NationStates Jolt Archive

Texas currently has the fifth-highest teen pregnancy rate in the union.

For those that might wonder why, perhaps they should try reading the sex-ed material taught in their schools.

Of the four textbooks currently under review to be the new textbooks, three make no mention of contraception at all while the fourth only gives a passing reference to condoms. None discuss STDs and preventative measures in depth either.

The only thing to be taught?

Abstinence.

I agree that this should certainly be something impressed on kids, but to make it the entirety of the education is reckless endangerment. How can children even properly put abstinence in context without also giving them a full education on the risks associated? And the simple fact is that teens WILL have sex. Not all of them, but a good number. Closing one's eyes and not giving them the information they need is rediculous. You are, after all, dealing with people of an age that we do not hold them criminally liable in the same way as adults for most offences because we recognize that they do not yet have the capacity to understand all of the ramifications of some actions. And at an age when the hormones are raging and peer pressure seems hugely important. To assume that their decision making will somehow improve on this subject while simultaneously rendering them ignorant represents a clear flaw of logic.

One of the books goes so far as to advise that a good way a teen-ager can prevent a sexually transmitted disease is to get plenty of rest so he or she can have a clear head about sex and choose abstinence.

Oh yeah.... that's all teens need.... sleep!

:rolleyes:

I do not disparage teaching teens to try to wait. Many do become sexually active before they should. But withholding information that may save lives to satisfy a misplaced concept of inflicting a moral standard upon them is damn near criminal in my opinion.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=572&ncid=572&e=2&u=/nm/20040805/lf_nm/life_books_dc_1

Texas currently has the fifth-highest teen pregnancy rate in the union.

For those that might wonder why, perhaps they should try reading the sex-ed material taught in their schools.

Of the four textbooks currently under review to be the new textbooks, three make no mention of contraception at all while the fourth only gives a passing reference to condoms. None discuss STDs and preventative measures in depth either.

The only thing to be taught?

Abstinence.

I agree that this should certainly be something impressed on kids, but to make it the entirety of the education is reckless endangerment. How can children even properly put abstinence in context without also giving them a full education on the risks associated? And the simple fact is that teens WILL have sex. Not all of them, but a good number. Closing one's eyes and not giving them the information they need is rediculous. You are, after all, dealing with people of an age that we do not hold them criminally liable in the same way as adults for most offences because we recognize that they do not yet have the capacity to understand all of the ramifications of some actions. And at an age when the hormones are raging and peer pressure seems hugely important. To assume that their decision making will somehow improve on this subject while simultaneously rendering them ignorant represents a clear flaw of logic.

One of the books goes so far as to advise that a good way a teen-ager can prevent a sexually transmitted disease is to get plenty of rest so he or she can have a clear head about sex and choose abstinence.

Oh yeah.... that's all teens need.... sleep!

:rolleyes:

I do not disparage teaching teens to try to wait. Many do become sexually active before they should. But withholding information that may save lives to satisfy a misplaced concept of inflicting a moral standard upon them is damn near criminal in my opinion.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=572&ncid=572&e=2&u=/nm/20040805/lf_nm/life_books_dc_1
what the crap what about the other 14 ahead of us,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S. Never streo type texas just a warning to all, becasue I am a person who live's in a city a major one houston 4th largest in the country.

given that its texas, i would imagine it would be easier to pass laws to establish the death penalty for sexually active teens that it would be to provide meaningfull sex ed in classrooms. After all, fear of punishment wil surely make them keep their pants on more than education ever could.

Being a teen, I have just gone through health. They don't use text books at all in my state.
BTW, if Texas uses those textbooks, everyone will, and by using your logic, teen pregnancy rates should be the same everywhere. Texas, California, and Florida not only are some of the biggest textbook buyers, but the other 47 states copy their textbook regulations for financial matters. What textbooks these states choose are the ones everyone in the nation uses.

