
Journal pudge's Journal: Sex Education 137
I wrote this to a local TV station who had people arguing about which kind of sex education to teach in our schools. I did agree more with the abstinence side -- especially when the abstinence advocate asked the other to define abstinence, and she said "it's a choice some people make," refusing further clarification -- but my view is a bit different.
=====================
I wish your program had devoted some time to the notion that public school is not the place to teach *anything* about personal sexual activity, be it abstinence or not. It's not the information I have a problem with, it's the source.
Anyone who isn't family will not teach my children about sex, period. That's my job. And my children will surely know a lot more about sex, in a comprehensive and healthy way, than children who learn about it via a combination of MTV and the public schools.
Yes, many parents won't be such good teachers. I personally don't see this as a problem for the schools to take on, but if they must, then the class should be optional, and not the default option.
Further, so much time and money and energy is spent on deciding which type of sexual information to give to impressionable teenagers, instead of addressing the fact that -- compared to 30 years ago -- today's high school graduates are, overall, pretty ignorant. They don't know the difference between Andrew Johnson and Andrew Jackson, and couldn't even begin to tell you what a gerund is.
But some people decided that sex is more important than being well-educated. Perhaps if the children were more well-educated, they would be smart enough to figure things out on their own a bit better? Teach them history, teach them to figure out why things happened, why people did what they did, and what other choices they could have made. Pretty soon you'll get kids who are actually thinking for themselves.
But we can't have that, because government schools are designed to create programmed citizens who will do what is best for society. That's why there's so much emphasis on rates of sexual activity, pregnancies, and diseases. But I am raising intelligent, creative, confident, and capable individuals. Statistics are irrelevant to the parent; what matters is the individual. I am far less concerned with statistics than I am about my own individuals, including the psychological impact of strangers giving them intimate information about sex.
I am no anti-government wacko (believe it, or not). But in the case of public schools, there can be no denying that they are not designed with the best interests of the individual children in mind, but with society in mind. And that's not good enough for my children, and the current debate about which form of sex education to teach is a perfect example of why.
Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
I wanted to say something long, drawn out, intelligent-sounding, but it basically comes down to this: If removing sex education results in a quantifiable, significant increase in ignorant sexual behaviour, is following the philosophy the right thing to do?
Quick defintion of "Quanitifiable, significant increase in i
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
That's a huge "if," and from my understanding of these things, I don't think it is even possible to show that a quantifiable change is the result of removing sex education. There are too many other factors that would make such a conclusion impossible, I
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
In high school I learned about what happens when someone starves to death. I learned some staggering s
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
No, they can't.
Kids should know about it because the consequences of not knowing are bad for them and society.
And potentially bad for the individual students. I couldn't care less about society, if in the process my child is getting hurt.
It should be up to parents to teach their kids context for sex ed to fit into.
If the parents are providing this context, then there is no need for the government to teach it in the first place.
You sure a
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
Then neither can history. If a kid asks a teacher why slavery was abolished and wants to know why people felt it was bad, what should the teacher say? Can't teach economics because a kid might ask why do so many people go hungry. Can't read any challenging books in english because some parents think murder is okay. Do you want a kid asking the teacher "why is murder wrong?"
Schools teach kids many values even in seemingly non-controversial subjects like history, economics, and English.
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
Not much, except to assert that it is bad. Which is a big reason why public schools suck. Find me a public school teacher who gives a really good answer as to why slavery is bad, and I'll show you a waitress who can calculate tip and tax in her head, because all answers either reference religious beliefs, or are circular arguments about natural order. The latter is not a really go
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
The threat of unwanted pregnancy and disease are just so relatively irrelevant in terms of the impact of sex and one's life. However you look at it, small numbers of people will encounter those problems, but everyone who has sex will have to deal with the psychological impact of sex.
Pretty much everyone who has premarital sex, for example, compares their current mates to past ones, and this has a detrimental impact on those relationships, in a many cases. That effect may be slight (perhaps spending too
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
I don't want this to become the point of the discussion. I added it grudgingly here because I came to realize many people really didn't get it, that there are other considerations. I should have though, since my point is that those considerations are being ignored.
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
No, you don't. Having sex -- especially for girls -- is much different from any other behavior they engage in.
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
Well then, what's different about the problems?
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
Kids should know about it because the consequences of not knowing are bad for them and society.
