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Ask Sarah Palin how her abstinence only policy worked out.  Ask her daughter, too.  Then ask her daughter-in-law.  The very definition of insanity.

This is 2012….this debate really should not even be happening. A good sex education should cover all the subjects above and more.  It’s a  embarrassment to Natchez and the state if the NASD does not opt for the “plus” education.  Come on people…..Let’s try to raise ourselves from the backwoods brainwashed religious ruled town that we seem to be.  Sorry but it’s EDUCATION for our children we are talking about.  

You are correct. It should be taught in schools also. People need to stop burying their heads in the sand when it comes to teenage pregnancy.  They say that they do not want sex education in schools, yet much is to be said when they see teenagers pregnant. They do not want to believe that their children are having sex. these days, the teenagers may can tell the parents more about sex. It takes a community to raise a child. Most parents feel embarrassed talking to the children about sex, or the children tune their parents out when the subject comes up. Most of them are going to do what they want to do anyway. If you tell a teenager what they better not do, it is like telling them to go ahead. What it comes down to is girls need to taught to respect their bodies and the guys need to be taught that it is not okay to have sex with every girl to try to prove that they are a man. A real man takes care of their responsibilities and respects the female, And a real woman loves her body and does not have to have sex to prove her love to the male or to prove that she is grown.

Barnett is right, this is the job of parents. But when the parents don’t do their job, someting has to be done to stop the epidemic of teen pregnancy. What being done now isn’t working, so we have to try something new.

Thank you for your comment! I taught my daughter everything at a young age. Not to encourage her, but rather to show her the consequences of her actions and how they can impact her future for the rest of her life. It is a parent’s job to do so, but it should be taught at school also. At 13, she is very well informed of everything from STD’s to which birth control works best. Sorry folks, but I don’t want my kids to be yet another statistic, just as I was. I agree 100% with everything you said!

Barnett is right, this is the job of parents. But when the parents don’t do their job, someting has to be done to stop the epidemic of teen pregnancy. What being done now isn’t working, so we have to try something new.

 Why is everyone surprised. When an illegitimate baby is a status symbol and an immediate source of funds via the taxpayers, it is going to get even more popular. At least Mississippi is first in something.

You’re not going to get anywhere with these teenagers if you lie to them.  Abstinence as the only way to prevent pregnancies and STDs?????  That is a lie and they know it.  Give them contraceptives!

All the public schooling in the world cannot deter what they are taught at home. And that is “GET AS MANY BABIES AS QUICK AS YOU CAN SO YOU CAN GET THAT GOBMINT CHECK”. ‘Nuff said……..

Feeding their children is the parents’ responsibility, too, but when they can’t do it, the school district is right there in a heartbeat to do it for them.. Apparently.

That’s something else in its entirety that should be included in this sex-Ed curriculum. they also need to be taught how much of a drain on society they are when they have these illegitimate children. Along with the statistics about all the STD’s in the 16-24 year old age group, they need to know how much money is spent– FROM THE GOVERNMENT, aka taxpayers– on their child(ren).

Concordia parish needs to follow suit and adopt this curriculum as well! It’s an epidemic and it’s out of control.

Schools are just a conduit for the federal funds that pay for those meals, with established infrastructure to do the task.

amen

Barnett is only right to a point….today there is a ton more happening with our children than ever before.  You can’t expect the parents to know
enough and to be on the leading edge with it all.  Yes of course at home discussion should be happening….as well as full “Plus” system in school.!!

