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Local control over sex education

Sunday, April 22 at 12:01 AM

This Speakout has not been edited

By Katrina Caldon-Ruggles, Center

Recently, HB 1292, a bill mandating sex education standards for schools, passed the Colorado House and Senate. Representative Gallegos and Senator Schwartz both voted in favor of this bill. This bill included an amendment that exempted Center Consolidated Schools from the standards of this bill in any year that we receive federal abstinence education grant dollars. We currently receive a federal Title V abstinence education grant through the Colorado Department of Public Health. It has been reported, that, due to this exemption, we are the only school that will be able to continue with an abstinence-only program. I would like to clear up some misconceptions about federal abstinence education grant mandates and about our program.

Center Consolidated Schools does not have an abstinence-only program. We are an abstinence-based program. Our program gives information to youth about contraception. However, we do not promote, demonstrate, or give out contraception. Our kids can get that information one-on-one or are referred to medical professionals. In addition, high school health teachers, outside of the abstinence program, can provide that information. However, our youth are taught that abstinence is the only 100% effective way to avoid pregnancy, STD's, and the emotional, social, and intellectual consequences of early sexual activity. Abstinence is not taught as merely another choice among the other options of contraception. Abstinence is the expected standard for the youth. This is true of all of the prevention programs we offer, including those for tobacco and alcohol.

Our program includes a comprehensive suite of information. We teach kids about their personal worth, value, and power. We teach students about goal setting and planning for the future. We practice refusal, assertiveness, and boundary setting skills. The kids learn about self-control and responsibility.

With goals for the future, a belief in their personal value and power, and armed with essential life skills, kids have a reason and the ability to wait. In addition, if kids are choosing to be sexually active, we want kids to know they do have a choice and they, too, need to know these essential skills to reduce their risks around this decision. Our program is about giving our kids information and empowering them with the skills to make healthy choices.

Lastly, I believe that, ultimately, the problem with this bill is not the standards it prescribes; it is that this bill takes away local control from our schools, communities, and parents to decide what is most effective of our community and reflective of our needs and social and cultural norms.

READER COMMENTS

If you want something as extravagant as local control of your schools, get rid of the N.E.A. They are Socialists to the core.

Posted by Jay on April 25, 2007 10:40 AM

Does the new bill call for teachers having sex with the kids? There seems to be a teacher arrested evey week for having sex with students.

Posted by on April 25, 2007 07:26 AM

What?!? You have the nerve to try to teach “self control?”

Sarcasm aside, if we would all be better off if we all practiced more self-control in all areas of our lives. Unfortunately, most of us have been taught self-indulgence rather than self-control. Thus in addition to unwanted pregnancies and STDs we are also fat, lazy and quick to blame others for our choices.

Thank you for teaching such a valuable tool.

Posted by bjs on April 24, 2007 01:15 PM