Many sex ed teachers may lack training
Wed, 2008-02-27 12:59
#1
Many sex ed teachers may lack training
Wed, 2008-02-27 12:59
#2
[url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080205/hl_nm/sex_ed_dc]Many sex ed teachers may lack training[/url]
Obvious news of the day.
quote:
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A sizable minority of sex education teachers does not cover all of the basics, and many lack training to teach sex ed at all, a survey of teachers in one state suggests.In a study of sex ed teachers at 201 Illinois schools, researchers found that one-third of teachers did not give comprehensive instruction -- defined as covering the four basic topics of abstinence, birth control, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
In addition, 30 percent said they had no special training in teaching sex education, and these teachers were less likely to teach a comprehensive course.
Wed, 2008-02-27 14:33
#3
Polly B
quote:
Among the least frequently taught subjects were homosexuality, abortion and information on how to use condoms or birth control properly.
But 89% felt comfortable giving advice on abstinence until marriage. [img]rolleyes.gif" border="0[/img] I wonder how much of the discomfort on the part of the teachers is religious based?
Wed, 2008-02-27 14:47
#4
quote:
I wonder how much of the discomfort on the part of the teachers is religious based?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was wondering that too. Also, we are North American and many of us are so uptight about sex (not me of course [img]wink.gif" border="0[/img] ) and nudity and yet we expect some person, who may have hangups, to teach our kids about sex?
What we need are guidance counsellors or something like that or maybe John Cleese (jsut kidding)
Wed, 2008-02-27 15:21
#5
Polly B
But a fairly high percentage taught about HIV and STDs, as well as abstinence.
quote:
When it came to discussing condoms and birth control, teachers who omitted the topic generally did so because it was not in the official curriculum or because of "school or district policy." About half of teachers also lacked confidence in their ability to teach the topic -- rating their ability as anywhere from "average" to "very poor."
It would be interesting to correlate the study with the school's religious policies.
I wonder if the education received on HIV and STD's is the "what-sinners-get" variety.
Wed, 2008-02-27 17:29
#6
It's not just "school religious policies." Parents also factor in with a totally dysfunctional act torn between religion, pornography, Viagra, implants and other surgery, abuse issues, alcohol & drugs, etc.
Wed, 2008-02-27 17:43
#7
Polly B
viagra?
Wed, 2008-02-27 19:02
#8
Yes, Viagra, used, like porn, to prop up sex as the reason-to-stay-together-otherwise... [img]eek.gif" border="0[/img]
Wed, 2008-02-27 19:22
#9
Polly B
Oh. Never thought of it like that, but okay.
(Edited to add, and I know I shouldn't, that it's hard to ignore the viagra-used-to-prop-up in that sentence.)
[ 27 February 2008: Message edited by: Polly Brandybuck ]
Wed, 2008-02-27 19:53
#10
Well, it's quite a taboo subject (and clearly a case of thread drift since we are in the youth issues forum), but Viagra - like other sex drugs - has had some very heavy effects in the lives of people, in this case by giving older men what could be called an artificial extension of their presumed prerogatives over women - some older women have been crystal clear about that.
Which isn't to deny that many other individuals and couples are very happy about such products. But to discuss sex without broaching such power issues is missing part of the picture IMHO.
Wed, 2008-02-27 20:02
#11
Polly B
quote:
Originally posted by martin dufresne:
[b]Parents also factor in with a totally dysfunctional act torn between religion, pornography, Viagra, implants and other surgery, abuse issues, alcohol & drugs, etc.[/b]
I doubt they are expecting too many of those to form part of the school curriculum though?
And I still don't get the viagra as a power thing, but you are right it's not relevant to the youth forum at all.
Wed, 2008-02-27 20:11
#12
N.Beltov
Unitarian Universalists have a very popular program on sex education. And it's not just for kids. Maybe other churches and religious establishments could learn a thing or two. There is actually quite a bit of interest from people outside the church in the program.
[url=http://uuwinnipeg.mb.ca/owl.shtml]Our Whole Lives: Lifespan Sexuality Education Curricula[/url]
Wed, 2008-02-27 20:19
#13
quote:
I doubt they are expecting too many of those to form part of the school curriculum though.
