A Fresno, California school district is teaching 39,000 students across its 40 schools that a good night’s sleep can help prevent them from contracting HIV and other sexually-transmitted diseases, in apparent violation of California state law. (Of course, that’s untrue.) No mention of condoms exists in the schools’ sex-ed curriculum, but in addition to a good night’s sleep, self respect, abstinence, and hanging out in large groups are all means to avoid STDs and pregnancy, according to the school district. (Of course, that’s untrue.)Â Fortunately, the ACLU is suing the school district to provide proper sex education to the students.
Via Eric W. Dolan at The Raw Story:
A coalition of groups have brought a lawsuit against the Clovis Unified School District in California, claiming their abstinence-only sex education program violates state law.
The lawsuit alleges the textbook used by the district informs high school students that respecting themselves, getting plenty of rest, going out as a group and practicing abstinence can prevent them from catching sexually transmitted diseases. The textbook, however, does not mention that condoms can prevent the spread of STDs.
Other instructional materials compare a woman who is not a virgin to a dirty shoe and suggest that men are unable to stop themselves once they become sexually aroused, according to the lawsuit.
…
A 2007 federal study indicated that abstinence-only education ultimately had “no impacts †at all on rates of sexual abstinence. States with sex ed and health classes that stress “abstinence-only†education rank the highest in the numbers of underage pregnancies.
Yet another example of theocratic and religious zealotry infecting the minds of those who are responsible for leading this country. When did faith start to trump science in America?
Image by gui.tavares