The argument that something should be done because to do otherwise is bad "for society" is subjective and untenable. I think it's "bad for society" if people don't go to church every Sunday ... does that give me a right to impose my will on people? Because opinions about what is "good for society" and "bad for society" are so subjective and can differ wildly, we should construct our government in such a way
Re:Idealism versus reality (Score:2)
If removing sex education results in a quantifiable, significant increase in ignorant sexual behaviour, is following the philosophy the right thing to do?
Very interesting question, and well worth considering. If that action did have that result, I certainly would question the philosophy.
Let me rephrase the question to make it even more interesting: suppose removing this education resulted in a quantifiable increase in this ignorant behavior in the short term, but in the long term resulted in a quanti
interrelated points (Score:2)
We don't allow public schools to teach religion, or political ideologies, yet they still teach values. I learned
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
I am not sure why you bring this up, as I didn't refer to "inducement."
People still have the right to homeschool their kids, but if they aren't going to, I want these kids knowing somethings about how the world works and that includes sex.
No offense, but I don't really care what you want. This is about what should be done, not what people want to be done.
What are the psychological
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
Maybe it occured to you that a common argument against sex ed is that kids will have sex because now they know. Just thought I'd weigh in should that come up.
No offense, but I don't really care what you want. This is about what should be done, not what people want to be done.
The whole reason I brought up the books and classes I took was to point out children are tought things in school besides the three R's. What makes sex ed dif
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
Maybe it occurred to you that I am uninterested in arguments directed toward me against arguments I am not making.
The whole reason I brought up the books and classes I took was to point out children are tought things in school besides the three R's. What makes sex ed different than learning how racism is wrong, or how our economy works?
Because racism has been one of the most important forces in our nation's history, and the economy actually can be adeq
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
I don't think it's a bad idea, and I'll tell you why.
Teach kids religion, but start with spirtuality in general. The feelings of being connected, either to oneself, or something greater. Those spirtual underlie religion. Then teach how and why 12.43% [cia.gov] of the world is non-religious. Then teach Buddhism because it doesn't involve God(s). God(s) are a
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
You're in an extreme minority. You think most parents want some damned atheist/Mormon/Christian/Jew/Muslim/Buddhist/etc. teaching their kids about religion?
I used to go to a Reform Judaism temple. I went to a retreat with kids from many other Reform temples. We spent a day learning about the other forms of Judaism. Conservative, Orthodox, Humanistic, Reconstructionist, and Hasidic. It was quite educational, informative, and eye-opening, to learn the
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
It's too bad they aren't more confident in the strength of their faith. Of course it is a fair argument that the "dark side" is incredibly seductive. It might pull the children over before they've been properly converted/indoctrinated to the parents' beliefs.
And you were introduced to those things within a given trusted context, which is obviously dissimilar from how it would be
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
You are not addressing any meaning I had, so I have no response except, "OK there, buddy".
If they were taught religion in a vacuum then it would be up to the parents to talk to their kids about what they've been learning and give context, which is e
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
It might pull the children over before they've been properly converted/indoctrinated to the parents' beliefs.
I do have to say that I believe anyone who has a problem with any particular belief or group of beliefs taught to children has a moral obligation to support adult education efforts aimed at people raised with those beliefs, in order to help them cope and, if necessary, escape. But if it is legal to hold the belief in our society, then it is legal to expect to be allowed to teach one's children t
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
But public education != secular education. I don't have a problem with a comparative religion class being taught in a public school - nor should anyone -- in a broader context it's world history. How can you teach about "Western Civilization" without bringing up the effect that Christianity had on it. My public school didn't play games and pretend that the world was not shaped by religion - nor should any public school.
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
And they may be more likely to engage in dangerous sex if they are taught about sex in school.
You're playing with the well-being of someone else's children in the hope that overall, you can improve certain statistics, which clearly don't even tell the whole picture.
Is it in the best interest of the public at large when some, per
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
And they may be more likely to avoid dangerous sex if they had any clue about what is dangerous and what isn't. Why draw the education line at sex? If students are being taught about every other aspect of health and well-being why draw the line at health? Why is it that we require more hours of education to drive a car than to discuss the impacts of having sex?
You're playing with the well-being of someone e
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
I am not contesting that. I am contesting that we should be engaging in social engineering, especially considering we do not have nearly a complete picture about the effects it will have.
