In which public school administrators continue to not get it

[__fasterfaster]

This is the school I went to and graduated from four years ago, so I've heard quite the buzz from fellow alumni and friends who still have younger siblings there. The student mentioned in this article contacted local media and it exploded from there, apparently she's being interviewed by CNN next week. I'm simultaneously horrified at the thought of

Comments

[underlankers]

I've always wondered why people who believe in an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent being whose mere existence inverts the laws of physics think that being cares at all about how humans bump uglies in the first place. I would think if God did care about humanity at all, that such concern would be far more cosmic than writing the Divinely Approved version of the Kama Sutra.

Also, anyone that thinks abstinence works either does not have children or was raised in a household that didn't handle sex ed well. Perhaps even both.

[schexyschteve]

And there are people who have seen, firsthand, the effects of a lack of sex ed, and still push for abstinence-only sex ed. It boggles my mind.

[tigerdreams]

It's the same "reasoning" that causes people to push for cutting social services and handing out more corporate tax breaks in the middle of a recession -- they're so wrapped up in the idea that their agenda MUST BE the solution to the problem, that the problem still existing (or getting worse) can only mean that they aren't pushing their agenda hard enough.

[schexyschteve]

See also: the entire GOP strategy after the last 2 elections

The cognitive dissonance...

[idemandjustice]

I don't understand how they get away with having such an overtly religious motivational speaker appear in schools.

I remember a motivational speaker when I was in school, like 18-20+ years ago. I wish I could remember his name to look up what ever happened to him. He reminds me of this woman, but a man. He kept religion out of the talk, but he had an after-school event, which did get into religion, and tried to recruit everybody into being born again, and took down people's names and contact information. It was kinda creepy and very focused on the evils of sex, even though what he'd said in school was more about how he'd overcome being an alcoholic. I have no idea how to figure out who he was, if he's even still alive, or what. I'm deeply curious now.

[the_laugh]

Was it Big Al?

[idemandjustice]

*googles*

Could be? It was an older white man twenty years ago, so he's probably the right age. This might be him.

[idemandjustice]

There seems to be more than one Big Al.

[amyura]

Ah, nothing like right-wingers diverting public funds to advance their backwards agenda.

Listening to the recording on Jezebel now. I dunno, all those dire stats about how teen pregnancy affect the rest of your life sound like one of the best advertisements I've ever heard for unlimited access to abortion.

[moonbladem]

"In her YouTube videos, Stenzel says birth control makes a woman "10 times more likely to contract a disease . . . or end up sterile or dead." Many of the videos warn of sexually transmitted diseaes and also say, "Sex could damage you for the rest of your life." Sex also could lead to "scarred fallopian tubes and cancer . . . and you need to ask Jesus for forgiveness."

In addition, Stenzel points to anorexia, bulimia and "cutting" as after-effects of abortion."

Seriously, Pam Stenzel can go screw herself for spreading such horrible misinformation. That schools allow her to speak to students boggles the mind. This kind of talk isn't educational. It's the promotion of religious attitudes, namely, Christianity, in a public school setting.

I hope the students with sensible, well-informed parents get detoxed from her vile, toxic lies. I know if I were one of the parents I'd be raising bloody hell.

[mollywobbles867]

She would never screw herself! Masturbation is the work of the devil! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[mickeym]

+1

[moonshaz]

they're so wrapped up in the idea that their agenda MUST BE the solution to the problem, that the problem still existing (or getting worse) can only mean that they aren't pushing their agenda hard enough.

Me, too. If they had tried that at my daughter's school, whoever thought of it would have been SO sorry. Because not only would I be in the office hollering and screaming, I'd be writing letters to the editors of the local and Chicago papers and just...everything I could think of.

Abstinence-only sex ed (which is what we have here in IL, unfortunately) is bad enough as it is. Bringing in someone with a clearly religious agenda to speak to the kids in a PUBLIC school is WAY over the line, afaic.

[mollywobbles867]

Why am I seeing this in my comment style when I don't have that marked in my display settings? LJ, wtf are you doing?

Anyway, I loathe the fact that the vast majority of teenagers don't learn a damn thing about what sex is really like and how to be safe until it's too late. I hate how people, especially girls, are shamed if they enjoy sex just for sex's sake. I hate how in states were abstinence only education is the norm, they have higher rates of teen pregnancy and STDs. I hate how schools try to force religious morals on a secular subject.

[underlankers]

Glad that isn't just happening to me.

Agreed on forcing religion here, it's especially hypocritical on the part of the professionally persecuted.

[roseofjuly]

It happens to me too...sometimes. (the commenting thing).