"Don't Say Gay" Bill

No, I got you Jay. And I get Justin, in that there is no need to combine any of those classes.

 

I thought you were serious. It's sad that it's believable you could be serious.

 

No, if the state mandates that a class must be specifically for male cosmetologists or female mechanics it's ridiculous.

 

Lol. You have a point.

 

Exactly why completely avoiding the topic in school isn't going to "shield" kids from the concept of homosexuality.

On the other hand, I'm curious what it is teachers are supposedly teaching about gays, anyway. I can't think of a reason to really discuss it. Best as I can recall, in sex Ed we learned the basic science of reproduction, then got some cautionary info about safe sex, teenage pregnancy, and STDs. I think that's pretty much enough and unless kids need to be explained that homosexual sex doesn't lead to babies but can lead to STD transmission, there is really not a lot of need to discuss gay stuff.

 

I have never discussed the topic in class in 18 yrs Kpt, and I know of perhaps only 1 teacher in my school that might actively discuss the topic. The reason he might do it is because it is a contemporary issues/sociology/debate type class. That's one of the reasons that it's a silly bill. There's no need for it. The only purposes of the bill is to pander to hard core 'morals' voters, just another attempt to ridicule public school teachers (yes this is a sensitive subject for me), and to further the mythology that all public schools are cesspools of failure and immorality. My .02.

 

I teach a Contemporary Issues class and the topic has come up. I do find it interesting that people still think the best way to control the mindset of a teenager is to keep certain types of information from them when, in fact, that's the absolute worst thing to do.

 

I don't see it as the idea that they should be teaching aspects, I just see it as an issue of whether they should be able to discuss it, should it come up.

We all have this mindset that parents should educate their kids on sex. Great. Who here learned about sex from their parents? And I don't mean 6 years old, this is where babies come from.

I'd wager most people discussed sex with their friends, and hyped it up for many years, and through experimentation. That's standard.

Who the hell do you discuss this shit with if you are gay? You gonna talk to your parents? Most don't. Hell, grown ass men and women haven't told their parents, yet. You friends? Sure, if you trust them, or feel confident in confiding.

I don't think there needs to be an instructional video, but I'd rather, should kids want to talk with someone, that there not be a legal liability should the teacher, in private, discuss the issue. Because who else can they go to? Their pastor? Sure, if they want to pray the gay away. Their parents? Doubtful. Friends? Doubtful.

Beyond that, the only thing they'll ever likely hear is that STDs happen. Be careful. And to be honest, that isn't even enough for heterosexual sexual education, something this state and many others lack. And again, it is because people think that should be taught in the home. Yea? I'd love to ask those people how many times they had the proper condom usage talk with their 16 year old.

 

i'm more concerned with teachers brainwashing my kid to become a liberal rather than gay.

 

Good point fl0at. Isn't there some organization dedicated to helping out young gay kids? Seems like I read about it somewhere. I think it's probably a website with info and a forum, but that's better than nothing. I don't think discussing the stuff in class would be any more comfortable for a kid. I'm sure most schools have some kind of guidance counselor but I doubt too many are lining up to meet with him.

 

The extent of my safe sex "talk": Wear a condom or you might get something you can't wash off.

That is a good point about who they can talk to about the situation. It's hard enough when it's straight immature teeanagers.

 

Something was started called "Safe Space," I think in Michigan, but not sure, that has kind of taken over the University setting. Basically, after undergoing some "training," different educators can mark their offices as "Safe Spaces" where things can be discussed.

I'm not sure about public middle/junior/high school type things. I think one of the biggest concerns about this bill is the guidance counsellor not being able to have similar type discussions, even in private. Not that teachers can't talk about it... but that NOBODY can talk about it, counsellors and volunteers included.

 

Yeah that seems pretty dumb. There at least needs to be some kind of referral system in place for those situations.

 

Proper condom usage is more than just wearing a condom, though. Make sure it is rolled down correctly... there are two sides, and two ways it can be rolled down. Leave a "reservoir" gap. Etc.

It is not something people want to actually talk about with their kids. And most people don't discuss it with their daughter, either. And they should, it is important.

I also read somewhere recently that oral cancer from HPV is becoming a leading cause of oral cancer in men. That might be worth discussing... with both.

But how many people know or consider that? But they want to have these talks with their kids. Excellent. Non up to date individuals discussing things they are shy about, naturally, is never a good thing.

 

Yeah, new studies are showing a higher incidence of HPV related oral cancer in men, even in guys with few partners. Kind of scary when you consider that oral cancer has a pretty low five year survival rate.

 

We're failing at what we're doing. Looking at Western countries with better stats than us, the reason why is because we keep trying to constrain the possible conversation, rather than letting the kids direct it.

Even if one feels certain activities are inherently immoral, the public health consequences of withholding or denying factual information has to be of far greater weight. People could change or repent, but some of these diseases can't be undone.

 

And the idea that kids are getting ideas from their sex ed class rather than what is between their legs, sitting in the seat next to them, or in our pop culture is so laughable that I doubt it is an argument that any will make here.

 

I don't see how anyone, anywhere in the country, could make that argument with a straight face.