
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, May 16, 1993                   TAG: 9305170260
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: F-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS FOR YOUNGSTERS

IF OUR GOAL is a good education for our children, we cannot ignore reality. Our young people do not exist in a bubble of innocence unaffected by influences other than our own - no matter how much we as parents would like that to be. On the contrary, they are bombarded daily with sexual innuendos and blatant sexual messages in advertising, movies and television, lyrics, news reports, magazines and more. Like it or not, that is the way it is.

Abstinence-only sexuality education will not fully prepare our children to cope in this permissive atmosphere or prepare them to make wise and healthy decisions. Fear-and-shame-based programs are inaccurate, impose stereotypes, foster narrow religious doctrine, belittle individual choice and ignore the realities of American family life.

Parents would be appalled at the suggestion to send their children into zero-degree blizzard weather without warm clothing. Yet some seem ready to allow their sons and daughters to wander through this maze of sexuality and adolescence without factual information or a thorough education.

It's time to pull our parental heads out of the sand, remove our rose-colored glasses and admit that ignorance is not bliss. In today's world, with sexually transmitted viruses like HIV, ignorance can kill you.

Programs or curricula that are not empowering, moral, practical, moderate, comprehensive, positive and effective are not worthy of our children. Half-truths, ignorance, misinformation, stereotypes and mythology, no matter how well-intended, won't help. They will only earn us the distrust of our children and increased rates of sexually transmitted disease and unintended pregnancy. Our youngsters live in a real world, and they need real information to be truly educated.

We cannot expect any school program to completely solve our personal and social problems, but dealing realistically with sexuality can help our children make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health. It encourages them to behave honestly, respectfully and responsibly to themselves and to one another, and that is the significant and worthwhile goal. KATHLEEN O'MALLEY ROANOKE

by CNB