Wednesday 8 April 2009

Hormones running wild

It seems mother knows best, still.

Sex education in schools is always an interesting topic.

Given that most parents stare away from the icky subject, and many young people grow up with a distorted, discriminatory and unhealthy view of sexuality, it's hardly surprise that a bunch of so-called "family groups" have their eyes closed.

Then of course, as their dearest explores some dodgy corners of the Internet, they're not armoured with the rights questions and answers.

La Trobe University have put together the new web resource, and Queensland Education have endorsed The Hormone Factory, aimed at 10 to 12-year-olds.

"Abortion can be 'a relief' and hormones make you 'feel sexy'.

Family groups have predictably called on the Education Minister to overturn his approval. They think the website is "inappropriate" and "dangerous".

Year 7 age kids are hungry for questioning and it's silly to hide the important miracles of life. I know everyone views this differently, however perverted sexual attitudes are permitted to foster when things are talked about, discussed and debated.

Cherish Life Queensland say the site does not talk about the psychological damage that abortions cause. "The topic should not be taught until at least Year 9," they told the Courier Mail.

However, Family Planning say that Year 7 is a "crucial time" for sex education because research showed students dealt better with sexual encounters if they had been educated beforehand."

Education Queensland have not had any complaints about the site so far.

2 comments:

Monty said...

The Courier Mail, where this 'story' emerged, never misses a chance to bash teachers or the teaching profession. This holier than thou rag (Shock! Horror! Sex Sites!) sports a proud banner on the front page stating "Official Education Partner".

Would that be educating students with charming stories such as "Pick-up lines: 'You belong in my bed'" or "Sexting ignites relationships"? Or would that be the crap that is passing for 'news' on their website, or the wonderful bigoted comments that accompany their online articles.

Newspapers in classrooms - - good idea - if only to show kids that good journalism is a dying art.

Michael P Moore said...

Monty, read this story in CairnsBlog, The Cairns Post on FaceBook:

Tyson says it's a group for all people who have read, or indeed, heard of the "atrocity that is the paper we all find bringing shame to the newstands of Cairns."

"You know - that one that local High Schools base a whole semester on analysing the bias and breaches of the Australian Journalists' Code of Ethics," Tyson says