How about allowing them to be kids, insulating them from some of the problems and bad influences in the world, and encouraging them to explore and learn the fundamentals that they will need later. If you teach kids about sex at 5, I think more of them will become "curious" sooner than if you had waited until, say 10-11 when puberty seems to be starting now adays. Now that's not saying that you shouldn't answer their innocent questions about their bodies, however to go beyond the simple is unnecessary.

Wow, another great idea from the "progressives". After all, sex education in this country has all but eliminated unwanted pregnancies and STDs.......right?

Unwanted pregnancies and STDs are not the result of sex education, but the lack thereof. It's too bad that so many adults are so painfully immature that they cannot deal with discussing sex with their children.

But yes, let's insulate our children from reality so they are completely unprepared to deal with it when encountered. That seems to be the most popular parenting method of today.

"Sex education should be taught to children from the age of five to give them the skills and confidence"

Wow! What a liberal view. Children of 5 years old need to have SKILL in having sex? Who are the poeple who will be teaching these 5 years old the SEX skill so that they have CONFIDENCE in it? To have skills, they have to experienced it right? It makes me worry that we have people like this as leaders and these people want to get closer and closer to our children. Child molestation in the world has inreased at an alarming rate because of this liberal view. These people are destroying our children, no doubt about it.

Wow! What a liberal view. Children of 5 years old need to have SKILL in having sex? Who are the poeple who will be teaching these 5 years old the SEX skill so that they have CONFIDENCE in it? To have skills, they have to experienced it right? It makes me worry that we have people like this as leaders and these people want to get closer and closer to our children. Child molestation in the world has inreased at an alarming rate because of this liberal view. These people are destroying our children, no doubt about it.

Did you read the article? It said that the youngest children would be taught the value of friendships and how to repsect others. We started sex-ed in 3rd grade and learned about how nobody was supposed to touch our "private parts" and how if someone did or even made you feel uncomfortable we needed to tell the teacher, our parents, or another adult we trusted.

Nobody is advocating teaching 5 year olds how to have sex. If you had read the article you would know that.

clearly mybestfriend read the headline and rushed to post that response. at least read the entire article before posting a comment on it. it is people that rush ahead to do things that harm the community.

@mybestfriend, you can't cut the quote in half to make it convey the sinister message you are convinced is there. Here is the entire quote:

"Sex education should be taught to children from the age of five to give them the skills and confidence to delay sexual intimacy until they are ready."

And this is wrong... because?

At first glance I too was VERY put off by the idea of sex ed for 5 year olds... but luckily, do the fact that I have a capacity for reading passed the headline alone, and also for reading comprehension in general I was able to find the relevant paragraph that said...

"Topics should be introduced and covered in a way that is appropriate to the maturity of pupils and is based on an understanding of their needs and is sensitive to diverse cultural, faith and family perspectives," it said.

For the youngest children, this would involve learning about the value of friendships and having respect for others.

In which case I am all for it, because apparently parents today are too busy and narcissistic to take the time to explain to their own children, (let alone teach by example) the proper way these kids should relate to one another as they mature and grow...

Looking at the next generation of teens and kids coming up now, with their pants down under their asses, and their inability to form a sentence without using at least 4 or 5 profanities, and horrific grammar... and their attitudes which seem to display nothing but shallow self-centered, self-gratification... apathy... no ambition.. a sense of entitlement... and disrespect for anyone else in the world... and violent tendencies... and no concept of the value of a life... with that being the make up of our immediate future America, I say maybe an ethics, and morality class should be introduced in schools before these kids reach puberty. Since parents stopped teaching right from wrong, someone else should.... But the actual SEX ed, can wait until the kids actually do hit puberty in my opinion...

Referring to ANY "liberal" as a "Progressive" is as ILLOGICAL as anything could ever be.

"Anti-progressive is far more appropriate!"

For Speedy, Palm Harbor, Florida...

An english lesson...

con·ser·va·tive

1. reluctant to accept change: in favor of preserving the status quo and traditional values and customs, and against abrupt change
2. of conservatism: relating to, characteristic of, or displaying conservatism
3. cautious and on low side: cautiously moderate and therefore often less than the final outcome

lib·er·al

1. broad-minded: tolerant of different views and standards of behavior in others
2. progressive politically or socially: favoring gradual reform, especially political reforms that extend democracy, distribute wealth more evenly, and protect the personal freedom of the individual
3. generous: freely giving money, time, or some other asset

Referring to ANY "liberal" as a "Progressive" is as ILLOGICAL as anything could ever be.

"Anti-progressive is far more appropriate!"

That's it speedy... just keep repeating yourself... You tell that dictionary what words really mean... don't let reality buffalo you and your prejudices around...

We should absolutely teach sex ed to kids. It won't make them more curious because there will be nothing to be curious about. So many young people get pregnant or catch STD's because they didn't know how to procure condoms or birth control (or weren't allowed). A lot of people also have unrealistic expectations about sex or they don't have the confidence to develop their own sexual relationships into something healthy. I think we have bastardized sex here in America. So many people are taught that sex is nasty/dirty/sinful and they don't respect the act or approach it in a healthy manner. That's just plain sad because sex is the most meaningful intimacy you can have in a relationship.

