03-29-2012, 03:14 AM
I don't have the time nor energy to properly reply to all of your points. As a true Canadian, I apologize for this in advance.
When I was a wee lad living in a tiny village on the northern shore of the St. Lawrence River in eastern Ontario, my parents called my older brother and myself to the dinner table to have a talk. I can't recall the exact age I was, but I was no older than 6. My brother was (and still is!) 2 years older than me.
My parents showed us some material that the school sent out to all the parents of my brother's class. It explained that they were going to be taught sex-ed. I remember that it was more than just a note to the parents - it was a full-fledged booklet with many pages (illustrated!) explaining exactly what was going to be taught, with a separate booklet for the parents in case they wanted to prepare their child for the upcoming sex-ed talk in school.
My parents chose to "break the news" to my brother before he learned it in school, and since an older brother by natural law cannot keep a secret from his younger brother, I was also dragged into the discussion.
The next hour or so was the most awkward yet enlightening conversation I have ever been a part of. I was way too young to really understand why girls and boys were different, and sexual attraction was many years away for me. 30+ years later, I can still recall my emotional reactions, which ranged from horror to intense interest. Everything from menstruation to nocturnal emissions was explained to me. How my parents managed to explain it all to me in terms my 5-6 year old self could understand, I'll never know.
The reason I am saying this is because the school that provided all of this information to my parents, and taught such early sex-ed, was a Roman Catholic school. There was a Roman Catholic church right on the school grounds, and the principal was a nun (Sister Teresa, she once used her yardstick across my knuckles for misbehaving).
This was in the late-70's/early-80's. I was taught the sex-ed that was necessary, by a very religious institution, in a very detailed way. I get frustrated when hear about kids in the US (and Canada too these days) not getting enough sexual education because of religious groups objecting to it.
It wasn't until I was in Grade 9 (13 or 14 years old) that the same school system taught me about contraception, which looking back on it I think was appropriate. Since it was a Catholic school they focused on abstinence and the rhythm method, but they also taught us about hormonal birth control (the pill) and condoms.
(03-28-2012, 05:01 PM)kandrathe Wrote: On human sexuality, I agree they should know what they need to know when they need to know it. I believe the schools should work with parents to set the schedule, and to even provide the materials. Sort of the mindset of, "If you don't teach them, then we will." By the time they cover it in public school, it should be review of what Mom and Dad have already taught them.
When I was a wee lad living in a tiny village on the northern shore of the St. Lawrence River in eastern Ontario, my parents called my older brother and myself to the dinner table to have a talk. I can't recall the exact age I was, but I was no older than 6. My brother was (and still is!) 2 years older than me.
My parents showed us some material that the school sent out to all the parents of my brother's class. It explained that they were going to be taught sex-ed. I remember that it was more than just a note to the parents - it was a full-fledged booklet with many pages (illustrated!) explaining exactly what was going to be taught, with a separate booklet for the parents in case they wanted to prepare their child for the upcoming sex-ed talk in school.
My parents chose to "break the news" to my brother before he learned it in school, and since an older brother by natural law cannot keep a secret from his younger brother, I was also dragged into the discussion.
The next hour or so was the most awkward yet enlightening conversation I have ever been a part of. I was way too young to really understand why girls and boys were different, and sexual attraction was many years away for me. 30+ years later, I can still recall my emotional reactions, which ranged from horror to intense interest. Everything from menstruation to nocturnal emissions was explained to me. How my parents managed to explain it all to me in terms my 5-6 year old self could understand, I'll never know.
The reason I am saying this is because the school that provided all of this information to my parents, and taught such early sex-ed, was a Roman Catholic school. There was a Roman Catholic church right on the school grounds, and the principal was a nun (Sister Teresa, she once used her yardstick across my knuckles for misbehaving).
This was in the late-70's/early-80's. I was taught the sex-ed that was necessary, by a very religious institution, in a very detailed way. I get frustrated when hear about kids in the US (and Canada too these days) not getting enough sexual education because of religious groups objecting to it.
It wasn't until I was in Grade 9 (13 or 14 years old) that the same school system taught me about contraception, which looking back on it I think was appropriate. Since it was a Catholic school they focused on abstinence and the rhythm method, but they also taught us about hormonal birth control (the pill) and condoms.