"Florida school board fires high school teacher who gave condom demonstration"

Mike Gaskey

Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote: Oh come on! You can't compare sex education with teaching kids how to use an instrument of death. That was the reaction I was looking for. The point is that subjects such as these are the responsibility of the parents. You say, "instrument of death" and I say, "instrument of self defense" or "an instrument for sport". Who is right? Here's a hint, it depends upon the parents. Mike

Anna Jayne Metcalfe

Shog9 wrote: Probably not. But my point was that there are most likely other subjects you'd rather, if not teach yourself, at least have a heads-up on when your kids will be exposed to. Whether such subjects would ever be taught in a UK school i couldn't say; it maybe you are one of the lucky parents whose views align perfectly with those of the teaching profession. But i doubt it... Personally I think the schools over here get it just about right. If they didn't teach sex education I'd want to know why. Shog9 wrote: He is an employee of the school, who are employed by the state, who are (*cough* nominally *cough*) employed by the public. If at your place of employment you start work on a project your employer doesn't want you doing, you don't think you'd deserve a rebuke? Yes. If he screwed up by not checking, he screwed up and should be rebuked, but not summarily dismissed - it sounds like that's happened because the school's afraid of the subject. Anna :rose: www.annasplace.me.uk

"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch

Trouble with resource IDs? Try the Resource ID Organiser Add-In for Visual C++

Shog9 0

Don't think i've heard the term... But yeah, i see why you drew the distinction. What if it was tasteful porn? bonus question: is "tasteful porn" an oxymoron?

---

Shog9 I see the way the salesmen stare into the sun I stood and watched them as they fell off one by one...

Ray Cassick

Mike Gaskey wrote: Teaching condom use gives implicit permission for sex outside of marriage. I don't see how it gives permission exactly. It is thinking like this that leads to people trying to convince us that making pot legal will lead to an increase in teenage pregnancy. If two kids are going to have sex, they are going to do it. Teaching how to use it does not imply anything. Do gun clubs in schools give implicit permission to go shot at anything you want? No, but if you ever DO handle a gun at least you know HOW. Hmmmm I just noticed my choice of analogy there… Condoms and Guns… Hmmm talk about a Freudian slip :)

Paul Watson wrote: "At the end of the day it is what you produce that counts, not how many doctorates you have on the wall."
George Carlin wrote: "Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things."

Chris Losinger

Mike Gaskey wrote: but it doesn't change the fact that this is the parent's responsibility. you assume parents actually take that responsibility. -c

A | B - it's not a choice.

ThumbNailer

Shog9 0

Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote: it sounds like that's happened because the school's afraid of the subject. I could see that. Now i've got the handgun thing stuck in my mind though, and i'd like to know - what form of rebuke would be appropriate for a self-defense instructor who without your permission demonstrated the use of handguns to your children, complete with mood music (c'mon, there's gotta be "music to kill by") and human-shaped dummies?

---

Shog9 I see the way the salesmen stare into the sun I stood and watched them as they fell off one by one...

Anna Jayne Metcalfe

Of course it does. What I was trying to ask in the first place was not just what everyone thinks of this specific incident, but what they think of sex education in schools generally. I'd a feeling that (partly because of the US reputation for being publicly prudish about sex and nudity) the answer in the US would be much more "anti" than Europe. The responses I've seen so far support that. Anna :rose: www.annasplace.me.uk

"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch

Trouble with resource IDs? Try the Resource ID Organiser Add-In for Visual C++

Chris Austin

Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote: Oh come on! You can't compare sex education with teaching kids how to use an instrument of death. Oh No ;) The euphemism is more on the order of "That gun is loaded...keep in the holster" As far as learning to use a firearms; I have no problem with it. I learned to fire weapons before I was 15. It by no-means has made me or any of my family members psycho with a gun. But it did succeed in putting a fear of the weapon in my heart nor do I even own one. As far as self defense goes I'm all for it. Hell, I even teach a Martial Art called Tang Soo Do twice a week. Send them my way! What Would Uncle Steve Do?. -Michael Martin