My parents NEVER EVER had a single discussion about sex with me. The ONLY education I EVER received was from friends when I was maybe 11 or 12, and most of the stuff was ridiculous and wrong.

It's funny that many parents could care less about what their kids watch on TV, yet they get upset that someone wants to educate them about sexual issues.

I'm not saying that we should hand a 5-year-old a sex manual, but I do think 5-year-olds should understand basic anatomy issues and should know, for example, that babies don't come from storks.

I and my then wife started *talking* to our daughter at age 2. Simple terms that she could understand. Then as time went on, we had more in depth conversations, using correct terminology... not "pee-pee", not "stick", but rather vagina, labia, clitoris, penis, etc.

Kids r sponges. It is better to fill them up w knowledge then to ignore them and *hope* they don't do something *STUPID*!!! Knowledge is Power.

Also, since the article is from London, we in the United States have to understand that different countries have different expectations. Not everyone on the planet subscribes to the PURITANICAL ideas of the United States.

The human body is not anything to be ashamed of, and we shouldn't be teaching our kids that they should be ashamed of their bodies... It's the ONLY ONE THEY GOT. Allow them to be proud of it. Teach them, as best u can about the *reality* of their bodies and the joy that can come from true love of self. Once they r comfortable w their own bodies the better. If they r accepting of their own bodies, the less likely they will be to condemn the differences in others...

Next thing we know they'll be passing out condoms to 3 year olds.

Tee360: Obviously you didn't read the article. No one is suggesting teaching condoms to 5 year olds. You must have a poor understanding of what age-appropriate sex education is.

The conservative approach ..... Let them learn it on the playground like we all did. "Age-appropriate" is the key phrase that so many of you did not read. Five year olds will not be taught even what sexual intercourse is, let alone how to do it.

are these people completely mad??? sex education has already proven to be a failure. within 10 years of its introduction std tripled and pregnacies doubled among teenagers. the mindset of a liberal is just amazing on this subject. lacks complete common sense. that is why the government needs to get out of public education altogether. let the parents decide. schools should not answer to a government...they should answer to parents.

don: I didn't learn squat from the playground... No one wanted to play w me... So I (along w my now ex wife) decided to teach my daughter before she got to the playground... So there would be *No chance* of *misinformation*... Kids don't know *bleep* when it comes to sex...

james, give me some statistics to back yourself up. And maybe if Christian Conservatives didn't hijack sex ed programs, kids would be better taught.

ryan

uggghhh....come on I dont want to have to go through all my books to find the note for the reference....you just have to trust me on this one. Look, like I said if a homosexual couple wants to raise a kid that is fine with me. I know of a few actually..and overall the kids seem fine. but just like I have issues those children have issues. to think they dont is naive at best and ignorant at worst. from what I remember they had double the risk of illicit drug use by the age of 25..........ugghh cant remember the other ones.

Education is key...i am not in a homosexual relationship...i am divorcee living with a gf with kids...so i have to be ongaurd for what could affect my children. Knowing what your kids will be at risk for can only be a good thing to a responsible parent.

oh you were talking about the sex education programs....hold on I will look for the references on that one....as I feel that is an important topic. lol i am chatting about different subjects...got confused....lmao.

james - you keep saying sex education programs don't work. Well, I can offer you a bit of information to refute that. I volunteered for a county health department working in sex education. The county I worked with did a study within the county regarding the efficacy of comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education and parental involvement in terms of first time sexual experience, number of sexual partners, STD's and pregnancy rates. The results indicated that the group with comprehensive sex education and highly involved parents had the latest 1st time sexual experience, fewest sexual partners, lowest numbers of STD's and lowest pregnancy rates. The next group was the group that had comprehensive sex education and low to no parental involvement. The third group (which was significantly lower than the second group) was the group that received no comprehensive sex education, but had highly involved parents. The last group was the group that had no comprehensive sex education and no or low parental involvement.

Wise suggestion but it won't be taken seriously in this crazy world.

James...the reason sex education has failed in the US is because all they teach is abstinance...flat out telling kids that they cannot do something is just plain dumb, cause now there curiosity is peaked.

My 11 yr old daughter knows everything about sex and birth control...she asked..I answered..honestly and truthfully..I also rented a National Geo Movied called from Conception to Birth...which she found very fascinating and provoked more thoughtful questions!

While I do think children mature differently parents need to get off there abstinance only mentality...educate your children with ALL the facts and be parents already!

summer

site your sources

ryan here are mine.

jacqueline kasun, The War Against Population, pp 142,144

Cheryl D Hayes, editor, Risking the Future: Adolescent Sexuality, Pregnancy, and the Childbearing p 66

Alan Guttmacher Institute, Informing Public Change, p. 30

Hearings before the Select Comiittee on Population, ninety fifth Congres, second session, Fertility and Contraception in America: Adolescent and Pre adolescent Pregnancy vol II p 253

Les Picker, Human Sexuality Education Implications for Biology Teaching american Biology TEeacher vol 46 no 2 p 92

I have about a dozen more including more hearing in congress.

its common sense people doesnt take studies to know it does not work and that it increases the rate of adolescent sexuality. statistics prove it. as far as now in todays day and age there will be fluctuations in rates based on who is educating and who the students are....but make no mistake sexual education is a failure.

