Kansas board can’t agree on sex ed

[proud2BlibKansan]

By DAVID KLEPPER

The Kansas City Star


TOPEKA — Kansas Board of Education members postponed changing sex education guidelines today after they couldn’t decide whether to make it an opt-in class or leave the question to school districts.


Some members of the board argue that sex ed classes should be opt-in, rather than opt-out, so that parents can more easily control their children’s access to sexually explicit classroom material. Right now, most school districts include sex education unless parents sign an “opt-out” form. Members of the board’s conservative wing want to change the state guidelines so that only children whose parents have signed an “opt-in” form take the class.


Health educators protested, saying parents can already decide to keep their children out of the class if they find it objectionable. They said students who might need sex ed the most — who face greater risk of abuse, molestation, teen pregnancy or dangerous sexual behavior — might be the least likely to get a signed permission slip from their parents.


At today’s Board of Education meeting, the board debated two proposed changes to health education standards; one would make sex ed opt-in and the other would leave the decision to local school boards. Neither proposal received enough votes to pass, and board chairman Steve Abrams, an Arkansas City Republican, said the board would try to resolve the issue at its meeting next month.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/12635048.htm

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Intelligent Design put the Pisser in the Pudendum and near the Pooper

Intelligent Design assumes a creator designed the system that has the sexual organs include the urinary system and placed uncomfortably close to the bacteria cesspool around the anus.

No wonder they can't square the circle. Hypocritical ostriches.

[ComerPerro]

3. Obviously, the work of an intelligent designer.

And, believe me, Connie Morris, of the KS Board of Ed, has a very full knowledge of the workings of sex organs...

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. I was thinking

We should have her write the curriculum.

[enigami]

2. Makes you wonder

how we got so many Kansans don't it?

[put out]

5. no no no NO NO.

I have to teach growth and development stuff to 4 5 6th grade students. I give them letters explaining what I do, I put a part on the end of the letters giving parents the option of not having their student participate in the lesson, I give parents the opportunity to look at the instructional materials at home, I do everything I can to make parents feel alright with what I am doing.

And every year, I find those letters crumpled in the trash. This suggests to me that students do not want to be taken out of the class, or they would ask their parents to sign them "opt out". Or it might be that they do not want to discuss matters of growth and development and reproduction with their parents.

I'm not teaching them to do anything except know that they are normal. They need to know some stuff; for cryin' out loud, they are going through the changes we all have gone through. They need to know what their bodies look like, how they work, all of that. It's mostly science, and some self respect and respect of others and for fourth grade students it is WEAR SOME DEODORANT AND CHANGE YOUR SOCKS AND UNDERWEAR EVERYDAY AND BRUSH YOUR TEETH so that someday a girl or boy might like you and to be close to you but not too close and for that you need to study and stay healthy and blah blah blah.

Opt in? I would spend weeks on the phone asking parents if it is alright. Suggesting to them that their student did not bring home the letter because the student felt uncomfortable.

Our BOE needs help. I suggest gettem outa there. Then they can concentrate on their pasts and not our futures.