LETTER: Parents have sex ed responsibility

To the editor:

    I vehemently disagree with the conclusion in Monday’s article entitled “Comprehensive Sex Education.”

    Stated, the “policy of the state of Utah and the overarching national policy to teach abstinence-only sex education leads to a lack of understanding of exactly what options people have in terms of their reproductive health…”

    Exactly what options do we have? Here’s one: IF you don’t keep your pants zipped, you WILL eventually experience so called “unplanned” results: pregnancy, STIs, etc. IF I don’t want to get fat, I must stop eating deep fried twinkies five times a day. Epiphany!

    Consequences are real.

The issue is not whether the “overwhelming majority of 16-year-olds possess enough maturity to engage in a serious relationship.” The real issue? IT IS THE PARENTS’ RESPONSIBILITY to teach their children about sex.

    The article stated, “Unfortunately, many parents do not take an active role in their children’s education. It then becomes only reasonable that the public education system take responsibility.” Hold it! Let’s take this line of thought further. If I as a parent do not take what the government sees as an active role in any given topic, say seat belts, or exercise (since obesity is a national epidemic), I should just let the government take charge. Let THEM deal with it. Right?

    Why do we insist on turning everything, even things as sacred as our God-given ability and responsibility regarding procreation, over to the corrupt, irresponsible, inefficient, myriads of government? Take responsibility as a parent to teach your own children. Take responsibility as a child to be taught by your parents.

    Just because something is lacking in your awareness of a subject, doesn’t mean we should throw another ball into the government’s losing court.

David Nilson