RyanMS

You are exactly right. It has been shown that the teenage rates of pregnancy and STDs are significantly in the conservative "red" states than in the blue states where Christian conservatives have successfully stopped school sex education or rendered it meaningless with requirements for "abstinence only" sex ed.

james - as I told you it was for the county I volunteered for. That was Buchanan County in Missouri - county seat is St. Joseph MO. It was a small study limited to the area that the county health department served. However, the county is fairly typical - no reason the results could not be extrapolated to other counties, give or take some. btw - considering I was part of the group that conducted the study and worked with these kids, I have personally seen the results of comprehensive sex education.

Make no mistake - comprehensive sex education is not a failure. btw, comprehensive sex education includes proper names for body parts, biology, emotional aspects of sex, std's, pregnancy, contraception, abstinence, etc. Anything short of comprehensive sex education doesn't work as well because it leaves out important information. That's why abstinence only programs fail - that's why programs that fail to mention abstinence fail.

like i said before summer.....for one you have been brainwashed your entire life and have been told how to think about this issue. I too was for it until I saw the actual results of the program. I have no idea where there are abstinence only programs as I grew up in california in the 70's and they did not teach that in sex ed when i got it in 4th grade. Funny thing is from its introduction in 67 i believe to 1980 the rates double and tripled like I said earlier. this is the only true comparison you can use because it was from a time with no sex education in schools to a time with it. you cannot do that now. but keep thinking like you do and that it works. you did catch that in 1980 they changed the mission statement from decreasing stds and pregnancy to education didnt you????

wow and here you are spouting on education....you missed the whole point....you cant argue this.......the statistics prove that between the start of sex education to the year 1980 rates of stds and pregnancy double and tripled......what of that do you not get????

its a failure.

LOL James - I am far from brainwashed on this issue. I obviously have a better grip on reality about this issue than you do. The study I worked on and the county I worked in had lower first time sexual experiences, fewer sexual partners, lower STDs and pregnancy rates amongst teens that had comprehensive sex education than teens that didn't get this education. Yes, parental involvement is important also.

A couple of the most common misconceptions I heard from 7th and 8th graders I worked with: There is already a cure for HIV, so condoms aren't necessary and you can't get pregnant unless both people orgasm at the same time.

You keep blaming the introduction of sex education as the reason for the increase in teen pregnancies and STDs - what you are failing to realize is that there are multiple factors in play for teen pregnancy and STDs. You cannot legitimately correlate only sex education with these rates. As I pointed out, in the study that we conducted - parental involvement played a significant role also. Support the teen has from family, what activities are they involved in, comprehensive sex education, etc., etc. all play a role in reducing teen pregnancies and std's. It's incorrect to give any of them individually all the credit or all the blame. I am in no way saying that comprehensive sex education will, by itself, reduce stds and pregnancies - I'm saying that it in connection with the other important factors all play a role in dealing with these.

wow - here you are spouting that education doesn't work - yet you fail to grasp that it's a complex issue that has multiple factors. Comprehensive sex education, ALONG with high parental involvement, DOES delay first time sexual encounters, the number of sexual partners a teen has, stds, and teen pregnancy. You are trying to reduce a multi-factorial issue to a single factorial issue. Whenever one tries to do this, their data is inevitably flawed and the conclusions unreliable.

so you are trying to tell me that the rates are as low as they were in the early 60's????? are you seriously trying to tell me that???

lol

amazing

you just dont get it. much of what you said is true mainly parental involvement. society has changed much since the early 60's which makes a direct comparison nearly impossible. there are many issues not just this one which are not comparable. but the question summer is not what the rates are and what they used to be but why have they changed so much?

why has society changed so much in the last 40 years to where we have higher std rates, pregnancy rates, lower test scores compared to other industrialized nations, higher crime rates across the board with a few exceptions, higher dropout rates.

I would love for you to explain the dramatic decrease in results in the last 40 years compared to the history of this country.......I really would. I know its not just sex education its something much bigger....but would love to hear your take on it.

Not at all what I said. Re-read it, you'll figure it out - you don't strike me as an unintelligent person, just someone that isn't grasping the situation.

Like I said - you are attempting to blame one thing for increases - which it clearly isn't. You cannot blame one factor over another in this case. Furthermore, sex education has changed since the introduction. Areas that use a comprehensive approach to sex education and have encouraged parental involvement, etc. have been seeing decreases in teen sex, number of partners, stds and pregnancy. Areas that have maintained abstinence only education, have poor parental involvement, high poverty, lower education overall, less extra-curricular activities have maintained or even increased their rates of teen std's, pregnancy, etc. Of course, to see that - you would have to look at various areas with different approaches.

