Giving kids too much information is always a risk, but isn't it one that we should take rather than risking them having too little information?

When I went to school (I graduated high school in 2007, so this is *recent* sex education), all that was discussed was the symptoms of a few STDs, the effects of teen pregnancy, and the ways to prevent date-rape. That's it. No discussions of how to prevent teen pregnancy, no discussions on ways to prevent contraction of STDs, and no discussion at all of STIs. I don't come from a household in which this was discussed, so everything I learned about sexual health was done on my own--what about the people who didn't *want* to look these things up, or who weren't sexually pro-active? They fall through the cracks.

I do not agree that parents should be the ones taking the burden upon themselves, because sex is a taboo topic in our society and parents might be unwilling to have those kinds of discussions. If a parent can't bring themselves to teach their children that their vagina is different from their labia, and their penis is different from their scrotum, how are they going to discuss what to do if the condom breaks? Someone has to have these discussions, and if it has to be teachers, that's what it has to be.

In the computer field there's a term "security by obscurity." It means roughly "we don't tell them about it and hopefully they don't find it." It doesn't work.

I don't have any problems with schools teaching sex to my children (though at an appropriate age) I learned way to much crap from friends and riding the bus. I'd rather them learn the correct way of things then in the back of some guys car or on the bus home from school. Though my hubby and I are going to be proactive about sex, so hopefully my kids will learn more from us then school.

I really like this discussion, and it's one that interests me. I'm majoring in public health and I'm finishing my last year, so this subject is something I'm always talking or writing about. I am completely for comprehensive sex education. I read on some previous posts that there are some who want it to be taught at home, but for many families, it's a taboo to talk about sex. I grew up in a fairly conservative asian household, and sex, and everything pertaining to sex is never mentioned in the household. So I would say that the school should step in and talk about it for a good bit. If the school doesn't want to do it, they can always welcome public health speakers who are knowledgeable in the area to make presentations a few times a month.

Interesting. I know this isn't on topic really, but I'm doing a study for school on the correlation between the presence of teen pregnancy in the media (and how it is presented) and the teen pregnancy rate. It's not a perfect study, but I'm working on it.

We laugh at most "debates" at school meetings in regards to sex education. Most of the people objecting are the ones who are undereducated, and would benefit from much of the education being proposed. When we had health class in the early 90's (back in the day) they were very thorough. They were even smart enough to educate us on street terms, as well as other lifestyle/sexual practices. They covered everything from wet dreams and masturbation, to bondage and cunnilingus.

I honestly dont think its the schools job. If someone can have sex and get pregnent then they should be able to deal with the responsibilty of raising that child and informing them.

At my sisters school they have to take health to graduate. They have a whole unit on mental health and safe sex and sexual preditors and abuse. My sister had a rough past and ime gonna leave it at theres a reason I now have custody of my sisters and are birth parents are spending the rest of there life in jail. She doesnt need to here about what rape is, or what sexual abuse is or any of that crap. Ime sorry but they keep preeching abstence and that its a bad idea to loose your virginity before you are married. Even though her situation was different then most she still has a hard time hearing that. She had to write a 2 page essay on what women can do to reduce there chances of being sexually harrased. Then this week they have a paper on what girls can do to reduce the chance of being date raped. I love my sister, she doesnt need to write papers on what shes lived. Ive wrote both papers for her, its bad enough for her to have to sit and listen to shit about it. Anyway if your asking me its not schools job for them to talk to our kids about that.

Even if my sister wasnt in that situation I would still not want the school teaching my kids about sex. Theres a different between teaching health and sexual health. I think that there should at least be an option not to take that course to graduate.

In the end I think that its to personal of a topic and that Ide rather teach my kids about it. I dont want them having sex, but ide rather let them know about condoms and stuff. They preech abstinence and in a perfect world that would be ok but its not, teens have sex. I may not like that fact but ide rather her know what she can do if she chooses to then be told not to.

When I was in school we learned about puberty, both male and female. High school they talked a bit more about it and showed us how to properly use a condom (the good old banana trick!)

Now, I was born and raised in Canada's Capital. I don't know it that was a board wide thing, province wide or maybe even country wide.

What I do know is that although I was in main stream, my daughter is in a special education class. Granted, these kids are not up to 'educational standards' (my daughter works at the pace of someone about 4 years younger than she is) but they have learned absolutely nothing about their bodies, puberty, nothing.

All she has learned is from me. She came home one day and started her period and although she knew it was coming it was still a shock. She wasn't sure how to react and I think that is partly because it is not talked about in her class.

I think that if it was, she would not feel so much like she is the only one.

Now all that being said, she is fine now. Mom's knowledge is just fine for her (plus friends of mine that talked to her about it so she knew we ALL get it)but it still is kind of an annoyance. I have to wonder about the other kids in her class. Those with parents that are not as open about things as I am. How do they feel and what do they do?

"If someone can have sex and get pregnent then they should be able to deal with the responsibilty of raising that child and informing them."

This is the point when every professor I've had as a student in a health-care profession would take your paper take out a red pen and begin writing "No NO NO!" on it. Thing aren't as they should that must be the primary fact driving the discussion not what things should be. Seriously do we discussion how to prevent over problems in our society this way? Kids shouldn't drink or smoke by law, drive unsafely and their parent should teach them about them yet we don't see an argument for teaching these topics in school being stooped on these grounds?

Just to drive the point home one professor made us SING "you have to start where the learners are" in class. In other word what should be is useless and irreverent, problem solving starts by identify what is (where leaner are not where they should be). But of course that the the problem, I'm interested solving problems, this "should" line of argument isn't about solving problems it about defending ideological perspectives...even at the cost of children health but hey their parents should have...

Schools should teach everything. And teach it in an unbiased way, telling all the facts good and bad and not trying to make up kids opinions for them.