Sexual education

[faerieevaH]

I would like some advice here, especially from moms, teachers, and people with extra ordinary tact.
I teach Catholicism in a public school, it's optional: people can choose between various religions (Christan and otherwise) or general moral. Aparently those courses have been chosen to 'incorportate' sexual education. Now to me... it's an oportunity. I was quite glad with the course I had gotten at my Catholic school in which everything was explained and myths were debunked (Yes, you can get pregnant the first time. Yes, you can get STD's from other things than intercourse.), but in that course sex and sexuality was also described as a precious gift and not as something that automatically was happening when you became a teenager.

Anyhow, when sexuality comes up in my classes now, it's always a revelation for the children to hear someone speak about it as 'more than just something that just happens and to put on a condom'.
But in my second year, I would have to give it as one, or a few, classes. Still, not a problem. There is some great material available and I could ask for extra material from J.I.L. (Youth into Life, a pro life organisation which also gives sexual education.). So... I wasn't really fearing the prospect. Now however, I'm a bit nervous. You see, one of my collegues of general moral has asked me 'if I'ld like to do the classes together. "It would be 'easier' and they often did it like that and they had a great deal of material. the students thought it fun, and they would put a condom on a fake penis, etc."
Now... you see... I considder myself quite liberal in a lot of things, but telling kids how to put a condom on a penis simply does not seem to cut it for me if you speak of 'sexual education'. They can read the package, I'm sure it's on there somewhere.

I'm now looking for a very tactful way to tell them I'ld rather give the course myself and use different materials. I don't believe in 'they're going to do it anyway, so lets just see they're doing it 'safe' at least.' We can make a difference here! We can counter culture. We're doing it in other areas as well, so why not here?
Anyhow, any tactful ideas?

 

[Monica02]

I do not think any type of artificial contraception should be discussed in a class on Catholicism. Am I reading your post right?

 

[MagicalMerriment]

I agree with Monica. Artificial contraception shouldn't be encouraged - instead, if I'm understanding it correctly and it's a Catholic class, you should present the reasons why Catholics oppose artificial contraception.

There really is no tactful way to do it... just a simple "No thank you, I prefer it the way it is." Don't let this slide by without a refusal and end up working with this colleague. Speak up and teach what Catholicism teaches; it is a class on Catholicism, no? If your colleague needs a reason, there you go. It's a class on Catholicism, and it needs to be taught as such.

 

[FullyMT]

If it were on a biology (or even health) course or something, I'd honestly have to say there's nothing wrong with it. BUT, since you are teaching Catholic Faith to these young people, I don't think you should feel obliged at all to work with your co-worker on sex ed.
To be tactful, just say that you want to try it on your own, or something like that.

 

[Brother Charlie]

ive learned more on sex education by hearing street talk than I ever learned in a classroom

 

[plum]

Oh I wish we taught more religion classes in public schools here in the states!

 

[stray bullet]

I'm now looking for a very tactful way to tell them I'ld rather give the course myself and use different materials. I don't believe in 'they're going to do it anyway, so lets just see they're doing it 'safe' at least.' We can make a difference here! We can counter culture. We're doing it in other areas as well, so why not here?
Anyhow, any tactful ideas?

Why not just be open and say you don't feel it is appropriate for a Catholic class? That as a devout Catholic, you do not feel right promoting something that is wholly sinful.
If I ever go into education and I am later asked to teach kids how to use condoms- I'll just be upfront and say I can't, to me it is teaching something immoral.

 

[faerieevaH]

I do not think any type of artificial contraception should be discussed in a class on Catholicism. Am I reading your post right?

Not sure how you read it, but that is what the teacher of general moral would propose. It would then not be a class of all faiths together. ((we do it sometimes for certain topics that are somehow 'shoved' in our corners like how to help children with the choice for which study they'll persue, etc. Everything that requires to 'think further than the curriculum', is often relegated to the classes moral or religion. So far, we've only had one of those lessons this year, so til now I'm lucky. *L*))
Catholic Religion as a course has been very much hollowed out over the last 40 years here in Belgium. There are quite a few Catholic teachers of the 'new generation' like myself who now have to stand up against policies that have been in place for decades.
As to "no talking about artificial contraception" in a catholic course, I think it's actually quite important to talk about it and to talk about why the church considders it wrong, etc. like Magicalmerriment says. Because contraceptives here are considdered such a 'normal' thing, almost a logical part of becomming a teenager. Sex is also considdered almost like something that belongs to being a teenager... like getting acné or something. So... in a way I quite relish the chance to talk about it, and to present the idea to them that sex is more than something that just belongs to becomming 16...

Make no mistake.. the age on which teenagers have sex in Belgium is quite late in essence, witha very big part waiting till after 18, etc. But aparently in educational programs they keep overlooking that fact and go out of the 'worst case scenario'. Here the motto of many teachers is: "They're going to do it anyway, so at least we can teach them to do it safe".

I want to break through that wall of "artificial safety", I want to break through that wall of "If two people want it, there's nothing wrong with sex". But as I said, what I'm trying most to find is a way of telling this teacher 'no, thank you" without directly or indirectly calling her immoral.
The idea of waiting till you're married is considdered a complete oddity here in Belgium. THe best people strive for in most educational programs is 'waiting till you're ready'.

So far I'm considdering this: "Thank you, but sexuality is a subject I'ld rather address specifically from the Churches point of view since there is such a wealth of teachings and ideas on the subject, and I couldn't do that if we were to sit all together for those classes."