VEGANGELICA

I agree.

I feel the parent may try to build "character," as the parent defines it, in the child (within limits...depends on the methods and the character they are trying to build), although I don't see that as a primary duty of parenthood.

I view a parent's primary duty, Neapolitan, as loving a child and helping the child understand repercussions of her actions. I don't really feel characters have to be "built" although I do agree with some fundamental concepts like teaching children not to physically hurt or touch others against their will. This is a big part of what I would teach in sex education.

I know I definitely don't want schools to teach children that there is one optimal character they should have with respect to legal sexual activity. (People can't be arrested in the U.S. if they are both 17 or younger and engaged in sexual activity, can they?).

I do feel sex education in schools should inform children that the best way to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases is to have sex with yourself only , while also making sure kids know safer sex methods (condom use, info about sexually transmitted diseases, etc.). I feel the schools should help kids identify and discuss pros and cons that come with decisions about when to be sexually active with other people.

The more honesty about sexual activity and sexual anatomy early on, the better, I feel. I never fear knowledge; I fear lack of knowledge.

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Midi

After thinking it through, I have to agree with the posters above that abstinence would only draw the idea of promiscuity. However if it were to a public school I wouldn't mind as much as a private counseling it, really, it isn't a big deal.

lucifer_sam

Building character has fuck all to do with keeping your kid from having sex. In fact I'd say it predisposes your children into not having the self-confidence required for healthy sexual relationships in later life. If you try to restrict your child's sexual encounters at first, how do you think that will reflect on his or her ability to maintain a healthy sex life later?

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first.am

ElephantSack

In a lot of instances, parents are usually too weirded out to talk to their kids about sex, because it kind of is weird from the kid's standpoint. Just something I reflected on after my first post in here.

Ideally, yes, it would make more sense for the parents to talk to their kids about it, but also, in reality, a parent is just as likely to fuck their kid's head up about it just as much as a teacher.

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OF THE SUN

OceanAndSilence

I don't even get this... how can you "teach" abstinence?

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http://www.myspace.com/chrisneto - tune in to chill out

ElephantSack

Well, in the states, especially in the South, there's a large aversion toward unmarried sex, so there's a movement in politics and education to preach the virtues of abstinence-only sex education in our public schools.

Americans are pretty ****ed in the head on a large-scale basis.

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Frownland

"Well children, sex is a myth, just like Santa Clause and women pooping."

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.