Reforming Sex Ed

Fair warning to parents: we’re going to talk about sex. Sex ed, really. But if statistics are correct, it’s something most parents have a hard time discussing.

My first sex ed class was with Mr. Hartnett, the science teacher and hockey coach at Conant Elementary here in Concord. He showed us transparencies of the tubes and mechanics of our reproductive systems. But for me, there was no connection between the projection on the wall with what was in my body. It could have been the periodic table of the elements, as far as I was concerned.

Sex ed hasn’t changed all that much since then, although the emphasis is now on prevention of teen pregnancy and STDs, or on the abstinence-only approach to birth control. But now students can access graphic depictions and discussions of sex on the Internet, which can lead to myths and distortions about human sexuality.

That’s why some inside and outside of the public school system are arguing for more frank discussions of sexuality. Boston Globe Magazine contributor – and former high school teacher herself – Alison Lobron wrote about new approaches for teachers and parents to educate kids about sex for the magazine, and she joins us with more.

We're also joined by Judith Frediani, director of Lifespan Faith Development at the Unitarian Universalist Association. And she was the project director for Our Whole Lives, or OWL. The program is taught to groups of all ages in schools and churches across the country.

We also take a look back at the "social guidance" films of the 1950’s through ‘70s. From quaint and corny to dark and disturbing, they offer a humorous and revealing view into a time that never was. Click here to listen.

(Photo by foundphotoslj)