Well, that's my point. Youths are well aware how sex is very opften tangled up in a lot of very painful power issues at home and yet most parents insist that it be treated in a completely idealist manner in school - abstinence, etc. Even things as basic as pleasure and sexual orientation are pointedly off-limits. So the cognitive dissonance for kids must be at full-tilt. I have taught and I still speak to college audiences, but I imagine teaching sex ed to teens in Amerikkka must be nearly impossible unless one essentially agrees to lie all the time.
Wed, 2008-02-27 20:49
#14
Polly B
quote:
Originally posted by martin dufresne:
[b] Well, that's my point. Youths are well aware how sex is very opften tangled up in a lot of very painful power issues at home and yet most parents insist that it be treated in a completely idealist manner in school - abstinence, etc. [/b]
You think it's the parents then, not the school policies dictating that abstinence trumps birth control? That most parents want their kids to grow up ignorant? I would think that if most parents did not want their kids to learn even the basics of sexual education, the school would not be offering the courses to start with.
From the article:
quote:
"Most parents support school-based sex education and teens regard it as an important source of information," Lindau said, "yet we found that several important health topics and skills are omitted, more often than not, from most Illinois public school sex-education criteria."
"Youth are well aware"....what youth, and what age are we talking about? I spend a huge amount of time with teens, and frankly I don't find them that totally tuned in to sexual power issues between mom and dad. I am not talking about abuse here, kids can see abuse, but the other sexual [i]issues[/i] you mentioned...porn, viagra, implants, drugs etc.
Most kids just hope their parents don't actually [i]do it.[/i]
[ 27 February 2008: Message edited by: Polly Brandybuck ]
Wed, 2008-02-27 21:07
#15
You make some good points, Polly. Awareness does vary according to age, and yes, some - I'd even say most - of the power issues are transmitted less by observing parents than through interactions between youths themselves, pornography scripts, etc. But I still see a disconnect between kids' awareness that sexual relations are exhilarating/power-laden and the way these interactions are whitewashed in sex ed. I mean 'abstinence', VD, marriage...? Come on.
As for the parents-schools thing, would you agree that even if most parents support sex education in principle, all it takes is one angry adult to create a crisis if a taboo subject (e.g. homosexuality) is broached at school? And yes, I take your point that school officials, answering to politicians, can be more diffident than parents, and pass the buck, e.g. "let them learn that at home". It has been my experience that many of them are not only extra careful but quite often extra conservative and hostile to realistic sex education. (And this is in Quebec.)
Children may hope that "their parents don't do it," but school officials often seem mandated to make sure that [b]kids[/b] don't - and to feel that "the less they know, the better?"
So I would say that between some parents and most school administrators, even competent teachers have very little "marge de manoeuvre".
[ 27 February 2008: Message edited by: martin dufresne ]
Thu, 2008-02-28 00:10
#16
quote:
Originally posted by Polly Brandybuck:
[b]But 89% felt comfortable giving advice on abstinence until marriage. [img]rolleyes.gif" border="0[/img] [/b]
Not that hard to find that sort of teachers. You just pick out the ones who are totally incapable of getting laid. They're the experts on the subject.
Thu, 2008-02-28 05:01
#17
Lard Tunderin Jeezus
quote:
You just pick out the ones who are totally incapable of getting laid.
Not hard to find them, either.
What is it about the teaching professional that it attracts so many pickle-up-the-arse types? These are well-paid union jobs, with many benefits, including a sense of contribution to society. Is it our collective memories of all the horrible teachers in our pasts, and not wanting to be like that ourselves? Or is it simply that the embedded pickle-types tend to hire on more of their own?
BTW, the minority of good teachers know what I'm talking about here. If you're a teacher, and you're offended by this post, I'm probably talking about you.
Ok, that's out of my system now. Sorry for the thread drift.
Thu, 2008-02-28 05:03
#18
Polly B
[img]biggrin.gif" border="0[/img]
That's be those teachers who still wear the "visor" cap to all the sporting events.
Thu, 2008-02-28 05:43
#19
Soon to be [b]supervisors[/b]... [img]biggrin.gif" border="0[/img]