Again - you are attempting to blame one thing for the overall increase without looking at all the factors. Furthermore, you are not looking at smaller regions and the variations within those regions and the reasons behind those variations. If you took the time to do that - you'd see that your position is not founded in fact. It's founded on misinformation.

Anyway - I've got more important things to do right now - like spend some time with my kids before I have to get back to studying for a biochem exam I have tomorrow morning. Have a nice evening.

5?!?! Like Kindergarten age??? How about we just settle for teaching them the names of their body parts at 5....good grief.

That's pretty much where it would start... except instead of just head and shoulders knees and toes, they'd add a few others that no one else teaches them currently.

Wow, another great idea from the "progressives". After all, sex education in this country has all but eliminated unwanted pregnancies and STDs.......right?

Well this program isn't being considered by this country now is it? This is happening across the pond, not here. PS - abstinance education states here have the highest teen pregnancy rates, so yeah, sex-ed has helped reduce teen pregnancies.

schools should not answer to a government...they should answer to parents.

Amen to that!!!!

I see the religious right rising to battle as they are against any form of sex education.

The cry to leave it to the parents would be fine if the parents were able to do the job but they were not given the education ether.

From personal experience I can tell you that five year old's have many questions but won't ask because of fear.

To all parents explain to your children that they can ask you anything and not get into trouble for it and when they trust you they will amaze you with all that they have heard at school and other places from poor sources

The problem is the a majority of parents aren't teaching their kids about sex. They go the 'morals' route and tell them that it's evil and don't do or think about it until you are married. Since when has telling a teenager "no" made them think "okay, I won't do it then!" Yeah right!! I know whenever my parents said something was bad or not to do it, but didn't back it up with a logical reason (just the same old 'because I said so') the forbidden fruit was all I craved...

Since when has telling a teenager "no" made them think "okay, I won't do it then!"

You mean aside from most of recorded history? At least when teenagers respected their parents that is.

no idea what history you speak of, but modern history has shown that teenager is the period where a person is most rebellious and defiant to control. then there are the teenagers that go "yes mom, yes dad. your words are my command." in which case, those parents have won the lottery by default.

the forbidden fruit was all I craved...

Ok, so you were weak and disrespected your parents. That's society's issue because....?

the weak don't DARE disrespect their parents.

Thank you Zhong,

That was my point!

Tired, I did respect my parents. My parents were open and honest with me about sex and the consequences of rushing into a sexual relationship, and not being prepared for sex when I decided I was ready. My parents didn't shove their heads in the sand and forget that they too, at one point, had ragging hormons.

My point was that if we are honest with our kids about sex IN EVERY WAY (and yes, this means we have to admit to our kids that it is enjoyable, when done safely and with someone we love) then we enable them to make the right decisions. Our kids are far more logical than you seem to want to give them credit for. They deserve and honest, open answer from their parents.

lmv77...you are 100% correct...would vote for your post many times if I could! : )

How does one get away for violence in entertainment anyhow, it sells. You could try and limit it with your children, but you only control the home for the most part?? They'll see it elsewhere.

No where does it say that parents should be excluded from this process. I agree that parents need to be involved - the other information, however, is valuable also. It needs to be a blended approach. This article doesn't really say what the involvement of the parents should/would be under this program - I think it's important that parents be involved.

tkp1: how about citing some example of studies that were made to support statements???????? Another bull@!$%# post that doesn't mean crap!! Just an unsupported opinion at best.

Show me a study that shows sex education in the schools has decreased teenage and premarital pregnancy. Oh yea, that's right it went up. You show once again the best argument of the liberaly uninformed is to swear and call names.

@tkp1, yes, pregnancy rates have gone up...however, they are up in the states that only teach abstinence, and are down in the states that teach a comprehensive sex ed program. In high school here in Texas, all I was taught was to not have sex, and we all signed little "pledges" to save ourselves until marriage. And guess what, my lovely state has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the nation, whereas California, which teaches about contraceptives, has had a decline in pregnancy rates.

Here are two articles that support my claim that sex education has helped decrease teenage pregnancy.

http://worldofweirdthings.com/2010/05/29/the-quixotic-battle-of-abstinence-only-zealots/

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-01-26-1Ateenpregnancy26_ST_N.htm

You have a short sighted view. Prior to the 1960's and sex education starting in the schools in any form teen pregnancy was minimal compared to the past 25 years. Also, when you look at studies from the the Guttmacher Institute you are looing at a study from a research arm of Planned Parenthood which has a vested interest in promoting sexual promiscuity, ie, more abortion business. When you look at one of their studies remember liars figure and figures lie.

tkp1:

