In browsing through a number of my classmate’s blogs I came upon one that caught my attention. It is by Chloe Yates, and is a critique of the current system of sex education in Texas-- which Chloe points out is currently failing to deter teens from having sex.
The critique begins with Chloe putting Republicans under the limelight for the current policy of abstinence-only education, which is odd considering the teaching of abstinence is more so an issue divided by conservative and liberal ideologues. If you continue to read, you quickly learn Chloe’s disdain of Republicans and their policy of abstinence-only education comes from the fact that as of current it “does not keep teenagers from having sex. Neither does it increase or decrease the likelihood that if they do have sex, they will use a condom.” Chloe then embodies the ideologue of a pragmatic liberal in wanting “to stop wasting our tax dollars on these obviously failed programs”, and in advocating to teach “raging hormonal teenagers ways to prevent sexual transmitted diseases as well ways to prevent pregnancies” as the solution. This is a great idea, however most schools do in fact already teach how to prevent STDs and pregnancies—my high school being one of them.
Overall, I can agree with Chloe that under our current institution of abstinence-only education we are in-fact not deterring teens from having sex or becoming pregnant, but is there even any way we could? I believe not.
However, I disagree with Chloe in that I do not see the expansion of schools teaching sex as the solution. For such a change is wrong, in that it would deprive parents of their right to choose how to educate their kids about sex. But let’s not forget that Chloe argued earlier in her critique that it “is up to the parents to speak to their children but it should also be reinforced amongst teachers, staff, or even councilors.” Wait, but weren’t you just trying to indirectly do away with the need for mom and pops’ birds n’ the bees talk? And not to mention, wouldn’t teachers and other school officials speaking to students seeking advice about sex lead to a number of issues? I know I for one wouldn’t want someone in a position of authority that is supposed to be teaching my child Math giving them advice over sex—which among other things could be advice contrary to what a parent would have given.
In the end, Chloe did a great job of highlighting an issue of importance to the reader, regardless of their party affiliation. Yet in offering her solution, Chloe hindered her own argument by devoting a large amount of her critique to pointing fingers at Republicans, instead of elaborating and reinforcing the solution she offers to the problem at hand. Thus, by the end of Chloe’s blog I for one found myself still siding with our current system of abstinence. For sex education is not something the government should have any role in, it is a matter only parents should have a hand in. Which is exactly why the distinct line abstinence draws over sex works, in that it leaves room for parent’s to elaborate and instill their own opinions on sex while not giving teachers the range of motion to instill possibly biased opinions.
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