Bellesouth is right the birth control is “free”. And this is going to be one of those racist statements,but, most of these babies are born to little black girls. FACT ! And raised by their grandmothers and fed by the school system. When we growing up my mother fixed me breakfast before I went off to school and I knew who my daddy was. The black community needs to take a stand and quit blaming the white community for all their problems. And while i’m at it, most of the crimes in Natchez are committed by blacks. If you dont believe me, just look at the jail population,   

As a parent of four girls, I am very much aware of the fear that teenage pregnancy brings.  We need to also remember that girls can not have children without a boy to also take part.  Until we stop telling our boys that it is manly to have sex outside of marraige, the epidemic will continue.  I have sat down with three of my girls and informed them that I will always love them.  I also told them that an accident can take place in a moment of indiscretion. I also informed them that if they did have this happen to them then we were going to go right then and there and quit school and get a GED and then a job.  The reason for this is that they need to realize that if they are going to make adult decisions, then they need to see that there are consequences.  We are not letting our children know that there are consequenses to every action.  One other thing, without God in a person’s life, no amount of education will keep them from following their impulses.  I believe that abstinence should be the only thing that is endorsed.  They already know about the other option. They can probably teach us adults.

Being white, black, blue or green is not the point.  If they are old enough to have children, you better tell them how and why it happens.  Schools are for learning.  They need to learn this.  And keep you morals and self righteous indignation to yourself.  We are talking about children. 

I think  if the state is who is paying for the majority of these pregnancies and STDs then they should be providing education to maybe help prevent some from happening. There should be no question. This is one of the many problems in todays society, people embarrassed to talk to their children or just neglect to do so.

Of course abstience only will be the choice. It’s Missississippi, after all.  And, we all know how well teaching abstience only works.

 it is a possibility that they come from single parent environments and a possibility that the single parent was as uninformed and thereby as dysfunctional as the present day teens are.   there is not a need for a curriculum on sex-ed to be established, it should be a part of every teachers diplomacy to remind the students of the importance of practicing safe sex if they are too lustful to wait until the wedding bells ring.  it would also help to reduce the monetary handouts. 

The wedding bells are not ringing in today’s culture as it did years ago.  Whether the pregnancy occurs from a one time encounter or a dating relationship or a cohabitation situation, very often the mother is not married and will not likely get married for years to come during the time their hormones are rampant. Combined with the guardianship checks to the parents/grandparents, the children are like livestock in those situations – create more of the herd and enhance the family wealth!

Richard Culbert @Byrne1:disqus  Fayette, MS
Lets be real,  sex is a very important decision that we all as human will some day make. And education is the key for us all, young, old, black, white, yellow (lol), etc.. If we can learn as much as we can about the causes, effects, etc about sex before we make the decision the better the chances are we will make great decisions with better outcomes. The best way to know for sure that every human being is educated on and about sex is to teach it where every human being must go, SCHOOL. I would rather my kids learn from professionals and myself. (Who knows I could pass away before I get the chance to TEACH my kids about sex. (I don’t know everything and probably could learn some of the up to date information my children could bring home)  I would also feel better as a parent KNOWING that my children will be educated about sex. I AM ALL FOR SEX EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. I think that grades 5th – 8th should be considered. Its best to learn about it before we get curious and act upon it. 

richard39069@yahoo.com

Fact! My wife works for DHS. Lets not go there about little black girls and babies. Because we all know who and whats going on in the system. Mostly whites… And all types of drugs that us Black never dream of… 

EDUCATION MY PEOPLE…. BLACK WHITE RED GREEN YELLOW…. EDUCATION 

I agree, but I think we should learn before we take action.. I would rather know how and what to do to fly a plane before fly and crash.. LOL

EDUCATION REGARDLESS

As a male I must say gender is not the issue. Because most girls have sex to be wanted, and speaking from experience some have sex just to have kids for money. A Girl had me paying child support for a kid that she knew from the beginning wasnt mine. Gender is not the issue.

An under educated society is… 

EDUCATION… 

Are you serious??? I hope you are under the age of 13, if not grow up… 

EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION

I wouldnt expect my Business Law professor to teach me College Algebra. She’s a Business Law professor. Why not have a professional in place to teach about the most done, talked about and biggest problem in todays society.  I am down for anything to help take control of this over populated out of control society. 

EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION

Could be dead. Or the world’s greatest parent but still that once a month or once a year talk is enough. Let the kids hear it from the parents and professionals daily. Some people grown and still cant brush their teeth the correct way. Pretty sure their parents showed them how when they were young. LOL  

If we wake up and open our eyes we will see that leaving it all to the parents and not helping is not working.. I talk to my nieces, nephews and their friends about when to decided to have sex and whats the purposes, outcome and risk of sex. I do it because I care for them, their lives and their futures. Sex is not wrong and having children isnt either. But there is a time, place and methods that should be considered and enforced take place. 

As if sex education prevented teen pregnancy.  It doesn’t.  It is amazing how simple-minded the world had gotten.

There is no problem so bad it can’t be made worse by a little more government.

In 1980, the US was ranked number 1 in the world among advanced countries in education.  We are now 28th, just recently being passed by Estonia.  First, there arn’t 30 people in Nathcez that can point to Estonia on a map.  That’s because the education system has not just become a failure…..it’s an EPIC failure.  Now, let’s get some bananas and practice applying a condom.  Can’t you just feel us regaining the 27th position.  

Are you suggesting a prostitute teach the class?

I agree that parents SHOULD be the ones to teach sex ed to their children, but that obviously isn’t happening to an adequate amount.  I’m in favor of the schools teaching this, but perhaps it should be an optional course that the parents agree their child attend.  That way, if they want to “pass the buck” for whatever reason – ignorance, laziness, time, etc. – their young still get a decent education on the subject.  I’m also not sure what age they are thinking about doing this teaching, but I would suggest 7th grade at the latest.

Where’s your stats to back that blanket statement up?

They both exist simultaneously.  I don’t need stats to tell me one does not prevent the other. 

Teen pregnancy is a function of socioeconomic status and present cultural mores.  Teaching fiscal and personal responsibility would do more to cull teen pregnancy than “sex education”. 

Mandated sex education isn’t about preventing teen pregnancies, as if that were a function of the public school system anyway, it is about establishing morals, or a lack thereof depending on one’s viewpoint, in the young as they relate to sex.

You can cheer folks giving up their kids to the state to raise as the state sees fit, but I’m gonna pass.

SEX EDUCATION IN THE CLASS ROOM IN THE UNITED STATES IS FAR OVER DUE LIKE MANY MORE THINGS. AS MANY CONTINUE  TO LOOK AT SEX LIKE ITS THE END OF THE WORLD, TEENS WILL CONTINUE TO GET PREGNANT. MANY PARENTS ARE THE ONES THAT NEED THE CLASS, WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT SEX IS ZIP. THERE KIDS CAN GIVE THEM A CLASS. I’VE NEVER BEEN AROUND SO MANY DUMB-FINDED PEOPLE IN MY LIKE. CLASS ROOM TEACHING KIDS AT A EARLY AGE; WHERE THER EYE, NOSE, ARM, FINGER AND SO ON. BUT WHEN IT GET TO THE PART OF THERE BODY THAT THEY REALLY NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT, THEY CAN’T GO ANY FUTHER, AND REASON ISN’T THE SCHOOLS;  IT’S THOSE “DUMB PARENTS”. DUMB,DUMB, AND SOME MORE DUMB. THE PARENTS HAVE FOUGHT AGAINST THIS FOR YEARS. PARENTS, GO SOME WHERE IN STICK YOUR HEADS IN THE SAND, AND WHEN YOU PULL IT OUT, YOUR KIDS CAN TELL YOU HOW YOU GOT HERE.   

It is optional… Re-read the article.

DO EXPLAIN!!

When a custody hearing is held to determine a child support regimen, the paternal entity can request a state-issued paternity test before moving forward with proceedings.

