On Reproductive Health Reality Check (a terrific website I just recently discovered), Jane Fonda writes that Adolescent Pregnancy Must Become a Priority for All Americans. Teen pregnancy and birth are on the rise in this country, which is really sad. Blog your thoughts about it today and spread the word that action and awareness are needed!
I have been sad not to write for a few weeks; too insanely busy. People have been encouraging and I’m going to aim to post at least three times a week for the rest of the month. If you are interested in guest blogging on this site, do let me know.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports today that a middle school health teacher (*gasp*) answered student’s questions about homosexual sex, oral sex and masturbation. These topics are outside the core curriculum and a group of parents are so frustrated at being limited to administrative repercussions (the teacher has been put on paid leave pending investigation) that their representative in the Utah state house is introducing a bill that would enforce criminal penalties on teachers who deviate from state law governing sex education.
I look at this sort of thing and think this is why a teacher friend of mine warned me people would sue me if I wrote this blog. And here’s why I’m writing it anyway:
Thursday morning, students put up signs at the school supporting the teacher that read, “We were the ones asking her questions.”
I believe students deserve answers in an educational setting, as well as outside of one. You deserve answers. Ask away.
Talk hard, students of Utah.
So, did you hear about the 5-year-old who got voted out of his class?
The boy in question is, according to him mother, in the process of being diagnosed with Asperger’s, which is a high-functioning form of autism. The Asperger syndrome itself has a range from low-functioning to high-functioning, which generally describes how socially, physically, and cognitively coordinated the subject is. I happen to have two friends with Aspergers right now, both of whom are fairly high functioning, though they still have to interpret many social signals cognitively. What helps kids like that is patient feedback, such as explanations of (among other things) why other kids might find their behavior disruptive and unnerving, and how to act differently and interpret social signals.
What does not help is having the majority of a classroom express such feedback in a horribly humiliating session of “Tell Alex why you don’t like him,” which is what his teacher did. She has since been transfered; further punishment is currently up in the air.
If you have a student in classes with you who tends to rub people wrong and get in fights, try finding a moment just before conflict, when you see it coming, and head it off by explaining, in clear language, why you would have chosen to act differently. What input you took note of to come to that conclusion. What rules and social mores were at work in your head. Thinking about things that way might even be interesting to you. I had a friend in middle school who had fought a lot before he joined my class. I remember one day being surprised that he did not understand the basic concept of the social contract - of picking up after yourself because you hope someone else will do the same for your environment if they spill something, and because spills - of drinks, of a packet of pens, whatever - can be dangerous if left unattended to.
The person in question may not welcome your input. But then again you might be surprised. My friend started picking up on notions of social utility. He still bugged other people (especially for the month or so when he found it hilarious the way some girls would get upset just because he stood near them - social psychology and personal space at work) but he didn’t get in fistfights any more.
Try talking things out, and your whole school experience could become more interesting and less violent and disrupted. Try not to be mean about it. Let them know you want the best for them as well as yourself. Mean it. Talk hard.
The University of California at Santa Barbara offers a wonderful site called Sexinfo that has all kinds of information articles and frequently asked questions. I came across it while researching pubic hair for my last post and I recommend you check it out.
(Sorry I haven’t been posting all that regularly. Been a crazy week. I was trying to post a song yesterday but the sharing software wasn’t working. )
Sue Johanson, a grandmotherly-looking Toronto nurse, has been doing a sex education and discussion show on Oxygen for six seasons now. She’s retiring the show this week, but you can still find former episodes of Talk Sex with Sue Johanson online.
I have just added a link to the Kinsey Confidential Podcast to the Talk Hard! sidebar. The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction is a great place to get up-front information from experts in sexual health and behavior. The podcast is a joint project of the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University and WFIU Public Media.
Planned Parenthood of Western Washington has also recently started a podcast. It’s called Speaking of Sex and involves 20-minute segments co-hosted by a man and a woman who are traveling around the country talking to people about sex and sexuality in their communities. Not sure if that one’s going to take off but it looks like they’ve got big plans for it and I wish them well.