Teach Approved Sexual Health Education Classes, Go to Jail?

There's a piece up on Broadsheet over at Salon about a Wisconsin Prosecutor who is threatening to prosecute teachers for teaching THE APPROVED SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION CURRICULUM in the High Schools because, in his twisted logic, teaching about STD and Pregnancy Prevention "could lead to criminal charges for contributing to the delinquency of minors." Oh, did I mention that the curriculum had been revised by a law that requires comprehensive sex education? Yeah, so as Tracy Clark-Flory puts it: "It's all very logical, you see: Ignore the law, avoid arrest!"

Clark-Flory goes on to cite specifics from the letter issued to the teachers in five school districts:

"Forcing our schools to instruct children on how to utilize contraceptives encourages our children to engage in sexual behavior, whether as a victim or an offender," he wrote in the letter. "It is akin to teaching children about alcohol use, then instructing them on how to make mixed alcoholic drinks." Southworth must have bombed the analogy portion of the SATs; it's more like teaching teens about alcohol use and then instructing them on how to avoid alcohol poisoning and drunk driving.

What is also apparent from this prosecutor's missive is that he opposes "this sick law" which is the legislation requiring comprehensive sex education in the schools--that was passed by, you know, ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE STATE whereas he is in appointed position (some states/counties have elected prosecutors, some have appointed, in this case, he's appointed).

So, we have a fundie with a cause and a position of power that he's willing to abuse to throw his public temper tantrum all about the ickiness and immorality of sex. Great, thanks for that.

This man needs to be fired for overstepping his bounds and his case logs need to be reviewed to see if he's abused his power in other ways. This kind of small-fiefdom like power abuses need to be stopped in a Democracy. There is no place for an unelected official to over-ride a State legislature or set policy in a democracy simply because he is uncomfortable with human sexuality and wants to punish young people with ignorance, STD's and unintended pregnancies as a result of educational neglect.




(The sound is quite low for the first few seconds. This is "Reproduction" from Grease II and its a total laugh!)