Since the dawn of man, concerned parents, judgemental gods and conservative government authorities have been trying to keep teenagers from having sex with each other. Outside of war, you can probably say it's one of the great traditions of the human race. Sex between irresponsible 16-year-olds is bad. Sex between irresponsible adults is fine and fit for television.
Well, the Mustang School District is doing its part in keeping the tradition alive. Last week, they notified parents about an "abstinence and purity program" at the school called K.E.E.P.
Via KOCO.com:
Parents in Mustang got letters Wednesday asking them if they want their kids to take part in an abstinence and purity program.
According to the letter, the presentations will take place during science class at Mustang North Middle School next week.
"Your student has the opportunity to participate in KEEP (Kids Eagerly Endorsing Purity)," the letter reads. KEEP "reinforces the benefits of sexual abstinence until marriage and saying 'no' to drugs and alcohol for a lifetime,” it says...
Mustang Public Schools recently discussed introducing an elective Bible class but shelved the idea after public pressure.
As for the purity program, the superintendent declined to speak with KOCO 5.
The district did send a statement:
“A volunteer trained in the curriculum delivers the information, but the science teacher is present ... the information does not include faith-based inferences.”
Parents have the option to keep their kids out of the class. KOCO 5 went to the school Thursday and most parents we spoke with say that while they have questions, they are allowing their kids to take part.
“I’m more in favor of it than against it. I think it will point our kids in a better direction,” said Brian Alexander, the father of a student.
When I was in high school, they had a very similar program to help kids remain horny, guilty, drug-free virgins. It was called orchestra.
Let's take a look at this letter. How bad could it be?
Let's be honest. Programs like this don't work. This would be like enrolling your dog in a class to keep it from sniffing other dogs. Teenagers are going to try to have sex and do drugs. Well, at least the cool ones are. Trying to stop them from having sex through fear-based, holier-than-thou "abstinence education" is a waste of time. If it worked, Oklahoma wouldn't be the New York Yankees of teen pregnancy.
But don't just take my word for it. Here's what ACLU Legal Director Ryan Keisel, a devout virgin, said about the class:
Oklahoma students deserve a medically accurate, evidence based sex education. Abstinence only programs have historically delivered misinformation that is proven to fail our students. These programs can stigmatize lgbt students and their families, shame students rather than empower them, and fail to address bullying and sexual assault in a meaningful way. In a state with one of leading teen pregnancy rates in the country, it is unconscionable that we would waste valuable instruction time in a science classroom with a program that, if history is any guide, is likely to do more harm than good.
So... what do you think? Should abstinence only programs be allowed in public schools, or should they remain in youth groups, churches and promise rings where they belong? First time caller gets some free Johnnie's.
