Posted on 08/14/2002 7:15:03 PM PDT by RCW2001
Sex-ed condom demo cut Tuesday, August 13, 2002By Keith Roberts
The Jackson School Board approved a new abstinence-based sex education curriculum Monday -- minus a controversial condom demonstration for middle school students.
Jackson Public Schools would have been the first district in the county to include a condom demonstration in the middle school sex education curriculum. Sheri Bean was among several people who spoke against the demonstration, saying condoms don't prevent pregnancy or stop disease and the demonstration would send the wrong message to children. "It's like the adults saying it's OK to have sex," said Bean, a school district employee. The curriculum, which took a year and a half to plan, includes human anatomy and biology and stresses abstinence, although other approaches to birth control are mentioned. Health and Human Services Director Linda Meeder, a district employee who oversaw the planning process, said an advisory committee had recommended seventh-graders not see the demonstration, but was divided on whether eighth-graders should see it. Meeder then asked board members to decide whether the demonstration, which included applying a condom to a representation of a penis, would be suitable for eighth-graders. Superintendent Dan Evans called the demonstration dramatic and recommended board members see it for themselves before making a decision. Board members didn't see the demonstration. "It is quite graphic," Evans said. Noting that several adults in the audience laughed during the discussion, Evans questioned whether eighth-graders would be mature enough to learn the right lessons from the demonstration. Meeder didn't bring the materials to do the demonstration and after hearing from several people in the audience opposed to the demonstration, board members didn't wait to see it to take action. Edward Haas asked board members not to let anyone younger than 16, the age of consent, see the demonstration. Haas said if a lawsuit resulted, a court could find the demonstration obscene and that it contributed to the delinquency of minors. David Barrett, a member of the advisory committee, said the demonstration would put "undue emphasis on condoms" and "give unwarranted weight to a less desirable option" than abstinence. Barrett also said the representation of a penis "more closely resembled a dildo" and questioned its educational value since it didn't include the testes and prostate. Beverly McGill, who works for a family-planning clinic and spoke in favor of the demonstration, said it's the school district's job to educate students about sex and it's the parents' job to educate them in morality. Trustee Rod Riggs moved to include the demonstration and Trustee Jon Lake seconded it, but they cast the only affirmative votes on the motion. Given the high rate of teen pregnancy and incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, not providing the information would be "like burying our heads in the sand," said Lake, a medical doctor. The board then approved a motion to adopt the curriculum without the demonstration. After that vote, Riggs said he thought eighth-graders already knew about anatomy and could handle the demonstration. Meeder said she was pleased the curriculum was approved even though it didn't include the demonstration. "I was glad they didn't throw the baby out with the bath water," Meeder said. -- Reach reporter Keith Roberts at 768-4922 or kroberts@citpat.com
Staff Writer
Barrett also said the representation of a penis "more closely resembled a dildo" and questioned its educational value since it didn't include the testes and prostate.
I must confess a singular lack of success stretching a condom over my testes, not to mention my prostate - that sounds painful, but hey, anything for education. I'll give it a shot and report back later...
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