I think it is due to the poor education that those Texans get. I met people from NYC and California here (clients) and must say that my Texans are more underdeveloped. But I think that most US people know that too. Just a fact here, not a generalisation.

Sterilise the Texans (better for everybody or give them, and learn them how to use condoms ;) )

what the crap what about the other 14 ahead of us,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S. Never streo type texas just a warning to all, becasue I am a person who live's in a city a major one houston 4th largest in the country.

Oh Lord. Who taught you to spell, dear?

Abstinence-only programs are a failure. Studies have shown that comprehensive sex ed is far more effective.

What more is there to say?

Being a teen, I have just gone through health. They don't use text books at all in my state.
BTW, if Texas uses those textbooks, everyone will, and by using your logic, teen pregnancy rates should be the same everywhere. Texas, California, and Florida not only are some of the biggest textbook buyers, but the other 47 states copy their textbook regulations for financial matters. What textbooks these states choose are the ones everyone in the nation uses.

Well, your theory only would hold water if you assumed that California and Texas purchased the same books, and if every state restricted their sex-ed only to the contents of those books.

A question - did your health class only mention abstinence? Or did it at least cover STDs and contraception?

what the crap what about the other 14 ahead of us,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S. Never streo type texas just a warning to all, becasue I am a person who live's in a city a major one houston 4th largest in the country.


Errr, beg your pardon?

what other fourteen?

And who is "steriotyping"? I am simply stating the intended curriculum for sex-ed in Texas and critiquing it as being - in my opinion - an incorrect way to go about things.

Only Fifth?

Crap, what are we doing wrong! I myself hail from tarrant county, texas where we have had the highest teen age death due to alchohol and highest rate of highschool students pregnant for the country for quite some time. I guess maybe this has changed. Have we lost our way!?

Only Fifth?

Crap, what are we doing wrong! I myself hail from tarrant county, texas where we have had the highest teen age death due to alchohol and highest rate of highschool students pregnant for the country for quite some time. I guess maybe this has changed. Have we lost our way!?

It's not your fault. We know that you're trying. The problem is that the rest fo the state is letting you down.... lol.

Well, your theory only would hold water if you assumed that California and Texas purchased the same books, and if every state restricted their sex-ed only to the contents of those books.

A question - did your health class only mention abstinence? Or did it at least cover STDs and contraception?
We covered everything, and then some. Not that I can remember the names of STDs, other than Syphillis, Gonerrhea, and Herpes. BTW, I heard the textbook thing on our little news magazine on ABC, 20/20.

It's not your fault. We know that you're trying. The problem is that the rest fo the state is letting you down.... lol.

It must be.

But in all seriousness, don't blame this on the texas education system. There are a few facts you probably don't know unless you went to school in Good 'ol George's school system:

NO ONE PAYS ATTENTION IN SEX ED CLASS, DOLTS!

It doesn't matter what they teach. They could get a freaking pink bunny suit and sink the anthem of the confederacy and it wouldn't have stopped me from sleeping. I don't understand blaming the school system for shit they shouldn't have to handle in the first place. Parent's much? The birds and the bee's a little bit? Crap, the texas school system is such a mess that to expect it to get the abc's right is a laughable prospect.

While it might help some, I agree with Nigh Invunlerable.

All everyone does in a sex-ed class is giggle and nudge eachother with their elbows during the most "awkward" parts. Usually, anyhow. Parents need to do the real work on that subject.

It must be.

But in all seriousness, don't blame this on the texas education system. There are a few facts you probably don't know unless you went to school in Good 'ol George's school system:

NO ONE PAYS ATTENTION IN SEX ED CLASS, DOLTS!

It doesn't matter what they teach. They could get a freaking pink bunny suit and sink the anthem of the confederacy and it wouldn't have stopped me from sleeping. I don't understand blaming the school system for shit they shouldn't have to handle in the first place. Parent's much? The birds and the bee's a little bit? Crap, the texas school system is such a mess that to expect it to get the abc's right is a laughable prospect.


