New Year's Resolutions

The news stories from the US and the rest of the world about the consequences of unwed sexual activity are escalating in frequency, in unmitigated tragedy and in worthless, bullheaded, political agenda-driven responses. Anyone reading these stories needs to decide what is really happening. I would like to offer the following New Year's Resolutions to those embroiled in the debates:

1. Resolve to almost force every sexually active female to receive annual gynecological exams, STD tests and keep appointments for all followup tests and exams. If you "grant" girls and young women the maturity and responsibility to have unwed sex, realize that supposed maturity and responsibility may not also apply to their own healthcare. Whether an adult is a parent, teacher, counselor or healthcare provider, by accepting a child's "choice" for sexual activity without going to the greatest lengths to convince her that choice comes with a critical healthcare requirement is cruel and dangerous behavior for an adult of influence. Any clinic or physicians office, that does not involve a parent in a minor girl's reproductive healthcare, should have a procedure in place that puts another adult in charge to make appointments, make reminder calls and even pickup the girls for appointments if necessary.
2. Resolve to know exactly what you are promoting for sex education. Read every word of every curriculum, brochure, handout and preview any films, videos or tapes before making a decision. Do not male a decision based on descriptions, evaluation, testimonies or studies. Study the actual product.
3. Resolve to provide all teachers, counselors, and healthcare personnel with the spectrum of education offered by professionals in the field. In Wisconsin, adults of influence are restricted in their government-provided training to the comprehensive approach. Presentations on abstinence are non-existent or conducted by non-abstinence educators. Adults should demand their own comprehensive education not what a state agency force feeds them.
4. Resolve to evaluate the social or political agenda motivating the position a spokesperson takes on sex education or reproductive health care. For instance, if the position is that sex education should be value-free. ask what is the motivation for that. Child indoctrination can be shrouded in innocuous terms.
5. Resolve to use the health, wellbeing and happiness of children at their present stage of development as the sole determinant of what is taught. Making young teens role play "partner" conversations about using condoms is inapproriate for children in a classroom format. Currently, sex education rarely occurs beyond ninth grade. Statistics show that, except in rare venues, most children at that age level are virgins. That is a good thing and should be encouraged. OR....
6. Resolve to eliminate sex education from the schools. Solves all issues of indoctrination, values, in loco parentis, teacher training, and the fact that positive health and social impact is non-existent anyway.