attend the local public school, the sex ed sounds pretty abysmal.  Lots of scare tactics and shaming.  The neighbors were shocked that my kid had handled condoms in class, and they're liberals.

      by mamacita on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 11:14:45 AM PDT

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      • hippie school... (0 / 0)

        my dd gave me ALL the details of her sex ed at "hippie school".  i didn't know about the sex jeopardy game nor the team names the boys assigned themselves or the girl's team names.  the "hippie" running the class  allowed them to choose their team names.  boys chose "pussy lovers" and girls " sex goddesses".  can you imagine this going over in a public school? allowing the kids to have some control and providing in a game format was smart. and no scare tactics, just the facts.  

        i'd pay to provide this kind of program if my kid was in public school and it was available.

        by parentalunit1 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:22:45 PM PDT

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  • Not sure. (0 / 0)

    I know they teach abstinence here but not sure about what else. We're moving to a town that only teaches abstinence. I see it as value-based sex ed. I do not believe that you can force a child to ignore the natural urge to be sexual anymore than you can force them to ignore the urge to breathe. I was taught that "sex is bad" most of my life and it was very confusing for me. I'm almost at the point of, "just let me teach my own kid what I want to teach about sex and keep your values (and judgment) to yourself!"

    "We've GOT to make noises in greater amounts! So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!"

    by progressiveinky on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 12:24:12 PM PDT

    • parent taught... (0 / 0)

      i spent time talking to my dd about sex.  but she reports that my teaching could never compete with what she got at school.  reason?  most kids are so uncomfortable talking about sex with their parent(s) in middle school that their brains shut down. i think it is fine with the basics with little kids but middle school years?  i think ideally you want someone other than mom and dad.  

      this comes fresh my 17 year old dd who is now comfortable talking details of  sex with dear old mom.

      by parentalunit1 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 12:38:56 PM PDT

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      • Yeah, I'm not there yet (0 / 0)

        mine is still very small. But I always talked with my mom about sex and it was just normal. Since I know where we're going is abstinence only and has one of the highest rates for both teen pregnancy and teen STDs, you'd better believe he'll be getting an earful!

        "We've GOT to make noises in greater amounts! So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!"

        by progressiveinky on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:17:34 PM PDT

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  • The charter school (0 / 0)

    my seventh grade daughter attends has refused to touch anything having to do with the reproductive system.  This is a K-8 school, so I suppose they're thinking that they can kinda skate by.  My older kids got halfway decent instruction in their small (now defunct) charter high school.

    Ofcourse, I never relied on the schools teaching these things to my kids.   I'm not sure what the public school system is doing here now, but it was a yearly battle between one group of parents and the district to keep age appropriate instruction in the classrooms....and this was back in the 90's, before this dreadful administration.  

    You know, its so different than when I was young...in many ways, we are so much more conservative.  I lived in a small town, and yet, about twice a year they hauled Planned Parenthood in to give us all "the talk" and leave materials as well as cards telling us how to make appointments with them.  People would absolutely freak out over this now.

    by tjb22 on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 01:15:40 PM PDT

    • my school system was like that when I was there (0 / 0)

      we started with sex ed with age-appropriate messages when I was in 5th grade; mostly about the reproductive systems and puberty periods and such, and it was single-sex only. 6th and 7th grade health classes focused on this interested decision-making module - a lot of drug/alcohol/unsafe practices education and implementation of a kind of decision-making structure that was remarkably similar to the scientific method. (I assume no one expected us to actually write lists down when push came to shove, but rather to get us to slow down and think). But 8th grade, 9th grade and 12th grade health classes were all sex ed (10th was driver's ed, 11th was first aid/CPR). I really salute the school on this - it was totally forthright, co-ed, condoms-on-bananas, Planned Parenthood in class stuff.

      I assume it's still the same way; GR is not known for its bible belt. Not that I'd know.

      by Rachel on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:23:06 PM PDT

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  • 6th highest teen pregnancy (0 / 0)

    Are they trying to draw a correlation here between abstinence policy and teen pregnancy rate?  Do the other top 5 states also have abstinence sex education?  Seems that that ranking won't mean much unless the other 5 are also like Florida in policy.

    by smurfett on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 02:55:01 PM PDT

    • I think the rate (0 / 0)

      coupled with the survey that found these alarming myths was the impetus for some legislators to say hhmmm...maybe we should teach more than abstinence.

      I actually don't know what the top five states are and what their policies are...but since only 3 out of 50 states refused the federal funding tied to abstinence-only education, you can draw your own conclusions. I would venture to guess that most places don't do a great job of teaching comprehensive sex ed.

      by Erika on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 03:02:44 PM PDT

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  • actually... (0 / 0)

    ...seventeen states have now rejected ab-only funding.  Iowa, where I live, was the most recent state to do it.  

    But what passes for sex ed in some of our classrooms might appall you.  Our community has a positive relationship with Planned Parenthood and educators come into middle school and high school to work with students.  Unfortunately, it is not for a month-long unit, but a few-days of a guest teacher (if that long, sometimes it's more like one day).  And, that is not the case in every district in the state.  Still, at least the students are getting comprehensive, medically accurate and age-appropriate information.

    by liturgygeek on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 06:29:07 PM PDT

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