I thought I'd heard every term out there to describe abstinence in sex ed classes, but I was wrong. It wasn't until now that I learned about how some schools in Mississippi are comparing women who have sex to pieces of dirty chocolate or gum. What the hell?
Not only is this an absurd comparison but it's completely ignorant. Wait till you hear what teachers did in the classroom to prove their point. It might leave you dumbfounded!
Read more in ¿Qué más?: Talking about sex with teens STILL seems to be a challenge for parents
Mississippi is known as one of the states with the highest STD and teen pregnancy rates. However schools are teaching sex ed with abstinence-only techniques which is concerning parents due to its outdated nature.
Apparently teachers are asking students to pass around an unwrapped peppermint patty to observe how dirty it becomes and to show how unclean a woman is if she's had sex. Marie Barnard, a parent and health worker says this is a bad way of teaching sex ed in school. "They're using the peppermint patty to show that a girl is no longer clean or valuable after she's had sex–that she's been used … That shouldn't be the lesson we send kids about sex," she said.
The good news is this ridiculous scare tactic may soon be eliminated from schools because parents such as Barnard are petitioning to change the sex ed curriculum. Instead of abstinence-only classes, they are urging the schools to change them to abstinence-plus classes which make it an option along with the usage of contraception.
Thank god, because that is such a terrible way to teach teens about sex! In fact there are many dangerous reasons why approaching sex ed with this strategy can backfire–and it's actually dangerous for your girl's self-esteem!
They're still going to have sex: A 2007 study showed that students taking an abstinence-only sex ed class were no more likely than those not in the programs to delay having sex.
It doesn't help reduce teen pregnancy rates: Due to the increase of contraception usage between the mid 90's and early 00's, teen pregnancy actually dropped 86 percent.
It can increase unwanted pregnancies and STD's: Because teens aren't being informed through abstinence-only sex ed classes, they are most likely to engage in risky sex behavior. Doctors say this can lead to teen pregnancies and higher STD rates.
Sex shouldn't be scary: These type of classes make sex appear to be a dirty thing when it isn't. It can be viewed positively if it's between two people who love each other, but the stigma attached to it instills fear in kids.
They'll get the information in the wrong places: It's best to have your children learn about the topic through educators who know what they are talk about. Otherwise they turn to places such as the internet where they can be easily misinformed.
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