Why draw the education line at sex?
I have already wrote at length in this discussion about what makes sex unique in this regard.
Why is it that we require more hours of education to drive a car than to disc
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
Sorry, haven't through all of the posts.
Please understand: I am stating as a given that no studies give a complete picture.
But you don't want to waste the money to study it either ;-) Seriously, I don't think it's wise to throw the baby out with the bath water. Just because we don't have a complete picture of the impacts of the current systems (and there are many in use throughout the country) doesn't m
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
That's begging the questions, since my argument is precisely that we are not throwing out anything worthwhile.
doesn't mean we drop what we have in favor of nothing
Actually, it does. If we can't be sure we're doing the right thing, then we should do nothing. Social engineering is a dangerous business. Don't touch it.
If you don't want your kids in a sex-ed class, call their school and opt them out of it.
I shouldn't have to. I shou
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
But your argument is that public sex ed is not worthwhile and hence it should be thrown out. I don't see enough evidence that it's not worthwhile.
This is just incredible that we say "teachers" are allowed to do this without explicit parental permission, but other adults are not. That is, literally, insane.
And doctors, clergy, etc... There are plenty of professions where it's appropriate. And it's not all teachers - it's some
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
No, it is not.
And doctors, clergy, etc... There are plenty of professions where it's appropriate.
Only with *explicit* permission from the parents.
No, you're just arguing for an absence of public education - but not providing the means for the whole public to educate their children themselves.
The "means" for someone to teach their own kids about sex?
Are you serious?
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
but not providing the means for the whole public to educate their children themselves
What do you think the public library is for (assuming parents don't know enough about sex to educate the child they created with the process).
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
Ah... the public library. A place that's funded by public money and carries books about sex - are you sure you don't want to take the books out of the library too? But seriously - I'm not talking about middle class families with decent jobs and education - I'm talking about poor folks. Women in poverty having children at age 15. If a mother wasn't taught by her
Ahh (Score:2)
The reason why real Sex Ed (not the watered down crap they ladle out in schools) is important is so that people like you don't become grandparents prematurely. If parents are not willing to take responsibility (and we can get into the discussion of the definition of 'unfit' later), then someone else has to do it. It is essential for society that people who are not ready to have children are educated on the t
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
Not in all cirumstances, but I get what you're saying. As I recall, in my school parents were informed specifically of when sex ed would be taught as part of the broader health class, and given the option to opt their child out of class. That seems permission based to me. Besides that, all of the talk about sex is done in very clinical terms - you'd get descriptions as or more graphic on the discovery channel.
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
I think it's important that the people of the world know a little bit about other religions, or at least enough to accept them and not be bigoted.
Man, I couldn't agree more! In the past year I have done detailed study on Orthodox Judaism, B'nai Noach, Catholicism, the "International Church of Christ" (also known as the Boston Church of Christ), and quite a bit of minor study on other groups (you failed to mention Karaite Judaism, which interested me greatly). And my then-fiance now-wife talked a great
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
Yeah, so many people associate homeschooling with restrictive access to information. With the people I know, it's precisely the opposite. My #1 reason for homeschooling is, far and away, to provide MORE opportunity to learn, not less, and about every subject. The
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
My #1 reason for homeschooling is, far and away, to provide MORE opportunity to learn, not less, and about every subject. The #2 reason, again far and away, is that we can teach those things in what we believe is the proper context.
Same here. I also have as a major reason that it is an exercise of my civil liberties, and I believe that by the mere act of exercising this right I help keep the right safe for others and thereby benefit society.
Crazy stuff like Maryland schools refusing to allow the men
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
BTW, and I hope I'm not going too far off topic, my wife and I were discussing Internet access for our children the other day, and for anyone looking in who thinks homeschoolers and religious people are all about censoring and restricting access, we are agreed NOT to spend any time dealing with filtering software for our internet connection. (And given that my wife was exclusively homeschooled, you'd think she'd be all about getting filtering, if it were true that homeschoolers are that way.) We are proba
Re:interrelated points (Score:2)
Because let's face it, sometimes porn just happens when you aren't looking for it. Like, I was researching some hacker tools for reading IP packets and the site had explicit porn ads all over it. So any blocking software would just be an aid. I fully agree about putting the computer in a public room.
sad part is... (Score:2)
Re:sad part is... (Score:2)
you won't be able to get your kids out of the class without embarassing them to tears
Which is why pudge says it should be opt-in, not opt-out. (I believe his actual wording was "this should not be the default.")
come High School when this is a mandatory
Mandatory according to whom? Do you have the impression there is a federal mandate that there be sex education in high school? I had no sex education in high school at all (unless you count overhearing raunchy talk on the part of my peers); that
Re:sad part is... (Score:2)
I like this fantasy Government you live under where WE get to decide things.
