Reply #12: Ah, Massachusetts!

[TayTay]

My kids had 'health class,' which was teaching a range of health issues included traditional sex ed. Both my kids took this and had frank discussions of condoms, STDs and so forth. Abstinence is also taught, but as a choice in a range of choices. My daughter has her own doc at college and we discussed her payment and medical options for all her health needs, including pregnancy prevention. I didn't quiz her on it, that's her business, but I wanted her to know that she is covered when and if she wants it. It was a fairly easy conversation. I have the same conversation with my son about his options. My nephew recently became a daddy at the tender age of 18, and this was a far better lesson than anything coming from me for my kids. (Sigh! Yup, my Rethug brother's kid.)

MA has a somewhat controversial program that targets GLBT kids who are at-risk of having social problems and self-acceptance problems in High School and tries to intervene. (It's only controversial with our small fundie population.) I think this is also a worthy topic of discussion, but it probably won't travel to other states very well. (Yet.)