Students have qualms with sexual education
Sex-ed is a part of health not usually thought about in school, yet many students have issues with it, believing that the quality of the course is not as good as it could be. They are not alone in this criticism, since many local groups have tried to pass laws changing sex-ed all over the country.
As of now, Kansas’ only law passed regarding sex-ed is the “opt-out” law, making it so parent’s must give consent to put their child in sex-ed via permission slip. If this permission slip is not signed, students cannot attend. Some who have taken the course expressed concerns with the class and its content.
“It would greatly benefit from going over safe homosexual sex instead of just heterosexual education,” junior Eric Adams said.
Adams also mentioned the inclusion of safe transgender practices, like teaching proper binding techniques as it can cause damage to the rib cage and spine when done incorrectly.
“The graphs (used in class) are unnecessary,” junior Alicia Language said. “The stuff they teach us isn’t really useful. Abstinence is the only thing taught.”
Abstinence has been a source of controversy in several states because of the separation of church and state, with some arguing that it violates the idea because of abstinence’s root in Christianity.
Abstinence refers more to the practice of waiting to have sex until you’re married rather than avoiding it all together.
Principal Martin Straub said that although principals and teachers can give input regarding course content, the school board dictates the curriculum. Many topics must be gone over in the health class, like male anatomy, dating and AIDS. Also, pregnancy and the process of birth and labor are covered. Straub disagrees with the notion that abstinence should be kept out of the classroom.
“Abstinence should be a part of any good health curriculum, to not include it would be negligent,” Straub said. “There’s still a margin of error with other methods.”
While the input of principals is paramount in what instructors teach, they have a say in their inclusion of abstinence and what they make important in their class.
Instructor Rick Keltner stressed how difficult it is to put everything into a one semester class, since there are many important issues that need to be covered. The recent elimination of the health class at the middle school makes it so students can’t learn there either.
“No one said we have to,” Keltner said. “There are so many scary STIs (sexually transmitted infections) right now. It’s important we show them as many ways as possible.”
![English teacher Vanessa Schumacher likes to decorate her classroom for Christmas along with her house. Her school decorations are complete with a mini tree, as well as festive garland and lights hung around her room. “Every year I bring [the tree] on Nov. 1, or right after Halloween,” Schumacher said. “I bring it just to be funny.”](https://hayshighguidon.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Christmas-Decorating-Schumacher-Tree-242x475.jpg)
Jacob • Apr 26, 2017 at 9:36 am
In all honesty, most people in Hays High have already sex with someone they know when they were in middle school and the thought of teaching them the same thing that they already know since the beginning of middle school instead of being taught something that new to them about sex that still says it can be dangerous. The reason most students initially have sex in middle school is to know what it feels like and some (after their first time having sex) abuse it to their power cause it “makes them feel good” and they try to get any guy to be in bed with them basically (which by the way is the current problem). Also, Christians can also go against what the bible says meaning abstinence is basically tied to Christianity. Just tell them to try to avoid it instead of trying to make it sound like its from the bible and that if they do plan to do it with someone that they should at least be careful when doing it and to whom they do it with as it may result in abnormal or bad behavior from having sex with a person. Also I’d warn them about the consequences of their acts as it may result in pregnancy or infection.
benny titterington • Apr 26, 2017 at 1:19 pm
that is true jacob but also the reason for people doing this is to make the person who had sex with them a bad person which is also another problem so the thing i would say to us for sex ed is just dont have sex until marrige so you know the person you have is the one