Oh we used to pay attention. Hell, it was always taught by some teacher who looked horribly embarrased at having to do it, so we'd ask questions intended to make them even more uncomfortable..


"So Mr. Smith - when are we covering oral sex techniques?"

While it might help some, I agree with Nigh Invunlerable.

All everyone does in a sex-ed class is giggle and nudge eachother with their elbows during the most "awkward" parts. Usually, anyhow. Parents need to do the real work on that subject.

nudging and giggling is fine as long as the material is presented. You WILL at least hear it, and if you have a good teacher you might even learn something from it.

A course that just says "sex. don't do it" is truly a waste of time.

P.S. Never streo type texas just a warning to all, becasue I am a person who live's in a city a major one houston 4th largest in the country.
sure, i know Houston...the city that lied about its education performance to help get Bush elected. i remember how the "Texas Miracle" was so highly spoken of, until it was demonstrated that Houston's claim of a 1.5% drop out rate was completely fabricated; the real number is about 44%.

i know Houston, which placed 63 out of 79 for literacy, among US cities with populations over 200,000. Of course, Houston looked pretty good compared to the five other Texas cities that placed in the bottom 10.

before you try to yell at people for stereotyping, make sure you don't actually embody the stereotypes.

Parents need to do the real work on that subject.

I agree with this, Although I live in Canada and sex-ed is rather open here, I'm still not counting on the school system to save my children's lives. I will make damn sure they know all their options. While yes, as any parent, I hope they decide to wait. I'm not taking it to the bank. They will know how to protect themselves.

However what Texas is doing or any state (country) to these kids really should be criminal.

Hah, our teenage pregnancy rate is higher than yours. Most of them seem to go to private girls schools too.

It must be.

But in all seriousness, don't blame this on the texas education system. There are a few facts you probably don't know unless you went to school in Good 'ol George's school system:

NO ONE PAYS ATTENTION IN SEX ED CLASS, DOLTS!

It doesn't matter what they teach. They could get a freaking pink bunny suit and sink the anthem of the confederacy and it wouldn't have stopped me from sleeping. I don't understand blaming the school system for shit they shouldn't have to handle in the first place. Parent's much? The birds and the bee's a little bit? Crap, the texas school system is such a mess that to expect it to get the abc's right is a laughable prospect.
and studies have shown the rate of teen pregnancies have drastically risen as abstinence ed was introduced into schools

nudging and giggling is fine as long as the material is presented. You WILL at least hear it, and if you have a good teacher you might even learn something from it.

A course that just says "sex. don't do it" is truly a waste of time.
I've never heard a good sex-ed teacher. Ours was our gym coach. When the video came to the birthing part, he rewound and fastforwarded the tape so the baby popped in and out. :rolleyes:

If kids want to have sex, they will. If they want to obstain, they will. If they want to use birth control, they will. I really think there's very little eductation outside of indoctrination is effective in this case.

Not that there's anything wrong with a little indoctrination.

I couldn't get laid if I wanted too anyway.

Ah, sexual repression is so much fun!

We covered everything, and then some. Not that I can remember the names of STDs, other than Syphillis, Gonerrhea, and Herpes.

Hope you just forgot to mention HIV/AIDS.

I've never heard a good sex-ed teacher. Ours was our gym coach. When the video came to the birthing part, he rewound and fastforwarded the tape so the baby popped in and out. :rolleyes:

ROFL. I wish it had been as entertaining at my school. At least they did have those fascinating jigsaw-puzzle style things that were a picture of a person{1} and they had several layers where you could take off clothes, skin, muscle and organs and there was a skeleton right on the bottom.

I don't know what they had to do with sex-ed, specifically, they seemed more like a human anatomy in general thing, but I guess the nekkideness involved meant that they couldn't be used outside sex-ed. ;-)

Sorry, a bit sidetracked there. ;-)


{1} One boy, one girl.