Re:sad part is... (Score:2)
I don't think my high school health class discussed sex at all, though I do recall discussing pregnancy and prenatal care.
Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Is the idea that if kids know these things, they'll have more sex, or what?
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Did you read the part where pudge said, "It's not the information I have a problem with, it's the source"?
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Please read the very first paragraph of my letter again. It's not the information I have a problem with, it's the source.
How would you like it if I came to your door, rang the bell, and your little 12-year-old girl answered, and I told her that she should have her partner wear a condom when he inserts his penis into her vagina? I woul
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
My daughter's not at that stage yet, and deep in my black heart I wish her to remain a virgin until she's 30, but since I know the chances of that happening are nil, I want her to know as much as she can from multiple sources.
Now, I may not agree with everything that she gets taught in school, but I'm here to give her my perspective on things, which she can compare and contrast to what she's been taught. This lets her, you know, make her own decisions, an
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
deep in my black heart I wish her to remain a virgin until she's 30
Suddenly it seems you're the one with the repressive feelings about sexuality. I can't understand that at all. And while I do not have a daughter (though a son is on the way, at 7 months gestation), my wife said she never got a message like that from her father, either.
My wife and I lost our virginity last year, on March 12, when we got married. I was 26, and she was 22. Our parents certainly never pressured us, but they did desire
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
It's a message I hope she never picks up from me. It's incredibly selfish, I readily admit. But it's there. "Repressive" would be denying it's existence, not admitting it.
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
It sounds like you want to repress her. Don't you understand that I have trouble accepting statements about how children should be educated sexually from a man who apparently feels, deep down, that sex is a "dirty" thing that must be kept away from his children?
I notice your original question was, "Is the idea that if kids know these things, they'll have more sex, or what?" (Which, incidentally, completely missed the point that pudge's problem is with kids learning these things from the government rather
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Interesting viewpoint, since the thrust of your's and Pudge's posts seems to be that sex should not be taught by anyone but the parents because it can cause moral and ethical problems.
(Which, incidentally, completely missed the point that pudg
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
How does this logically follow as different from what else was said? Sex is not itself bad, but it can be extremely dangerous, both physically and psychologically; everyone knows this. Therefore, there is significant danger if it is not taught properly. And what is "proper" is different for everyone.
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
What keeps you from teaching your children? It's not an either-or situation, here; school can teach those "duh" things that everyone agrees on, and then you can correct or expound on what you wish. Yes?
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Why do you presume I am not? What are you talking about?
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
No, I'm just trying to figure out why in the world you don't want your daughter to have sex until she is 30.
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
At 12 years old? I know I'd shoot someone who did that to my daughter.
My daughter's not at that stage yet, and deep in my black heart I wish her to remain a virgin until she's 30
I don't wish that for my children at all.
but since I know the chances of that happening are nil
Again, this is not about the information, and not about what she does.
That said, not 30, but I was a virgin until I was 21. So was my wife. *shrug*
Now, I may not agree with ev
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
At 12 years old? I know I'd shoot someone who did that to my daughter.
Yes, but because of the source, not because of the information. I think he still missed that. Instead of his daughter saying, "Duh," she should go call the police because a strange man is talking about sex to her!
Err, not that you're strange. But if you ever knock on my door and want to talk to any of my children about this, I'll change my mind.
That said, not 30, but I was a virgin until I was 21. So was my wife. *shrug*
I'm
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Fascinating. Why? Would you shoot someone who told your daughter "Look both ways before you cross the street" or "Don't take candy from strangers"?
By whom? Some stranger on the street?
Straw man. Obviously, any stranger who takes too great of an interest in our children -- god forbid it's a 35-ish year old white male who's alone -- has to be watched like a hawk, but that's for reasons completely unrelated to the content of the
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
that's for reasons completely unrelated to the content of the message
And I ask again, did you miss the part where pudge said, "It's not the information I have a problem with, it's the source"? He's explicitly stated from the beginning that this is NOT about the content of the message.