You have it backwards. The rise in teen pregnancies preceded the introduction of sex education in the schools. That introduction was in direct response to the rise in teen pregnancies! The problem all along has been the perception that the very correlation you try to argue for in fact exists when it doesn't. This has led to a constant battle between those of us who want our children armed with knowledge and adults who have their heads in the sand regarding this issue. The "abstinence-only" approach is wishful thinking by those who want to protect their children (an admirable desire we should not demonize) without teaching their children to protect themselves through informed decisions (a serious mistake that their children and society pay for)! Children are not automatons that only do what we tell them to. They have their own minds and an urge to self-determination that leads even the most respectful child to challenge parental authority as he or she struggles for identity. There is a big difference between crushing that natural need ... i.e. brainwashing ... and strong and loving parental guidance that teaches and models values yet leaves room for individuality. I don't want my children engaging in risky behavior, but I do want them equipped to develop meaningful relationships based on knowledge and understanding, not on ignorance and misunderstanding. Too many children in this country are being born to and depend on child parents who did not have the knowledge to prevent pregnancy. Too many young people in this country are struggling with sexually transmitted diseases because they lacked this same knowledge. And the prevention for this begins with teaching our children to value themselves and to value others. Instead of reacting to the misleading title for this article (which made my hackles rise), I read it, and I believe there is much merit in teaching young children relationship skills, especially if we want them to later view sex as part of a valuable relationship instead of simply a fleeting, meaningless event.

You make some good points. #1 Sexuality is best taught by parents. #2 Sex is part of a valuable relationship, that I believe only happens in marriage, otherwise it is just a fleeting, meaningless event(s). Good job of reinforcing my point.

A piece of paper stating that one is legally married does not necessarily make sex mean something. I have been with my boyfriend for sometime...sex should be with someone you love and respect and who loves and respects you. Marriage is just that a piece of paper saying you are married...a committment is between responsible 2 people!

Exactly, Judy. My husband and I have been married for 35 years now, and we are in a minority amongst married folk we know. This is NOT because of a piece of paper or because of any religious ceremony. It is because we made a personal commitment to one another and to the values we share. If all it took to make a relationship successful was that piece of paper or ceremony, we would not have so many around us who are still desperately seeking a fulfilling relationship despite one or more marriages. In contrast, I know many committed couples who have never "officially" married but whose relationships are just as rich and meaningful as mine and my husband's. In all of these successful relationships, one thing stands out to me ... both parties in them value themselves and others, i.e. they practice the Golden Rule. In my experience, the empathy and respect that arises from this is a rich foundation for any relationship, either personal or social. And that capacity comes from being taught as a child to respect yourself and others, just what this program is emphasizing.

Of the 100's of people I know who have cohabited I can think of about 4 that have made it past 4-5 years, most give or take a year. That's fleeting. If you look at divorce rates for those who have cohabited before marriage be it with their eventual spouse or with someone else before, it is much higher then the divorce rate in general. Judy, how long is "sometime" and let's see what happens in the next couple of years. I hope it goes well for you.

Sometime happens to be almost 18 yrs.....and we live as though we are married...we do not need some piece of paper or a ceremony to confirm that! Off the top of my head...I believe Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have been together NOT married for over 20yrs.

tkp1, I'd be more inclined to agree with you if you actually read the article. It's not saying to teach about the actual process of sex. It's saying that sexual education for that age group would be to teach respect when it came to friendships and interpersonal relationships.

Of course prior to the 60s there was less teen pregnancy! The sexual revolution hadn't began yet. Once the sexual revolution started, sex education was taught in order to curb teen pregnancy. No one can say whether or not it worked because there wasn't a time before that sex ed was taught. There's nothing to compare to.

yup! people hear "sex-ed" and they assume it means teaching in-depth stuff. We started being taught in grade 3, and they taught general stuff about the body like proper names, etc. NOT about "sex" and std's / pregnancy.

Exactly. These panicky people need to calm down.

We started sex ed in 3rd grade when I was 7. It wasnt anything too in-depth: just which part of the body were our "private parts" and how nobody was supposed to touch them. They also taught us that if we ever were made to feel uncomfortable we were to tell a teacher, our parents, or another adult. They taught us more molestation-prevention things than how to have sex.

I think it's a good idea. Instead of pretending sex doesnt exist until a child is old enough to make a smart decision about it, just teach them properly. Sex is natural, and sex before 18 is natural. You cant stop all kids from doing it, but you can teach them that it is better to wait and that if they do engage in sexual activity, they need to protect themselves.

I agree. Childhood is a great time in one's life and should be prolonged. Becoming a teenaged (or earlier) parent really puts a damper on that.

Classes like the one described in this article aim to teach kids what is accurate and what is not. What is appropriate and what is not for their ages.

For example- in the recent high school aged class I taught, the discussion was about birth control, and condoms in particular. One participant asked "Wouldn't it be embarassing to go buy condoms?" The instructors responded with "If it is embarassing for you to take the appropriate precautions, then perhaps you aren't emotionally ready to be having sex in the first place." Another student in the class commented "Yeah, buying condoms would be embarassing, but think about how embarassing it would be to have to buy diapers and formula instead." Another chimed in with "Or HIV drugs."

These classes aren't teaching kids how to get it on. Honest. They're to dispel myths (If I wash with Mt. Dew afterwords I won't get pregnant! or If I have sex with a virgin I'll get rid of my AIDS.) and to teach kids to think about the consequences of their actions and of the actions of their peers and adults in their lives.