Anna Jayne Metcalfe

I can see your point, but I don't think it's a realistic comparison. Compare the benefits of teaching an entire generation of children to use firearms with those of teaching the same kids to act responsibly in personal relationships. Hmmm...no contest, I'm afraid. Anna :rose: www.annasplace.me.uk

"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch

Trouble with resource IDs? Try the Resource ID Organiser Add-In for Visual C++

Anna Jayne Metcalfe

Good example, so fair enough - you got me Chris! I guess this is one of those subjects where European morals and US morals barely get within shouting distance of each other ;) Anna :rose: www.annasplace.me.uk

"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch

Trouble with resource IDs? Try the Resource ID Organiser Add-In for Visual C++

Shog9 0

Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote: Hmmm...no contest, I'm afraid. I agree. But you are missing my point here - that while you hold strong views against certain things being taught in schools, you do not respect the validity of other parents' similar views on different topics.

---

Shog9 I see the way the salesmen stare into the sun I stood and watched them as they fell off one by one...

Anna Jayne Metcalfe

Shog9 wrote: What if it was tasteful porn? You mean the kind without the badly overdubbed Spanish sounding geezer making funny noises on camera? You tell me ;) Anna :rose: www.annasplace.me.uk

"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch

Trouble with resource IDs? Try the Resource ID Organiser Add-In for Visual C++

Chris Austin

Shog9 wrote: What if it was tasteful porn? That does it! I want all Tastefull Porn Banned! I'm writting my Congressmen now. What Would Uncle Steve Do?. -Michael Martin

Shog9 0

Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote: The responses I've seen so far support that. ah. pardon me then, i was mistaken in thinking you were attempting to martyr this particular teacher for your cause, when instead you are merely using the (currently not in-vogue) views of another culture to validate your own sense of enlightenment. my bad. please keep it off the walls when you finish.

---

Shog9 I see the way the salesmen stare into the sun I stood and watched them as they fell off one by one...

Anna Jayne Metcalfe

Good point! OK, turn it round. Do you think schools should teach sex education (subject to parental approval) or not. If so, at what age? If not, why no? Anna :rose: www.annasplace.me.uk

"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch

Trouble with resource IDs? Try the Resource ID Organiser Add-In for Visual C++

Mike Gaskey

Chris Losinger wrote: you assume parents actually take that responsibility. Well, yes. Probably naive but ..... Mike

Shog9 0

Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote: You mean No, i was thinking of one involving chocolate. Mmm, now *that* is tasteful... :)

---

Shog9 I see the way the salesmen stare into the sun I stood and watched them as they fell off one by one...

Chris Austin

Anna-Jayne Metcalfe wrote: I guess this is one of those subjects where European morals and US morals barely get within shouting distance of each other I'd guess that you'd find people here in the US highly divided over the matter(50/50). And I suspect that those who are pro sex ed. would be equaly divided over this teachers methods, not necassarly the intent or content. What Would Uncle Steve Do?. -Michael Martin

Anna Jayne Metcalfe

That's about what I thought. I wonder how it'll change over the next (say) 10 years? Here's an intriguing thought experiment - get the parents to come in and take the classes on a sort of "jury service" basis (i.e. you have to do it if you're called). It would be interesting to see what range of approaches they brought to the problem, how the kids reacted, and how much they learnt. Anna :rose: www.annasplace.me.uk

"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch

Trouble with resource IDs? Try the Resource ID Organiser Add-In for Visual C++

Anna Jayne Metcalfe

You mean chocolate and sex at the same time? :-D Man, I gotta try that sometime (and no, I don't mean the porno) :-O Anna :rose: www.annasplace.me.uk

"Be yourself - not what others think you should be"
- Marcia Graesch

Trouble with resource IDs? Try the Resource ID Organiser Add-In for Visual C++