If it's Friday, it's time for Fool of the Week. Paul Ash, Lexington (MA) Superintendent of Schools.
Mr. Ash finds himself in the middle of a lawsuit for violating a 1996 Massachusetts law that requires parents be notified of sex education lessons. Mr. Ash feels no responsibility to notify parents when a teacher is reading a questionable choice of book to seven year old second graders. I think the book "King & King" falls into the sex education category.
"King & King" is a story of a crown prince who rejects the beautiful princesses and falls in love with a prince. The two marry, kiss and live happily ever after. Nothing new to a mature audience but a whole new concept for seven year olds.
A student's mother complained to the school's principal after her son told her about the storybook. Thus, the lawsuit.
"King & King" is written by two Dutch women and has sold about 15,000 copies in the U.S. since it was translated and published in 2002.
This story caught my interest as I was reading the newspaper yesterday. It brought back memories of my own son at the age of seven years and in second grade. I was waiting in carpool line one afternoon to pick him up at school and after saying hello to me as he was loaded into my car, he asked me what oral sex was and why adults were talking about it. Yes, you remember the good old Clinton days, don't you. I was first stunned that this question came out of his mouth then I was angry.
Children should have the right to remain innocent past the age of seven. They have no agenda and they rely on the adults in their lives to protect them. Sexualizing children has led to disastourous results. Watch MTV or other current popular music videos. I'm no prude but good Lord, it is ridiculous. I don't think encouraging teenage girls to look and dance and talk like whores is sexy. It is no wonder so many boys have no respect for women. The whole "bitches and pimps" attitude is destructive to society at large.
4 comments:
I still think sex education is best left to the parents. Unfortunately, parents have done what the society in general has... left more and more to government, wanting the government to take care of them rather than taking care of themselves.
I can only imagine what the "weekly reader" book order list must look like today.
I happen to also believe that sex education should be taught by the parents. Having a teenager, I am shocked at the teens of today. I was no angel, but I don't think that I did anything that would put myself in danger.
I am only thankful that my own son does feel comfortable talking to me about questionable situations, and so far so good.
Add me to the list of someone who believes "Sex Ed" has NO place in our school system.
Reading, Writing, Mathmatics, History, Art, Music.... things that are concrete, can be taught in an unbiased way and must be learned to function and get a job.
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