I hope this is ok to post

[livie1205]

I am a little upset at my ds12 teacher...not for any reasons you may think.He came home with a form for A SEX ED CLASS so I signed it of course because I am ok with that.....well.....the teacher discussed abortion with the class! Let me say I am not one of those anti abortion people,I dont believe in it but its not my buisness if someone chooses that BUT I do not want my kids learning this in school or thinking its a form of birth control.I spoke to the teacher calmly and in a very nice way and she said it was NOT part of the class but a student asked about it so she talked about it.I just told her my thoughts and let it be,its her class but I wish he had not learned that in school.would you want your child to learn about this? I am not calling the principal or anything but it just bothered me.OK GOT THAT OUT hahaha PSA: this is NOT a abortion debate...

 

[Jennasis]

Abortion is an absolutely appropriate topic to discuss in sex ed. IMHO of course.

 

[plutotek]

What exactly was the slant of the discussion?

 

[golfgal]

Why wouldn't you think that is an appropriate topic for a sex ed class. It is pretty relevant I think.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I don't know how I feel about it. While I think 12 is a little young to discuss the topic, it's not that young either. In a couple of years, he's likely to hear of pregnancy in kids his own age.

My kid never tells me what they talk about in school. Anything they've discussed or covered in his sex ed class is a mystery to me. I can't draw anything out of him either. Ever since he was in preschool, I'd get this at the end of the day:

Me: "What do you do in school today?"
DS: "Nothing."

Me: "Who did you play with?"
DS: "Nobody."

He's in eighth grade now, and I get the same thing. Reading the Dis, I think I'm better off.

 

[golfgal]

I don't know how I feel about it. While I think 12 is a little young to discuss the topic, it's not that young either. In a couple of years, he's likely to hear of pregnancy in kids his own age.

My kid never tells me what they talk about in school. Anything they've discussed or covered in his sex ed class is a mystery to me. I can't draw anything out of him either. Ever since he was in preschool, I'd get this at the end of the day:

Me: "What do you do in school today?"
DS: "Nothing."

Me: "Who did you play with?"
DS: "Nobody."

He's in eighth grade now, and I get the same thing. Reading the Dis, I think I'm better off.

I think you are behind the times. When I was pregnant with DS17 there was a 13 year old that was pregnant and delivered about the same time (a day or two after we had DS--she delivered a 12 lb baby too --he looked like a 2 month old). There are some middle schools around the country that have DAY CARES. Sorry.

If a 12 year old brought up the question, most of the other kids are probably thinking about the same topic.

Our boys are the same way so we have just learned to ask their friends that are girls what is going on in school (well DD15 keeps us up to date on DS15).

 

[bgirldeb]

I think it's appropriate, especially seeing as a student brought it up. You can't expect everything that is talked about or taught in school to reinforce your family's personal beliefs. That's when communication and discussion at home come in. Abortion is not a happy topic by any means, but neither is Sex Ed.

 

[golfgal]

I think it's appropriate, especially seeing as a student brought it up. You can't expect everything that is talked about or taught in school to reinforce your family's personal beliefs. That's when communication and discussion at home come in. Abortion is not a happy topic by any means, but neither is Sex Ed.

Especially since for every parent that doesn't want this (or any) subject addressed there is a parent that does. Who is right and who is wrong? That is why it is called education--they are there to TEACH kids and sometimes that means learning things that are different. Our kids had units in school covering many different religions (when they were in Catholic Schools), should the not learn about other religions just because they are Catholic??

 

[Robinrs]

for that teacher. Kids that age need to have this discussion and I'm willing to bet the child who asked would've NEVER brought it up to her uptight parents and would've gotten her "info" from some stupid Facebook page or on YouTube or God forbid, her same age friends.

 

[livie1205]

It was during a talk about birth control, and like I said I am not anti abortion at all I just didnt feel ok that it was being learned about at school.When I spoke with the teacher she said it was NOT a subject that they have in the class to learn about, she was just taken by surprise and the topic got away from her.She said she will not be talking about it again.When I asked my son what HE thought it was he said "a form of birth control" because that is what they were learning about.I had to sit him down an explain it was not.

 

[sunnyday123]

Abortion is an absolutely appropriate topic to discuss in sex ed. IMHO of course.

This. And did the teacher tell them, "Now class, we're going to talk about a surgical form of birth control, it's called abortion."? Because unless she did, I don't see a problem.

 

[golfgal]

It was during a talk about birth control, and like I said I am not anti abortion at all I just didnt feel ok that it was being learned about at school.When I spoke with the teacher she said it was NOT a subject that they have in the class to learn about, she was just taken by surprise and the topic got away from her.She said she will not be talking about it again.When I asked my son what HE thought it was he said "a form of birth control" because that is what they were learning about.I had to sit him down an explain it was not.

Not that I agree with this but for some people it IS a form a birth control and like I said earlier, your believe is such that it is not but there is probably someone else in the class that DOES believe that--who is right and who is wrong?

 

[monkeybug]

At 12 years old I would imagine most kids already understand what abortion is, but may not have accurate information. I say to the teacher as well, at least that class of kids has factual information to take home and discuss with their parents.

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

When is abortion not a form of birth control? It ends a pregnancy, therefore preventing birth of a child. While I truly hope it is not used as a primary method of birth control, the reality is that accidents and bad things happen, even to young teens (condoms break, the pill fails, rape occurs...). I think it is important for adolescents to know all of their options and preferably from a reputable source.

I would have no problem with this being discussed in a sex ed class...in fact, I think I would be disturbed if it wasn't brought up at all. JMHO.

 

[Tosie]

At 12 years old I would imagine most kids already understand what abortion is, but may not have accurate information. I say to the teacher as well, at least that class of kids has factual information to take home and discuss with their parents.

You are so right - a student in my dh's Confirmation prep class thought abortion meant you kill the mom but save the baby.

 

[RadioNate]

I wouldn't have a problem with it.

Heck, I can't drive to the mall with out a giant nasty anti-abortion (you know the kind I'm referring to) billboard glaring down at me while I'm at the stoplight so it isn't like kids that age haven't been exposed to the concept of abortion.

 

[Micca]

Sounds like an appropriate topic for that class to me. Maybe now that the subject is "on the table" at home, this is an opportunity to have a chat with your DS about your feelings.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Pregnancy is a reality of sexual activity between heterosexual people. Abortion is often the consequence of unwanted pregnancy. How can a sex ed discussion be undertaken without discussing mitigating factors?

 

[Acklander]

I think it was an appropriate question for the student to ask during a sex ed class, and would have no problem with the teacher answering the question. Actually, I'd probably be more upset if the teacher didn't answer the student's question because I would want the students to feel comfortable asking adults questions like that and not relying on information from their peers

 

[livie1205]

The point is not if I agree with abortion,it was not on the approved material for this class that they sent home.This is simply something I would like to talk to my kids about in a parental setting, it does have alot to do with our own thoughts on the subject. They sent a letter explaining all the material they were allowed to discuss,the teacher was caught off guard and didnt know how to handle the question.I did not yell at her or put her down.....and no I will never tell my children that it is a form of birth control, when I do explain to them in detail it will not be in that context.
abortion in general it is not something they should take lightly or in place of birth control in any way, I will not feel bad for feeling that way.she was caught off guard she did not explain it well and all he learned is that "it was a form of birth control" thats why it should not have been talked about, if they wanted to add it to the material and inform parents then spend a certain amout of time explaining what it was and the aftermath of doing something like that then fine,inform the parents and do it right.