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
You don't understand? Fascinating.
Straw man.
Not remotely.
Obviously, any stranger who takes too great of an interest in our children -- god forbid it's a 35-ish year old white male who's alone -- has to be watched like a hawk, but that's for reasons completely unrelated to the content of the message. Try replacing "stranger on the street" with "mass distributed pamphlet in the mail".
A teacher in a classroom of less than 30 students is far more intimate than a pamphlet. And if suc
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Since you already stated that "it's not the message, but the source", I am actually really curious. If your response is to brush it aside, then I believe our conversation is over.
A teacher in a classroom of less than 30 students is far more intimate than a pamphlet. And if such a pamphlet were intentionally addressed to my child through the mail, I would have the culprits arrested.
Would you have anyone who told your child facts arrested, or is this only relating to
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
I did not brush it aside. It's important. But it's not something I can teach you, especially since you want your child to not have sex until she's 30, and yet you have no problem with a stranger telling her about it. That just makes no sense, and I don't know how I could possibly explain it to you given your conflicts.
Who say
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
I also want a million dollars. Doesn't mean I'm going to knock over 7-11s or start a spam company. I can only assume that you've had sinful thoughts yourself; what's too hard to understan
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
What sinful thoughts did you have that you're referring to? I don't get it.
you're saying that you'd prefer they (that is, the school) teach absolutely nothing at all on the issue, rather than teach something that's inadequate?
In the case of sex, yes.
Given that public schooling as we know it exists, do you think these topics (death penalty, war, etc) should be taught in schools?
If schools are to be as they are now, which is the default for
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
In reference to my wanting my daughter to be a virgin till she's 30. It's selfish on my part; a desire for her to be my child forever instead of letting her grow into an adult.
In the case of sex, yes.
Why do you say "in the case of sex"? What makes sense different from other subject matter. You've stated already that there are conflicting viewpoints on sex, but that doesn't address items that (almost) everyone can agree o
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
I think you meant "sex" not "sense," and I have already written to you at considerable length about what makes sex different. If you are going to pretend I did not, then I won't bother any longer.
What's being taught in sex ed now that's being taught that you object to?
Again, for the umpteenth time, it is the source, not the information.
Are you against the War on Terror, too?
Why would I be? You seem to be implying one of three things: that terr
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
I looked back through, just to see if I missed something. I see that sex cannot be taught seperate from its "emotional, psychological, and moral contexts". And that society has differing viewpoints on sex. But in regards to the second point, you agree that there are some sex concepts that are pretty universal
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Yes, because it's like telling a soldier they just need to follow orders and then sending them off to war.
But what's the matter with the source if it's something universally accepted?
Whether it is universally accepted is beside the point. It's just as universally accepted that Nazis killed millions of Jews (at least in this part
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
Re:Perhaps I'm missing something here... (Score:2)
A teacher you've likely never met, and almost certainly know very little about, who knows very little if anything about you and lacks the ability to respect your beliefs and views.
I call that a stranger.
the past and now (Score:2)
A friend of mine got herself educated in ter
Re:the past and now (Score:2)
I don't think so. I think you misread. I said students today were pretty ignorant relative to 30 years ago, and I qualified that by bringing up points of history and grammar, implying I was referring to overall learning, not sex education.
I guess what I'm getting at is who is to say what is right or wrong in respect to sexual education when modern society is already so far removed from what some scholars see as normal.
That's
I somewhat agree... (Score:2)
Re:I somewhat agree... (Score:2)
Ah, but parents who are apathetic are likely to have children who voluntarily sign up. Or more likely to sign the permission slip the excited hormonal kid foists on them without even reading it.
Having your parents opt you out of sex-ed classes is probably about as embarrassing as the poor atheist kid who wants to opt out of his teacher leading a prayer. I remember in 5th grade being teased as we stood in line to file into the classroom where the boys sex-ed film was being shown, by "friends" who express
Re:I somewhat agree... (Score:2)
But this presumes that this is the proper function of the school, to pick up this slack, and I already noted that I do not think it is.
Re:I somewhat agree... (Score:2)
But you aren't argueing against this really. You say:
You appear to accept that they WILL include such a program and argue how and why it should be optional. I felt your argument wasn't a very strong one.
