Alternatives to Morality Class? A question...

A reader wants to know which 5% of American high school students receive some comprehensive sex ed?

It appears that most of that five percent is taught in private funded schools.

A more important question, asked by the same reader:

"While it is paramount for the states to "get with it" and teach comprehensive sex education; are there other methods of advocating practical advice within the current frame work, that would reach the masses and would not be as susceptible to authoritative scrutiny, that should be exercised?"

There are a number of organizations such as Planned Parenthood and SEICUS that develope and present educational programs. As well, those two groups and others sponsor web sites that publish good sex health information targeted toward teens.

However, information from the net is only as good as the source. There is a lot of garbage out there. The filters in most school libraries will probably block access to all sites offering sex information.

Besides, this information is so vitally important to the health and well being of the next generation, so important to society, that it should be part of public education. Not left to a young uninformed students' individual trial and error search.

Comprehensive programs, developed and taught by professional educators, belong in public education.

Teen pregnancies, HIV infection rates, and other STD infection rates are higher among American teens than among European or Canadian teens.

American teens become sexually active earlier than European or Canadians.

The difference? America pumps $100 million dollars per year into belief based morality classes while Europe and Canada try to educate their children to make better choices.