Let's talk about sex

my favourite topic... which has been on the news a fair bit these few days too. or rather, not sex explicitly, but sex education. it seems that MOE wants to do more. though, according to the student that was interviewed, it seems that teachers are stuffing things down the students' throats (now now... what are you thinking of? i meant the 'proper values', principles of abstinence, etc). i.e. the approach seems rather didactic.

would it work though? probably not. i think expecting abstinence is unrealistic. besides, why abstinence? the only reason for abstinence is that it is the surest way of preventing STD and unwanted pregnancies. so perhaps one should go about it by talking about the nastiness of STD's and unwanted pregnancies, then following the discussion through to its logical conclusion of abstinence as the best way to prevent STDs and unwanted pregnancies.

other than that, i really cannot think of any other rational reasons for the insistence of abstinence.

then there is the issue of sexual orientation. it is interesting that the sexuality courses that are conducted in some schools include discussions of sexual orientations. and some of these courses have been 'outsourced' to various organisations, including one called Liberty League Pte Ltd, which recently got a grant of $100,000. various arguments have been raised against this grant. i would like to pick up 2 points.

first, i am against the portrayal of homosexuality as a disorder to be gotten rid of. some people just are homosexual. what rights do we have of making them lesser people than us? having said that, there are indeed some teenagers who are confused about their sexuality. however, rather than telling the students that homosexuality is wrong, i feel that we should help them find out what is right for them, straight or homosexual.

secondly, and more importantly, Liberty League apparently argues against homosexuality using the Bible,claiming that it is against God's will, etc. if that is true, than that is a clear breach of secularism. and if they are doing that in schools and in front of non-Christian students, then i'd say we should charge them with sedition, fine them and throw them in jail. and if they are indeed doing that, then i would encourage students in those classes to walk out. and if any teachers try to stop them, these students should invoke our constitution which gives students the freedom to not be under any religious influences in schools.

i wonder whether this has been brought to the attention of MOE, MCYS and NVPC.