The Sexualization of Our Children - Part 2
Sex Education vs. Sex Act Education
Warning: This article contains mature language, adult content and is not appropriate for young audiences.
This one was harder to write, mainly because I’m a numbers and data person - numbers and data are just what they are. Sure, they can be manipulated in how they are presented in order to fit a narrative, but even that is still technically correct to the data even if misleading at times.
This topic is surrounded mainly by emotion and ego and one thing is clear, the people speaking out on either side of the issue are passionate in their beliefs.
In full disclosure, I went into researching material for this article with my bias already formed and firmly intact, but as I read through various sex education curriculums from across Canada, my stance has softened a bit in some areas. While I still have some major issues with children being exposed to explicit sexual materials in the school system and plan to advocate for change, we should think twice about “throwing the baby out with the bathwater” as the saying goes because there have been great improvements as well.
One item I noticed over and over in news stories and opinion pieces, both in support of the current curriculums and against, is that parents want to have a say if or when their child is exposed to certain topics and many (not all) proponents of the curriculum believe that parents need to sit down and shut up. In some extreme cases, administrations were actively attempting to undermine the students’ relationships with their parents. No adult, regardless of who it is should ask a child to keep secrets or conversations secret from their parents, ever.
Parents are the final authority when it comes to their children, full stop.
So, what do I see as some great additions?
Back in my day, sex education comprised of learning about puberty and how our bodies change, the reproductive system, how babies are created and how to prevent it, sexually transmitted disease and how to prevent it and of course abstinence. It’s been more than a couple of years, but I think that pretty much covers it. I even lamented to a friend recently, “what’s wrong with that, why can’t we go back to that?”
Well, times have changed whether we like it or not. For example, violence in teen dating has been on the rise for many years, the curriculum addresses that. It also addresses topics such as online safety, the dangers of sexting, and peer pressure. Quebec calls their program Sexuality Education and while the word ‘sexuality’ brings forth all kinds of horrible images of what may be being taught, after reading the program outline, in many areas it mimics New Brunswick’s ‘Personal Wellness’ program. It discusses things such as body changes while growing up, personal hygiene, bullying, etc. to the younger students. Those are all good things. As far as the older students are concerned, well, they are engaging in sexual relations and it’s in their best interest to learn the best ways to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. If we bury our heads in the sand and try to pretend it isn’t happening, teens will pay the price.
Where the program and I part ways.
As our children go up through the grades, the curriculum moves from the basics of biology and onto specific sex acts such as masturbation, sexual pleasure, and sexual pleasure in a romantic relationship. Someone is going to have to explain to me why it’s necessary for my child to sit in a classroom and discuss sexual pleasure not only in front of classmates but with a teacher who for all intents and purposes is a stranger, because I don’t see it.
I know many don’t believe that masturbation is part of the school curriculum in New Brunswick, here is a link to Anglophone School District West's personal wellness program, section 6.4.2, as just one example.
Now, does that mean I think all teachers are predators? Absolutely not, in fact, I’ve only had interactions with amazing teachers. But for our children, allowing these types of discussions to be mainstreamed in the classroom normalizes speaking to non-familial adults who are in a position of authority about the most intimate parts of themselves. That’s dangerous because while not all adults in a position of authority and trust are pedophiles, all pedophiles insert themselves in positions of trust to gain access. Does the name Donnie Snook ring any bells?
One might argue that kids have access to this stuff online. Fair point. But currently, most kids realize it’s inappropriate and therefore sneak doing it. We can debate whether that’s a good thing or not, but by normalizing discussions surrounding individual sexual acts and sexual pleasure in our schools, why should kids sneak it, hell, it might be homework.
The bigger question is this; why do we as a society want to normalize sex to our children? Our laws currently forbid sex with children, is the goal to eradicate that? There are so-called scholars trying to make the term ‘minor attracted person’ a sexual preference. Once pedophilia is legally considered a sexual preference, it is then covered under the Human Rights Act. Do you see the slippery slope we are on?
Why is most educational children’s tv/streaming programming subscription based but Porn Hub is free? It doesn’t require a login or even ask for your age, not that it would matter.
If you can’t figure out that our children are under attack, you haven’t been paying attention.
Talking about gender identity is important to prevent bullying.
Yes, it is. I would argue though, that speaking about all diversity is important to prevent bullying. Why are we homed in on gender? I think it’s a great idea to teach acceptance of all people and if not accepted by the school population, at the very least have zero tolerance on bullying regardless of the child.
It should be noted that in the quest of full acceptance we’re actually creating a new group to shame and bully; those students that believe female/male biology. Not too long ago, a co-worker’s child was asked in class his thoughts on transgenderism. He responded to the effect that it is none of his business how people wish to identify and that they should never be targeted for their choice but that biologically you are born male or female. That answer almost earned him a week suspension. Was he wrong? This is not science being taught at school, it’s an ideology, one that a child can be punished for if they don’t fall in line with it.
Why is it necessary to have drag queens visit our schools?
And now we’ve brought drag queen story time into the picture. A few weeks ago when it was held at the Moncton Public Library, the common refrain online was ‘if you don’t like it, don’t go”. Again, fair enough. But recently a school in Moncton, NB held drag time story time as part of their Acadian Pride Week. So much for the not going if you don’t like it bit. Now, in fairness, the school did offer parents the option to either keep their child at home or the school would engage them in a different activity during story time if the parent objected. To our knowledge, one child was kept away from story time and another parent was upset she didn’t get the email and was unaware it was taking place.
How many parents though, objected to it but didn’t remove their child out of fear of being labeled a bigot or their child being singled out and bullied themselves? It was an unfair position for students and parents to be placed in, drag time story time has become a political tool and has zero place in the education system, period. CBC did a mini documentary on the school visit, here’s the video. Maybe I’m crazy, but all but one of the children looked incredibly uncomfortable to be there.
Now you might read this and say that I just got done saying we need to accept all people and you’re now saying ‘except drag queens’. I’m not saying that at all. Drag is a form of adult entertainment, a very sexual one at that and very few people have an issue with it being performed in private venues or night clubs, no one is asking for drag to be outright banned. We do however have an issue with it being in our schools. So again, ask yourself why suddenly, the agenda of drag is being pushed on our children. Better yet, we should ask ourselves why we are allowing it.
Sex education has evolved - some of it good, some of it bad.
Back to the mentioning of my recent lament wondering why sex education couldn’t go back to the way it was when I was young, well, I have learned that would be a mistake. Times have changed and we must evolve with it. It’s great the program has advanced to teach about bodily autonomy, how to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease, the dangers of sexting, online exploitation, partner violence in teen relationships, and yes, acceptance of a person’s diversity. We would be doing a disservice to our youth by not teaching those things.
But the curriculum goes too far when it includes specific sexual acts or how to achieve optimum sexual pleasure. There is no place for that within the education system. Has anyone asked the teachers how they feel about this curriculum being forced on them too?
Where do we go from here?
Recently, I asked someone who’s opinion I value if they think gender and drag ideology being pushed in schools is an intentional distraction from the harms that were done over the last three years during the covid pandemic and the response I received was yes, but that it’s a distraction that we need to take on or else our children pay the price. I agree.
Hopefully where this goes is to a place where we can have honest, respectful discussions that maintain everyone's beliefs, values and dignity.
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