Overall, I agree with you that it should not be the job of public schools to teach ki
Re:I somewhat agree... (Score:2)
Yes, I am. That I accept the reality that sex education in schools is not going away any time soon does not mean I am not arguing against it.
Re:I somewhat agree... (Score:2)
I base this on the assumption that an involved parent is more likely to 'opt out' of such a program than an apathetic parent (the most likely TARGET of such a program) would be to 'opt in'.
Sex education - another viewpoint (Score:2)
However, I have to consider the very reason why we have sex education in public schools. Many children have parents who are ignorant themselves (sometimes by choice, sometimes by circumstance). Many parents are so completely uncomfortable discussing sex that they avoid the topic. Some parents, based on a religious belief that sex is not to b
Re:Sex education - another viewpoint (Score:2)
So? The point I am making is that without some greater context, the information is capable of doing significant damage, and these parents won't provide that context. I contend no public school instruction is better than what they would get.
Some parents, based on a religious belief
Another techie analogy (Score:2)
In our society we let parents create the hardware, firmware, and operating system kernel in a child's mind. Then we expect to hand them over to mass schooling for the installation of proprietary drivers and DLLs, hoping against hope that it will all be compatible.
Re:What about tolerance? (Score:2)
Otherwise the homophobes and bigots of today will be freely creating the homophobes and bigots of tomorrow in their sons and daughters.
If it's legal for the parent to hold the attitude, then it's legal for the parent to raise the child that way. If you want to deal with that problem, then don't assume school is the solution: simply make it illegal for both parent and child. (And when you point out how hard it would be to implement that, I counter that expecting schools to solve a problem of that magni
Re:Sure, you're right (Score:2)
A couple of techie analogies.
Ever heard of the "Chinese room experiment" in AI? Related to the Turing test, the basic idea was that if you could get an English speaking guy locked in a room to follow rules to write marks on strips of paper that came out to be Chinese, in response to Chinese on strips of paper slipped into the room, you still wouldn't prove there was a Chinese speaker in the room, and there wouldn't be. As applied to AI, the idea is that even when you perfectly emulate human intellegence
Re:Sure, you're right (Score:2)
But it misses out so much of the human experience
The opinion that the rest of the human experience should be encountered naturally rather than in the artifical environment of school is no less valid than the opinion that school should encompass all of it.
but by dictating what it, or society as a whole, wants to teach your kids
Neither the government nor society have a right to dictate what shall be taught to my kids. Suggestions are welcome; busibodiness is not. I personally do not have a right t
Re:Yes (Score:2)
It does not have the right to teach our kids anything it wishes to, no. It has the power, but not the right.
can't speak for those wishing to ban homeschooling, it seems perverse to me. It's a pressure valve which indicates to government when its going badly wrong.
No. Homeschooling is the ideal. Public school is a poor substitute for it.
It is impossible to provide a tailor made curricullum f
Re:Yes (Score:2)
I'm afraid government does have a right to teach your kids if you are sending them to a government institution.
Government does not have the right to compel the attendence of my children at that institution.
This about education for the good of all, not about imposing the will of the majority.
Doing something "for the good of all" necessarily imposes the will of the majority. It is the majority that determines what is "for the good of all." You can't say there's some objective standard out there ab
Re:What about tolerance? (Score:2)
I would hope they would not do such a thing.
Otherwise the homophobes and bigots of today will be freely creating the homophobes and bigots of tomorrow in their sons and daughters.
Liberty be a harsh mistress.
Re:What about tolerance? (Score:2)
It's both, in part. You cannot reasonably teach tolerance about homosexuality in a public school classroom without delving into areas that are inappropriate for public schools.
For example, a teacher says, "be tolerant of homosexuals." A student says, "you mean I should not treat them differently?" "Right." "So we should allow them to marry?" Oops. Or
Re:What about tolerance? (Score:2)
Except that a white racist who acts on those feelings by refusing to rent to a black has committed a crime. Murder and anarchy are also illegal. So in school we read The Color Purple and Lord of the Flies. That taught us morals, and it benefitt
Re:What about tolerance? (Score:2)
You're just telling us why the goals of government schools are inherently in conflict from the goals of parents and therefore are, at best, less than ideal.
Re:What about tolerance? (Score:2)
Re:What about tolerance? (Score:2)
That might be true if I wanted power centralized in the federal government. As I do not, it is not. Nice try though.