Abstinence only in health classes not realistic
We attend a private Catholic school and with that, we are going to have to accept certain things: Prayer, Mass, religion classes, Catholic ideals, fine. Despite all of this, I feel it is necessary for BSM to teach both safe sex and abstinence in health classes.
To create healthy, educated adults in our modern world, this school must look at the reality; sex is everywhere. It’s in our music, movies, television, even our clothes. The school doesn’t have to become a part of this, but it must deal with the fact that it’s there.
Abstinence should be one method of safety that is taught, not the only one. Abstinence can be stressed as what the school feels is the right choice, but it shouldn’t be given as the only option. Rather, health classes should teach students about condoms, birth control, and other forms of contraceptives. It is the job of the school is to educate students so they can make good decisions in the future and know what the options are.
In this day and age it is simply irresponsible to preach to students about abstinence rather than to teach them about safe sex. Yes, we go to a Catholic school and the Catholic church tries to teach abstinence; however, teaching safe sex is not necessarily promoting students to have it. It is simply a precautionary measure.
In high school there are a lot of pressures, sex being a big one. Sex is an inevitable part of life and because of that fact this school should be responsible enough to teach its students how to be safe. We cannot just sweep this issue under the rug and pretend it is not there. Not addressing sex doesn’t make it go away, and it doesn’t stop people from doing it; it simply leaves our students to fend for themselves in finding out how to be safe.
We must teach students how to protect themselves if and when they decide they are ready. Maybe this shouldn’t be something freshmen learn, but juniors and seniors are nearing college, where it is essential to know how to be safe. Students must leave Benilde St. Margaret’s prepared for the world; giving them only abstinence as an option is not the way to do that.
I agree completely! This young, Catholic woman has a valid point. Our schools have a responsibility to reinforce God’s teachings, absolutely; however, we have a responsibility to prepare our children for the world they are living in now. Ignoring the fact that sex is bombarding our teens will not prepare them for a situation in which they lose control.
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Thank you for writing a story about BSM needing to improving the sexual education program. Not only are they depriving us of the experience to practice putting condoms on bananas, they are exposing us to the possiblity of contracting a STD or having to deal with an unwanted pregnancy. Just because we learn about sex and the proper protection in high school does not mean we are going to go out and have sex right away. If we aren’t going to learn about how to use a condom and other types of birth control in a required class, when would we learn. I know that the sexual education at Benilde-St. Margaret’s have improved since when my brother took it, when he was taught that you shouldn’t have sex because condoms don’t work, but there still needs to be a lot changes, at least in my opinion.
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It seems like someone is forgetting that Benilde is a Catholic school. It is not at all appropriate for funds to be spent on something (teaching about the use of condoms, birth control, and other forms of contraceptives) that is contrary and incompatible with Catholic teaching. The Church is clear about this subject and if Benilde were ever to endorse this it’s difficult to see how it could even be considered in good standing with the Church any longer.
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