NYT: Letters on Abstinence and the Sex Ed Debate
One especially insightful analogy:
To the Editor:
Nicholas D. Kristof makes a compelling case against teaching abstinence-only, to the exclusion of contraception, to our young people. He cites studies indicating increases in unwanted pregnancies and abortions, and the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS, resulting from abstinence-only programs.
For those who still can't grasp how irresponsible abstinence-only programs are, consider an analogy of a general safety class: A teacher informs students that shooting guns is dangerous, so they should not do that. A student says: 'I have a gun, I have a right to shoot it, and I'm going to shoot it. Are there any safety measures I can take to reduce the chances that I hurt myself or someone else?' The teacher (being prohibited from discussing gun use safety) says, 'Just don't shoot your gun.'
Is that responsible?
Jack Glaser
Berkeley, Calif., Feb. 16, 2005
The writer is an assistant professor, Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley.
posted by Bob at
7:01 PM
3 Comments:
You're right; that is a good analogy!
By
erinberry, at 10:57 AM
A brilliant analogy! Bob and I attended highschool with many gun-owning students, and not a single one of us was required to take a high school course on gun safety. In fact, had one been required of all students we can safely surmise that controversy would follow, schools being gun-free zones and all... Instead, there exists a multitude of resourses for under-age hunters to learn how to properly use and care for their weapon. In the "internet age", there also exists a multitude of resources for under-age lovers to learn how to properly use and care for their other "weapon". So should we be surprised when parents get upset when their kids are required to take sex-ed?
By
David L. Graff, at 6:10 PM
Wow, that is so right! I am already pro-comprehensive sex education, but that analogy really gives me another spark to keep going on it.
By
Anonymous, at 6:45 PM
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