School Sanctioned Sex Parties?

A recent headline read: Principal Nixes School’s Senior Prom. The article went on to quote the school’s principal to say, “It is not primarily the sex/booze/drugs that surround this event, as problematic as they might be; it is rather the flaunting of affluence, assuming exaggerated expenses, a pursuit of vanity for vanity’s sake – in a word, financial decadence,” Hoagland said, fed up with what he called the “bacchanalian aspects.”

“Each year it gets worse – becomes more exaggerated, more expensive, more emotionally traumatic,” he added. “We are withdrawing from the battle and allowing the parents full responsibility. (Kellenberg) is willing to sponsor a prom, but not an orgy.”

I personally am glad to see a school finally standing up and saying enough is enough! Every year we hear news reports about how to talk to your kids about sex and safe sex and letting your kids know that it is okay to call you to come pick them up rather than drive drunk. When did getting drunk, having sex with your boyfriend/ girlfriend, and being irresponsible become acceptable behavior??

I think parents need to take a stand and say NO MORE PROM, NO MORE SCHOOL DANCES. PERIOD. Why would you let your daughter go to a dance where you know full well that if she is with a boy there will most likely be pressure to let him grope her or have sex? School is a place to get a good education, not to pick a partner for the night or for the week, or month, or even a lifetime.

Sexual activity among our children is skyrocketing. As Mothers, we have an obligation to our children and to God to keep them out of harms way. We cannot expect our children to always make the right decision if temptation and peer pressure is present and we are not. Of course we need to talk to our kids about sex in an open way. We need to talk about the dangers about drugs and alcohol and smoking. We need to have these conversations not just once or twice but frequently. We need to set the standard for their behavior high and give them the tools, the knowledge, and the courage to reach those standards. We don’t need to let them walk into the middle of temptation and hope for the best.

As a mother of a teen age boy and 4 young daughters, I am blunt about sex. I don’t mince words when it comes to what is appropriate and what is not. I KNOW what teens do. I remember what school was like when I was a teen. I KNOW that today’s highschools are even worse than when I was in school. I won’t settle for second best when it comes to my kids. They don’t need to go to a dark hotel ballroom or school gym and slow dance with members of the opposite sex. I want my children to lead pure lives. God is not honored by these dances. And my children know where I stand.

Some FACTS:

• 61% of teens are sexually active 1
• 55% of sexually active boys wish they had waited 2
• 72% of sexually active girls wish they had waited 2
• 37% of teens cited their parents as the most influential in their deicisions about sex 2
• Nearly 1 million teens become pregnant each year 3
• 20% of 15 – 16 year old kids have had oral sex and 60% of them do not consider it sex 4, 5, 61 – American Academy of Pediatrics
  2 – National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
  3 – http://www.fwhc.org/teens/teen-fact.htm
  4 – People Magazine, Jan 26, 2005
  5 – http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/features/students070899.htm
  6 – http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7378833/