No Privacy for Parents
Liberals love the so-called right to privacy. They discovered it decades ago somewhere in the “penumbras” of our Constitution. This ever-expanding right to privacy provides them with legal cover to support everything from abortion on demand to homosexual behavior. But somehow this right to privacy stops at the front door of parents who want to control how and when they discuss the birds and the bees.
Let me explain. Parents of elementary-age children in Palmdale, California, recently took school officials to court. The parents had discovered that district officials had administered a sex survey of their kids without their knowledge or consent. Before you assume these parents were a bunch of up-tight prudes, here are some of the questions their 7- to 10-year-olds were asked. The kids were told to reveal how often they experienced the thought or emotion:
“Touching my private parts too much.”
“Thinking about having sex.”
“Thinking about touching other people's private parts.”
“Not trusting people because they might want sex.”
“Getting scared or upset when I think about sex.”
“Having sex feelings in my body.”
“Can't stop thinking about sex.”
“Getting upset when people talk about sex.”
As the father of three youngsters, I think this survey reveals more about the fixations of the adults who designed and administered it than the kids who were forced to take it.
Many school districts, of course, have “opt-out” provisions when controversial subjects are taught, allowing parents to decide how children should be exposed to certain ideas. The height of tolerance, right? Not in California, apparently.
In November, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in the Palmdale case that parents do not have the final say in sex education. (This is the same court, mind you, that ruled that the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance are unconstitutional.) Judge Stephen Reinhardt ruled: "There is no fundamental right of parents to be the exclusive provider of information regarding sexual matters to their children." Reinhardt also wrote that "parents have no due process or privacy right to override the determinations of public schools. . . ."
No one denies that the state has a role in helping to shape the characters of our children, and that there are still many excellent public schools. But in this ruling, the Ninth Circuit Court is trying to usurp the God-given responsibility of parents to raise their children according to the dictates of conscience and religious belief.
If this ruling stands, don’t be surprised if more and more Christian parents choose to “opt out” of public education altogether. At least those who can afford to.
posted by Stan Guthrie at 6:44 AM
StanGuthrie.com
1 Comments:
While I agree that all parents should educate their children as to the proper use of their sexuality and the nitty-gritty of how babies are born, the problem is, parents just don't do that. Also, when parents do educate their children about sex, they do it too late. Today, twelve year olds are already experimenting with sexual intercourse. Therefore, waiting until our children are teens is a bit too late to begin sex education.
Do I like this trend, of children having sex so early in their lives? Of course not, and, sadly, what I like or dislike is not going to protect my grandchildren from the sexual pressures placed on younger and younger children in today's society.
So, I am saying that parents should tell their children all about sex at the age of eight? No, of course not. Sex education, however, should start much younger. By that statement I mean that from the time children realize that boys and girls have different genitalia (about the age of five if I remember correctly) they should be told the proper names of those parts. It's a penis and a vagina, not a peepee and a private hole. Even at that young age children should be taught that no one is to touch those parts of their body in a way that makes them feel funny or strange.
As they age, even pre-pubescent children should be told that those parts, as well as their breasts and mouths have special nerves which, when touched in certain ways, can make them feel very nice and that nice feeling is supposed to be given by husbands and wives as part of how they show their love for one another. This is where they need to be taught that there are people who will tell them that the nice feeling is for anyone to bring about and that is a lie. It is also important at this time to tell them that when people are married the man puts his penis into his wife's vagina and spills his sperm into her which is how babies come to be. For most children this will be an eeuuw thing at this age. That is a perfect opportunity to let them know that no one but their mate should perform this act with or on them. It is at this age that children need to learn that their body belongs to them and no one may try to make babies with them without their permission and/or until they are an adult.
In all sex education of children the most important thing is for parents is to let the children know that they can ask any questions and can tell their parents anything about what they feel or about what someone else tries to do with them. Open communication and straight talk about sex along with telling your children exactly what you believe about the moral side of sex, what is right and wrong to you and why, is the key to bringing forth healthy teens and adults who respect themselves and others and who know how to say no to illicit sexual activity and/or sexual intercourse outside the bounds of marriage.
Often, the role of the school ends up being the total sex educator for the child. Their role should be as presenter of biological facts without moral judgment. Their role should also extend to telling their students that their are valid health and economic reasons to delay sexual intercourse until marriage. The problems of teen aged pregnancy and STD's should be frankly discussed as well as the facts about birth control and that there is no foolproof method of preventing babies except abstinence for healthy teens. The difference between love and lust can and should be included. It is up to the parents, however, to remind their children of their religious beliefs surrounding sexuality.
Yes,I beleive that sex education should be done in the home. It should also be done in schools, however. The epidemic of std's and teen pregnancy is real. Not informing our children about the sex act and the consequences of early sexual intercourse is wrong.
If christian parents have done their job, then opting out will not be necessary. Instead, the school classes will become springboards for discussion at home where the christian moral view can be overlaid on the purely scientific, health and economic approach that school sex education usually does and should take.
The most important thing that christian parents can give their children regarding sex and sexuality is a sense of positive self-worth and a loving family where no subject is taboo and the children can discuss their sexual feelings and fears openly without fear. The best way a parent can communicate morality is to practice it and also to provide a place where their children can ask about sex and discuss all of their options openly instead of having to ask their friends, who will not give them either correct or moral answers.
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