If you let that happen to you, then you’re irresponsible

I want everyone to go to a middle or high school nearest to you and pick out 10 virgins!!! IT’S NOT GONE HAPPEN!!! How can you teach abstinence-only to a society that is more sexually active than adults?? I think its going to cause an uproar because these teens today are rebellious and you can’t hardly tell them anything.  It might be a few good kids in the bunch but how long before they are corrupted by their peers.  I think that there should be a class on the causes and effects sex has but teaching abstinence only is a NO NO, when some kids already have babies, some maybe pregnant, and some just might be sleeping around HEY who knows but you can’t teach backwords from what they already know and have experienced….

Interesting how you insert “teaching” into that last sentence.  Abstinence is the only 100% guarantee against pregnancy or STDs.  That is just a fact and you know that but because of other influences, which are revealed by your snark, you discount it.  If schools actually intended to combat teen pregnancy and STDs, it is all they would teach.  This isn’t about teen pregnancy, though.  It is about instilling a state-approved sexual morality.

I understand what you are trying to say, but its not a fact. I noticed that you stated the problem so think on solutions. If middle and high school is a little to late, start teaching earlier. And if the teens TODAY are rebellious and We as a society cant help change them, one thing I know as a fact is that no human being is a teenager forever. Good kids have been allowing themselves to get corrupted with the peers for decades. Its time that the corrupted kids turn to the good kids. Its called growing up and we all do and will. Just live.

A society trying to make a change… The only thing I disagree with is allowing it to be optional. Lets put things in place now so we can help drop the number of excuses and much more. (Excuse #1 My parents never talked to me about sex Excuse #2 I didn’t know it only took one time Excuse #3 I dont know where or how to use protect)

Fact. Gave me a laugh. Ill put Fayette on the map. If you dont look closely Estonia can be over looked. But look near Russia and you will find it. LOL. Gotta start somewhere…

LMAS…. But seriously it all depends…

I agree but how many parents of elementary school aged kids are going to agree with putting a sex ed curriculum in school?  Probably a few to none.  I personally don’t think its the schools job to teach a child about sex or even tell them not to do it.  Parents need to stand up and teach their kids right from wrong, about the birds and the bees, and so on.  This is whats wrong with society, they expect the teachers to play the role of parent, counselor, preacher, and etc.  Its not their job to do all of the above they should just be there to be a teacher of education and thats still shouldn’t be all of their responsibility the parents should still play a major role in educating their children.  I don’t think that it will hurt for the school system to want to help the parents teach their kids about the birds and the bees but the responsibility still lies with the parents.

Thank you, vilou09, I did notice that.  I was merely voicing my opinion, which in this case somewhat agreed with one of the proposed programs.

And I understand… I spent the last week asking teens and a few younger children rather or not their parents have talked to them about sex. (Different races and ages) Only a few said yes, but they all said they knew what sex was. But did they really know what it was and what connections come with it. 

Im about to be funny with this statement, so dont take it the wrong way. Its Sex not birds and the bees. LOL. Its time out for the birds and the bees, the kids these days are too advanced… 

I love my kids and I work very hard to get them above average. Reading, writing, spelling and so on. One day I was asked what do I expect the teachers to do? I understood it a little but not completely. It makes me proud to have people tell me how well mannered and smart my kids are. Briyonna is 5 and we talk about middle school, high school and college. 

LOL, I would never take a statement personally, but that was funny!!! Maybe that’s the problem with today’s society, we use the word SEX to freely!!! My parents talked to me about the “birds n the bees” n I knew what they were referring too… Teens to today would look at us kind of crazy if we came up to them talking about the “birds n the bees”… LOL

I have an 11 year old son and I’m a single mom, ppl always tell me how well-mannered and smart he is… He is my pride and joy. I hope and pray that he grows up and abides by everything that I have instilled in him.  I get mad sometimes when I hear ppl say that a woman can’t raise a man but I refuse to be a statistic when it comes to raising my child.  I teach him about everything that he will need to know in life and I just hope and pray that it sticks with him as he grows into an intelligent grown man!!!!