One participant asked "Wouldn't it be embarassing to go buy condoms?" The instructors responded with "If it is embarassing for you to take the appropriate precautions, then perhaps you aren't emotionally ready to be having sex in the first place." Another student in the class commented "Yeah, buying condoms would be embarassing, but think about how embarassing it would be to have to buy diapers and formula instead." Another chimed in with "Or HIV drugs."

Too true! If you aren't mature enough to protect yourself with condoms by picking some up at the store, you arent mature enough to be having sex. Period. And I'd MUCH rather walk into a store and pick up a pack of Magnums (yeah buddy) than some Pampers and Similac...

ADingus: Exactly!! I was a volunteer with the county health department and had a chance to participate in sex education for youth. I worked with 7th & 8th graders mostly. One of the most common myths I heard from these kids was that "there is already a cure for HIV, so who cares if we use a condom." Another common misconception I heard was "you can only get pregnant if both people orgasm at the same time".

These education programs do not tell kids it's ok to have sex - rather they give kids age appropriate and accurate information. In the county I volunteered in, we carried out a study comparing age of first sexual encounter, number of sexual partners, STD's, and pregnancy rates between the kids that didn't receive comprehensive sex education and kids that did receive comprehensive sex education and parental involvement. On average, those that received comprehensive sex education had a later first sexual encounter, less partners, less stds, and lower pregnancy rates when compared to those that had no comprehensive sex education. The group with the latest first sexual encounter, lowest number of partners, least stds and lowest pregnancy rate was the group that received comprehensive sex education and had high parental involvement. The group that received comprehensive sex education but had no or low parental involvement came in second, but still significantly better than the group that received no comprehensive sex education but did have parental involvement in their lives. The group with the highest rate of first encounter, number of partners, stds and pregnancies were the kids that had no comprehensive sex education and no or low parental involvement. This tells me that the best way to deal with these issues is age-appropriate, comprehensive sex education coupled with parental involvement.

Agreed, many don't read or automatically assume the minute they read sex education for kids it means reproduction instruction for kids. It does not.

For the youngest children, this would involve learning about the value of friendships and having respect for others.

"All children and young people are entitled to high-quality education about sex, relationships and alcohol to help them make responsible decisions and acquire the skills and confidence to delay sex until they are ready," NICE said.

Those sound like really good things to me. Sex is a fact of life, it is a bioligical fact. Our bodies produce hormones that drive very specific behaviors. Our kids grow up in a complex world with a lot of mixed messages, we need to arm them with good solid scientific knowledge and good social skills, and then add in our special brand of family morals.

hikingstick... don't get all sciency on this thread, you'll upset all the conservatives who, as we all know (SC gov, Larry Craig, etc., etc) are stellar examples of morality.

k.k. nowhere was it suggested that anyone would be teaching children about @!$%#ing... it was suggested they would be talking about the importance of friendship and respect. how you get @!$%#ing out of that is beyond me.

i can see that you disagree with teaching 5 year olds about respecting others and friendship. perhaps you have a better idea? i mean...respect and friendship must be the stupidest thing to you.

i can see that you disagree with teaching 5 year olds about respecting others and friendship

That's the parent's job, not the schools. What they mean to say is they are going to teach kids about sex and they are going to teach them that sex between any two people is to be respected....... Again -- it's my job to teach my kids what is right and what is wrong. This "education" you speak of is just a lead in to teaching them that gay marriage is normal and okay......again--- that's my job and I will teach them it's wrong no matter what the schools say. Respect = Tolerance of everything when the schools teach it and that's not their job. Stick to reading, writing, and arithmetic and leave the rest to the parents. I am glad I homeschool!!!

Life is fast paced, and most of the time, there really isn't that much time to pay attention to your children, and their activities and behavior

...and this, dear people, is the reason for teen pregnancy. If you aren't going to pay attention to them, they why did you have them?

when you see kids listening to rap with lots of profanity and music with dirty lyrics...you know that parent has failed.

the media has failed big time. they need to drag out the old HAYS OFFICE and put it back into practice. all the nasty perverts on t.v. and in the movies should just get locked up in a dungeon someplace and see how the culture IMPROVES big time.

it is ludicrous, and so very crooked, to blame "Christian conservatives" when the SERIOUS evil influence comes from nasty media bombardments on a daily basis. MTV etc. should just go crawl into a hole and have the cement put over it. Charlie Sheen, should lead the way of hollyweirdoes taking a parade RIGHT OFF THE TV. be gone. good riddance.

being exposed to lots of sexual imagery, suggestive lyrics, suggestive videos

Then try being a parent----TURN IT OFF!!!!!!

gloria... the program for 5 year olds is to talk about friendship and respect. that's all. no pee-pee's or butts.

well if that's the case then maybe i misunderstood. it better be about respect and frienship for one another. because that's becoming an extinct commodity on this planet.

gloria, I suspect the lesson the 5 year olds will be taught includes that it's good to listen to what someone has to say before forming your opinion because it's respectful of their intelligence and their humanity ( with the language appropriately watered down for kids). there are many people who comment on this vine who would benefit from such a lesson. but they're so bent out shape thinking some bunch of liberals want to teach babies about having sex that they miss the message. you people are sick.

