9. Education - or not?
Education might be a better reaction of society: sexual education of
children and education of their teachers.
But then: why and how? Id it only
because
pedophiles were targeting younger children, and thus mainly a message of
warning against the evil and danger of sexuality? Thus, teaching them
what is wrong touching? Or, might it be better to educate
children aiming a healthy sexual life?
There are and where initiatives to develop teaching materials for
young children, but always there are parents and others who
angrily protest against it: "We are feeding them this information when they still should be
playing
with dolls and toy cars." In other words: when they should be, and
should keep to be, non-sexual beings.
Teach the teachers: they are quite unsure how to label behavior of
children: normal and healthy, or abnormal and abusive? In the latter
case, they have to report the incident to the Ministry of the
state.
Teach the children: even the pleasures of gay activity, say some. But
'Oh No! Never!' others say. Fear and anger rules the world of the
latter.
Can children be happy in such a world? Supposedly not. Or do they grow better in a
world that informs them without fear and anger? Supposedly yes.
Thus, let the teachers and other educators be, or be learned to be,
people without fear for sexuality, neither for their own sexuality, nor
for that of the children.
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'Start sex ed in pre-schools'; Adele Horin, Brisbane Times, April 2, 2007
Sex education should start in preschools and child-care centres
because
pedophiles were targeting younger children, an expert in child abuse
prevention said yesterday. [...]
She said children should be taught early that they owned their
bodies,
and how to identify "wrong" touching. This would put them be
in a better
position to reject abuse or report it later on.
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| Now schools introduce a sex guide for your six-year-olds;
Laura Clark, Daily Mail, UK, 18th September 2008
The FPA [*Family Planning Association] is producing 50,000 copies of the pamphlet and will promote
them
in primary schools. [... The comic [...] includes
illustrations of a naked girl and boy and invites youngsters to label
the genitals. [...]
But angry parents condemned it as 'too much too young' and warned
against robbing children of their innocence. [...]
"We are feeding them this information when they still should be
playing
with dolls and toy cars."
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Children 'to be given compulsory sex education from age four';
Sarah Harris, Daily Mail, UK, 05th July 2008
Nursery Charities have said children should be taught sex education
from age four. Children as young as four are set to be given compulsory sex
education
in primary school. They will be taught the names of body parts and basic ideas about
different relationships. [...]
But the recommendations caused a storm of protest yesterday, with
family
campaigners claiming that the views of parents and teachers are being
ignored.
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Kindergarten sex lesson anger; Philippa Duncan,
news.com.au, January 18, 2008
A parent has complained her five-year-old daughter was taught sex
education at a school in Hobart and revealed she was assaulted by two
boys in her class just after the visit from Family Planning.
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Child carers ban book; Daryl
Passmore, news.com.au, April 01, 2007
Australia's largest childcare chain has banned a frank new children's
storybook that talks about genitalia.
Everyone's Got A Bottom, to be launched by Family Planning Queensland on
Tuesday, is aimed at children as young as two.
Family Planning says the picture book is a ground-breaking initiative
that will help protect youngsters against sexual abuse. [...]
Research since the 1970s had shown that talking openly and plainly
and
referring to body parts by their correct anatomical names was important
in giving children the ability and confidence to disclose if anything
was happening to them. [...]
"I do think our children need our protection more than ever
before, but
it's a great shame that in doing that, many adults want to impart so
much knowledge that children lose their innocence."
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| When to teach, when to tell?
Sexual exploration among pre-schoolers is normal, but some
activities cross the line. Becky Johnson, smokymountainnews.com, May 9, 2007
[...] Childcare workers often [...] don't
know whether to dismiss an incident as normal or be alarmed. Failing to
make the right judgment call can land a childcare center in hot water
with the state [...]. What's normal exploration and what's not is something
childcare workers
struggle with daily.
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Teach 'the pleasure of gay sex' to children as young as five, say
researchers; Steve Doughty, Daily Mail, UK, 16th September 2008
Children as young as five should be taught to understand the
pleasures
of gay sex, according to leaders of a taxpayer-funded education project.
[...]
The discussions provoked a furious reaction from critics of the
homosexual rights agenda.
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Unhealthy sexual behaviour in children;
Glenda Simms, The Jamaica Gleaner, June 17, 2007
All those who have gained the credentials to try to develop the
cognitive, social, emotional and spiritual potential of the nation's
children must be persons who have an in-depth understanding of the
developmental path and different stages of human sexuality.
They, of necessity, must be those who not only understand their own
sexuality, but are comfortable with and positive about the essential
sexual aspect of all human beings.
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