Sex education lessons should contain live examples.

"And now we see how Bozo the Clown inserts his balloon tube into the opening of his assistant."

*squeek squeek squeek...*

We saw the Miracle of life video that was FUNNY.

Plus I couldn't get laid even if a women wanted me,
To repressed

Texas currently has the fifth-highest teen pregnancy rate in the union.

For those that might wonder why, perhaps they should try reading the sex-ed material taught in their schools.

Of the four textbooks currently under review to be the new textbooks, three make no mention of contraception at all while the fourth only gives a passing reference to condoms. None discuss STDs and preventative measures in depth either.

The only thing to be taught?

Abstinence.

I agree that this should certainly be something impressed on kids, but to make it the entirety of the education is reckless endangerment. How can children even properly put abstinence in context without also giving them a full education on the risks associated? And the simple fact is that teens WILL have sex. Not all of them, but a good number. Closing one's eyes and not giving them the information they need is rediculous. You are, after all, dealing with people of an age that we do not hold them criminally liable in the same way as adults for most offences because we recognize that they do not yet have the capacity to understand all of the ramifications of some actions. And at an age when the hormones are raging and peer pressure seems hugely important. To assume that their decision making will somehow improve on this subject while simultaneously rendering them ignorant represents a clear flaw of logic.

One of the books goes so far as to advise that a good way a teen-ager can prevent a sexually transmitted disease is to get plenty of rest so he or she can have a clear head about sex and choose abstinence.

Oh yeah.... that's all teens need.... sleep!

:rolleyes:

I do not disparage teaching teens to try to wait. Many do become sexually active before they should. But withholding information that may save lives to satisfy a misplaced concept of inflicting a moral standard upon them is damn near criminal in my opinion.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=572&ncid=572&e=2&u=/nm/20040805/lf_nm/life_books_dc_1

I was taught the exact same thing last year in 7th grade health class. But I'm sure the whole "abstinence" thing will only effect some kids.

Being a Texan high school studen myself, I can say that this is total crap.

We HAVE gon very rigorusly over contraception and STDs. Disturbingly graphic as far as STDs go. If you don't think that seeing cases of genital warts gets though to people, you're very, very wrong. They even gave out flyers for free STD testing

It's not that they're not teaching it. It's the heat and hormones.

Then again, it could just be my highschool...

In Tarrant County, we were taught about various STDs, but the big focus was on *no sex*. Sex is bad bad bad for you.

... I remember one smart ass telling our teacher, "Oh, it doesn't hurt giving birth, women just pop 'em out."

I agree more needs to be taught at school, but more needs to be taught at home too. My mother didn't teach me anything about sex, I was handed a romance novel, and that was my sex ed.

Oh joy.

So yeah, I was 16, pregnant, and running out of options ...

I couldn't get laid if I wanted too anyway.

Ah, sexual repression is so much fun!

LMMFAO. Thanks for the laugh. It made my day a little bit brighter.

I think there's a lot of factors that have to do with it, not just what type of education is taught, of course. States with large minority populations (Arizona, Texas, Mississippi, California, etc.) tend to have higher teen pregnancies.

I think there's a lot of factors that have to do with it, not just what type of education is taught, of course. States with large minority populations (Arizona, Texas, Mississippi, California, etc.) tend to have higher teen pregnancies.

The amount of money that the schools have to spend on teaching kids sex ed also has much to do with it. I went to an extremely poor middle school in Houston and all I was told in relation to sex was "don't have it." When I got to high school I got lucky when the school district lines were drawn and some of the people from my poorer neighborhood got sent to a fairly wealthy high school. At the wealthy high school I was taught about all methods of pregnancy prevention and protection, and I was also given extensive facts about the various STD's, their symptoms, and statistics on how many of my peers had them or likely would have them within 5, 10, 15 years.