Gloria I agree with you and here is WHY.....

WHO is going to determine what is "age appropriate" and yes, 5 year olds will likely be putting condoms on cucumbers cause, EVERYTHING IS "OKAY" in this society now. WHAT YOU think is appropriate and what THEY are going to THINK is "appropriate" is going to vary GREATLY....trust me.

This is the PARENTS JOB ....bottom line....NOT the SCHOOLS JOB. IF you are too damn lazy to raise your kids and DEAL WITH stuff like this.....DONT BREED AND HAVE KIDS AND PERHAPS ....YOU....NEED THE SEX ED INSTEAD OF THEM? Do kids sometimes do what they are TOLD NOT TO DO ? Sure....and the school sex ed class WILL NOT STOP THAT either !

Liberals want to tell YOU how to RAISE YOUR OWN KIDS.....they want to take over your child from DAY ONE and train it HOW THEY WANT IT TO BE......we have Michelle Obama now....wanting the SCHOOLS to send home a note saying your KID IS TOO FAT and what THEY THINK IT SHOULD EAT......and HOW MUCH. Yeah sure, kids some of them, are too fat....BUT ITS NOT THE SCHOOLS JOB TO TELL YOU ! Your kid lives with you EVERY DAY.....I would THINK you would KNOW your kid is fat ?

Today's society wants you to do EVERYTHING FOR THEM.....even raise their kids I guess ? When is ENOUGH , ENOUGH? Hey Hillary.....IF it "takes a village to raise a child"....perhaps....the ones having the child should THINK TWICE ABOUT IT ? If you cannot pay off debt, dont get into debt.....if you cannot afford that house....DONT BUY IT....AND IF YOU CANNOT RAISE YOUR OWN KIDS....DONT HAVE THEM ! It is called PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for YOUR OWN LIFE...Imagine THAT ?

Yes, times have changed, yes, there is more teen pregnancy BUT the "problem" with liberals IS, they make EVERYTHING immoral and nasty or WRONG.....Appear to be "RIGHT" or they want you to THINK....."it really won't be SO BAD" so WHY NOT ? Then once it happens, it goes EVER HOW THEY WANT IT TO and you have NO SAY SO over it .

How many OTHER things have politicians TOLD US that WAS NOT GOOD FOR US but THEY claimed it would WORK OUT FINE ??? This is just another ONE OF THOSE PROPOSALS.

I had no extensive sex education classes at home or in school....but knew enough from what I DID KNOW......to be responsible and WAIT and to take precautions THEN when it did happen....EVERYONE grows up SOMETIME but NOT at age 5 , sorry. MOST OF THESE KIDS DO KNOW BETTER.....but they DO NOT CARE.

They see friends recieving/ and society now, giving them welfare checks, free apartments, food stamps, monthly checks and starting their own little "family" seems so COOL.....They think the guy will stay with them FOREVER like some Cinderella story.....like some "for the times" TV show they watch like 90210 or something. Never mind that all those kids are supposedly filthy rich and they arent. Some see it as a way to escape their parents and their "RULES"......some WANT to QUIT school. They THINK if they "dont do it" ....they arent "cool" like their friends. I will tell it to them like my parents told me about your friends....."IF your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it too? "

Teach your kids what is NOT to be "touched". Teach them SELF RESPECT and about relationships and what IS AND IS NOT appropriate AND the consequences .....You have the birds and the bees talk with your kids around maybe 12 or so depending on your child's maturity level. You tell them IF you DO THIS....YOU CAN GET PREGNANT and THIS IS WHAT YOUR LIFE WOULD BE IF YOU DO. THIS IS HOW it will mess up your schooling, THIS IS HOW it will mess up other relationships in your life (i.e. this guy may not stay with you, marry you, or be a father to your child and it COULD have an effect on finding someone who really DOES RESPECT AND CARE ABOUT YOU LATER). THIS IS what living on WELFARE is like, THIS IS WHAT WORKING AND TRYING TO BE A SINGLE MOM would be like......ECT ECT ECT.

EVER what YOU feel is appropriate...NOT WHAT someone else in the SCHOOLS think is "appropriate" for YOUR child. You TELL YOUR CHILD.....IF you get pregnant or you get someone pregnant, Your child will need food, diapers, clothes and MANY things AND YOU WILL HAVE TO GET A JOB AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILD and things are VERY expensive and you may even have to WORK TWO JOBS and there will be no time for FUN OR PARTIES OR FRIENDS. The other person may NOT stay with you forever, they MAY LEAVE YOU TO DO THIS ON YOUR OWN.....alot of them ONLY SAY they will STAY WITH YOU TILL THEY FIND OUT YOU ARE PREGNANT.

