Parents Say Student Sex Survey X-Rated

[matcom]

<snip>

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Some Indiana parents are blasting a sex survey as X-rated.

The parents don't want their kids getting any ideas from a Monroe County school survey that will ask students very detailed and intimate questions.

The questionnaire includes topics such as oral sex, dating and birth control. It will be given to kids in grades 6-12. District officials note there hasn't been any updated data on sexual activity among students since 1993. And district health official Jennifer Staab said students who took a test survey in October seemed eager to participate and wanted even more questions.

Parents say the survey is so detailed that it's pornographic.

But parent Eric Warren told The Herald-Times that if adults took the survey at work, it would be considered sexual harassment.

Students can take the voluntary and confidential, 51-question survey on May 18.

http://www.wftv.com/education/4352365/detail.html

[Richardo]

1. #17: If female, have you ever had 'relations' with another female?

Please answer in excruciating detail, especially if it involved members of the varsity cheerleading squad. Use both sides of paper if necessary. No, strike that. Use both sides of paper.

[ComerPerro]

4. Take as much time as you need

[saltpoint]

2. As clueless as I truly was in 6th grade, even I knew --

-- the terms and contexts of the sorts of questions in that survey in Bloomington.

Some of my classmates knew still more. I don't think any of us would have been unable to respond to such a survey. We might have been uncooperative if the surveys were not anonymous, but otherwise we'd mentally covered the material.

Maybe those Bloomington parents need to worry more about Bush gutting Social Security and how many uncounted Iraqis our bombs have killed, rather on whether their daughters and sons know what oral sex is.

[tigereye]

5. but

as a parent, I would want to see it first and decide if it was appropriate, as I would prefer some information to come from parents or teachers and not from a survey.

[saltpoint]

6. Fair enough. But you sound like a concerned parent & --

-- are probably a very good one. Your daughter or son might not be freaked out over such a survey.

It's another question for kids whose parents have not told them about menstruation, puberty, etc. Two physician friends say they are asked "with alarming frequency" by parents to speak with kids about the birds and bees.

I'm not knocking doctors here -- I love them, actually -- but frankly it's not their job. I really feel parents owe that info to their kids.

Also I feel most kids are pretty durable and that survey is pale indeed next to whatever's on the next public restroom wall.

[tigereye]

7. well

I have had some conversation, but probably not as much as I should have. My kid is 8 and there are some things I really don't think are necessary for him to know at this stage. I also think that it can be appropriate for professionals to give kids a talk or show a movie, or what have you, to supplement parent information. I talk about serious stuff to kids all the time, but it's different with your own kid. That's why I love books about these topics.

[saltpoint]

8. Well, at 8 I was REALLY clueless, and I mean clueless about --

-- everything.

Except baseball. I loved my baseball cards and was absorbed by them. By 10, though, I had begun to actualize the world a bit and paid closer attention to things around me.

I think you are dead right on the films and books as supplements to parents' imparting of knowledge. Yes, yes, yes.

[gollygee]

13. This test would be for kids at the youngest in 6th grade

Which makes it a bit differnet, don't you think? Haven't all 6th graders heard of oral sex?

[tigereye]

14. I know I hadn't when I was that age

but I was a sheltered Catholic kid in the 60s. There were the requisite intersourse jokes though. I went and got out biology books from the library, myself.

I would hope that many kids would not be having oral or other sex until they are AT LEAST 16 (I work with adolescents and I know that is naive, but that is what I hope)

[ElaineinIN]

10. Bloomington, IN checking in here

These parents are probably part of the vocal religious right minority. Bloomington is incredibly liberal, one of the only blue areas in IN. Our town council just passed a living wage statute; the democrats just passed a social security statements. So don't worry... the majority of us are worried about all those things. Now the rest of Monroe County and the state.... well I don't know.

[saltpoint]

11. Hi, Elaine. I envy you your address there in Bloomington.

What a beautiful city! The old sycamore trees on campus just knock me out.

Also it sounds as if your town council has its priorities straight.

Good for you folks there in south-central Indiana!

Now let's work on getting Indiana blue!

[ElaineinIN]

12. I agree!

Starting with the 9th district--need to get Baron Hill back, I can't believe that he lost to Mike Sodrel. Bloomington is blue, but the rest of the district is very very red!

[MercutioATC]

3. Some people just don't get it....

"But parent Eric Warren told The Herald-Times that if adults took the survey at work, it would be considered sexual harassment."

Sure, but when's the last time your boss made you recite the Presidents or climb a rope? A school curriculum and a working environment simply can't be compared this directly.

[Squeech]

9. How about

we apply business standards to the classroom when we pay teachers as well as we pay corporate middle managers.

In both job categories, the worker is responsible for the career development of a couple dozen underlings. But the middle manager has more autonomy, more disciplinary options, and certainly a population that's more socialized. he's got far and away the easier job, but we pay him twice as much money.