about Sexual Education...

One of the many problems in the debate over abortion is the fact people get pregnant in the first place. many talk about birth control, but what of personal responsibility and understanding of sex, pregnancy, and child birth in general? What about the sexual education taught to our children in school, or the lack thereof?

Many beleive that teaching children abstiance is the way, the only way, and everything else is playing dice with chemicals. Others say that properly educated children informed for not only abstianace, but also personal responsibility, contriceptives, and understanding of the remifications of sexual behavior would provide a better well rounded understanding and ability to choose their own sexual path.

what do you think about how children should be taught? at what age? in the school or in the home? and what should sex be taught as? As a negative -something to steer clear of and avoided till 'grown up'- or a positive -something wonderful, natural, but not without its ups, downs, and risks?

>>9 "If, suddenly, we just did away with public education alltogether, and closed down all the schools, do you really think your average person would then not know these subjects due to not having institutionalized classes in them?"

No, it'll just be more expensive and/or more difficult to obtain.

"If public schools closed, private schools would meet the people's demand for education.  Sex-ed should be left to the private sector."

That doesn't make any sense. public schools are the most readily available source of structured education, but you dont want sex-ed to be a part of it. YET, if all public schools closed, and private schools were the only thing left to pick up the slack, you would be in favor of sex-ed in said schools? How is private school any better of a place to teach sex-ed than public schools, whether or not one takes monopoly over the other? Those in public schools should recieve the same education as those in private. the level of quality wont be the same, but you can't justify one being more diserving of a certain curriculum than the other, let alone making it so the subject of sex-ed should ONLY be taught in private schools.

Also, last i checked, not everyone can afford private schools. No, public schools can't match what money can buy in a private school, but at least it's there. We shouldn't be comparing soup kitchens with five star restaurants. when it comes to schools, it's never good to let only those who can afford education have it. Instead of relying on individually funded schools, it would benifit us all if the quality of public schools rivaled that of private, and if it's gotta come from tax dollars so be it.  There's a saying 'college may be expensive, but not as much as ignorance.' same goes with general education.