And Texas becomes even scarier...

[thistlechaser]

Holy crap, Texas. Texas Republican Party Calls For Abstinence Only Sex Ed, Corporal Punishment In Schools, and an end to teaching "higher order thinking skills".

The abstinence only thing is horrible but not surprising.
That they want teachers to be able to hit kids is boggling.
But schools want to stop kids from thinking? Quote:

...they oppose the teaching of "higher order thinking skills" -- a curriculum which strives to encourage critical thinking -- arguing that it might challenge "student's fixed beliefs" and undermine "parental authority."

Yeah. The only way they'll keep their base is to prevent kids from being able to critically think about things and to make decisions for themselves.

This is really, really sad.

Comments

[quistie.livejournal.com]

You know what, I am indifferent about the Abstinence Only Sex Ed. Kids learn about sex from peers/TV/internet anyway. I am conflicted about corporal punishment—it's highly likely that there is a deeper issue at work. But yeah, that putting an end to teaching "higher order thinking skills" to avoid undermining parental authority is just...

If kids undermining parental authority is really such a problem, why not just outlaw puberty altogether? I am quite sure kids don't need critical thinking skills to undermine authority figures. They just need to be kids.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Shhh! They might take you up on that idea and try to outlaw puberty. (I could see them putting drugs in the water...)

[quistie.livejournal.com]

I am totally fine with that. At least they won't be able to breed, right? :P

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Ha! Yes. :P

[trackerceirin.livejournal.com]

The thing about kids learning from their peers/TV/internet is that you really cannot count on the other kids to be informed, or for the media to present it usefully. Sure, a few might be, but misinformation -spreads-. My area has abstinence-only sex ed (they even leave sex out of basic BIOLOGY, sperm + egg stuff gets taught with zero mention of things like how sperm GETS there) and the stuff I grew up hearing was just... I'm thankful I had the internet.

I grew up with a disturbing amount of peers believing you can't get pregnant the first time, or if you exercise after and do jumping jacks. They will learn about sex, yes. They may well never be taught about SAFE sex. It needs to be taught.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Also "or if you exercise after and do jumping jacks" made me snicker (even though it's not funny). Shake that sperm right out of you!

gets taught with zero mention of things like how sperm GETS there

... Magical sperm! Just sort of arrives.

[quistie.livejournal.com]

Well...I am not saying learning from peers/TV/internet is a good thing. It's just that peers/TV/internet generally win out over sex ed. And to be honest, internet isn't a terrible resource. A bit of critical thinking skills can go a long way.

...Oh, right. Yeah, Texas is screwed.

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

...internet isn't a terrible resource

You must live with a very different internet than mine. I had a friend in college who, quite literally, learned everything he knew about sex from the internet. His first sexual experience landed both him and his lady in the hospital with various injuries.