Yeah sure, your kid may still get pregnant. You cannot watch your kid 24/7 unless you lock it up in a cage....yeah, that is STILL illegal :) BUT THAT EDUCATION IS A REAL LIFE EDUCATION, not one the schools wants to TEACH YOUR KID. Hey, we realize you are "going to do this anyhow" so here is a few dozen condoms and "dont get caught"......IF you are a girl and like girls, that is okay.....if you are a boy and like boys....that is okay.....Hey this is 2010 !!!

YOU should be ALLOWED to raise YOUR kids HOW YOU see fit....NOT HOW some school WANTS THEM RAISED. Let's face it, they are INEPT AT TEACHING YOUR KIDS WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO TEACH THEM NOW ????? AND YOU TRUST THEM WITH SEX ED NOW TOO ?

Dont be fooled people....TEACH YOUR OWN CHILDREN. RAISE THEM WITH YOUR OWN VALUES AND MORALS....DO NOT expect OTHER PEOPLE to do that FOR YOU .

The problem is that many parents just tell there kids "don't do it until your married" and nothing else...this is poor meesage to send to kids...I have educated my children 9 and 11 and I also have no problem with the school doing it to, actually it povoke more questions ...more information means more power to make an informed decision! For those against sex education and not willing to give your kids ALL of the necessary information...I hope you enjoy raising your grandchildren with the same ignoance!

I have educated my children 9 and 11 and I also have no problem with the school doing it to, actually it povoke more questions ...more information means more power to make an informed decision!

Awesome attitude. I agree. My kids' main information comes from home. I sign them up for stuff at school and welcome any dialogue they bring home from it.

I grew up in a very open family. My parents gave me age-appropriate information all my life. I learned the proper names of all my body parts and even learned, when I was about 4 or 5 and was curious enough about my body to ask my mother "I know where poop comes out, and where pee comes out, and where babies come out...but what's this for?" (indicating my clitoris), what other things were for because my mother simply said "That's for your pleasure." So I said "Oh, okay" and stored the information away for later. I remember thinking that it was really cool to not only have body parts that could make a baby, but to have one that was meant for nothing other than feeling good.

She also gave me a copy of "Our Bodies, Our Selves" when I was about 8, which I also read and socked away the information for later. Lots of really useful information as far as physiology AND sociology (i.e., relationships and self-image) is concerned. So when I was about 12, I was quite innocently happy to finally figure out how my clitoris actually worked. On my own, of course. ;-)

When I was 13, my mother was pregnant with my little sister, and I was brought along to the last of her childbirth classes, where I watched a very graphic film of a birth. As one of the consequences, I was totally uninterested in sexual contact with boys until I was 16 or so. But by the time I was 17 (nearly 18) and had a steady boyfriend, I was settled down and well enough informed of the factual biological information as well as the various emotional scenarios associated with the consequences of sex to be able to decide for myself that I was prepared to responsibly engage "my pleasure."

I didn't find out until well into adulthood that my mother's answer to my pre-schooler self had leaped light-years beyond the information available to HER as a child or even a young woman; she hadn't even been provided with enough knowledge to realize that she wasn't actually DYING of some horrible disease when she reached menarche. She didn't even know WHY she was bleeding. My parents wanted to throw a PARTY for me when I started my period. Being a shy person and just having moved to a new city and started at a new school, that was DEFINITELY not going to happen. ;-)

When I compare our life paths as women and mothers, and the attitudes behind both the factual and social information my mother and I were both given in aid of being those things (or, more pointedly NOT given, in my mother's case), I see how that corresponds to, say, the fact that my mother ended up giving birth to me, alone, terrified and painfully humiliated when she was 19, whereas I had my first child at the age of 30, confidently and virtually pain-free with both my mother and my husband at my side supporting me. Even though it's anecdotal, I still believe it still stands as very strong evidence that honest, factual, age-appropriate information based on understanding a child or young adult's social/cognitive abilities ultimately has a healthier outcome than maintaining ignorance of human biology and shame about human sexuality.

Liberals want to tell YOU how to RAISE YOUR OWN KIDS.....they want to take over your child from DAY ONE and train it HOW THEY WANT IT TO BE

My friend is a teacher --- in our state, they are trying to lower the age of actual school to 3....eventually it will be 18 months. I sent an email to our local rep about this after I heard her speak about it on TV and she responded and basically told me she disagreed with me and that's just too bad. Homeschool people, please!!!!! Shut the schools down!!!

It would be nice to homeschool if most households did not need to have both parents working o make ends meet. Although I personally have no problem with this...the more education in all areas of life that kids get...the better informed they are!

both parents working

Most people don't -- they just think they do.

Well..I assume your DH has a decent secure job or was born into money....but there are very few people I know with children that can live with just one parent working..it is sad, but it is reality in todays sh*tty economy!

maybe the headline is part of a study to see what percentage of people actually read and understand what they read VS. people that read the headlines and jump to conclusions and people that read and don't understand it.

extreme headline FTW?

LOL! There should have been a poll, then.

read the dam article my post was worse that yours.

Read the damn article!

That is your homework assignment.