Inappropriate Condom Wrappers

[Dark_Grey]

That's funny that you take a teenage boys word on when he lost his virginity. Get out much? Red state? It pretty plainly says where I'm from right under my name doesn't it.

You seem to be taking this topic very personally.

Mid size school. Far from small. Probably 900 kids grades 9-12. Otherwise, I hear ya, I get it. I was just pointing out what I did as I took people here speaking in absolutes about 'everyone'. No biggie.

No worries

[aquatus1]

Teen sex happens. Claiming that joke wrappers make teens take it less seriously is as unsupported as claiming that abstinence pledges make them take it more seriously. Like pretty much anything else, all you can do is teach the kids the facts, your beliefs, and then hope they do (or don't do) something you approve of.

New Rules: Abstinence Pledge

Penn and Teller: Bull****

[+OverSword]

You seem to be taking this topic very personally.

Do you say that because I think it's funny that you would believe what an immature adolscent male whos delicate self esteem dangles from his ability to be attractive says about his sex life? What's personal about that?

Sorry man, just messing with you. Believe what you want, but when your daughter brings home a busy beaver condom from school and you see that the educators are taking this subject lightly you may feel different, then again you may think it's funny.

[F3SS]

Teen sex happens. Claiming that joke wrappers make teens take it less seriously is as unsupported as claiming that abstinence pledges make them take it more seriously. Like pretty much anything else, all you can do is teach the kids the facts, your beliefs, and then hope they do (or don't do) something you approve of.

New Rules: Abstinence Pledge

Penn and Teller: Bull****

I think I disagree. While you could probably never get them to take it more seriously getting them to make light of it requires even less effort. It's easier to dumb someone down than it is to enlighten them.

[F3SS]

Sorry man, just messing with you. Believe what you want, but when your daughter brings home a busy beaver condom from school and you see that the educators are taking this subject lightly you may feel different, then again you may think it's funny.

I agree. I really don't think one can really understand how they feel about this until they see their stupid kid acting all proud and giddy about her busy little beaver. After that, one will definitely know where one stands.

[Dark_Grey]

Do you say that because I think it's funny that you would believe what an immature adolscent male whos delicate self esteem dangles from his ability to be attractive says about his sex life? What's personal about that?

Pure projection. It doesn't get any more personal than that.

What do you want me to say? Society is on a roller-coaster of hyper-sexuality that shows no signs of slowing down. Who knows what the hell they'll be showing on TV 10 years from now. We can't stop it, we can't protect our kids from it, so what else can you do but make sure they're being safe? I don't like it, I don't really find it that funny, but it's the world we live in now.

[aquatus1]

I think I disagree. While you could probably never get them to take it more seriously getting them to make light of it requires even less effort. It's easier to dumb someone down than it is to enlighten them.

You mistake someone not taking something seriously to someone being dumb about it. Whether the data gets through or not isn't reflected by the level of seriousness. Teens, particularly young males, will kid about it out of sheer nervousness, but that shouldn't be taken as a lack of focus. After all, in the event they are faced (so to speak) with the actual situation, they tend to be both very focused and very serious, however they will usually have enough clarity to at least worry about whether or not a condom is available. Whether the condom wrapper has a drawing or whether it is a plain is less important than how easily it can be opened.

Edited March 7, 2014 by aquatus1
Error in Tense

[+OverSword]

Pure projection. It doesn't get any more personal than that.

What do you want me to say? Society is on a roller-coaster of hyper-sexuality that shows no signs of slowing down. Who knows what the hell they'll be showing on TV 10 years from now. We can't stop it, we can't protect our kids from it, so what else can you do but make sure they're being safe? I don't like it, I don't really find it that funny, but it's the world we live in now.

DG, I'm really not trying to pick on you, I apologize if you're seeing it that way.

[aquatus1]

Pure projection. It doesn't get any more personal than that.

Pretty sure he wasn't projecting at anyone. He was just making a general comment about trusting young male teens on their personal accounts regarding their sexual experience, which, to be fair, has been know to be exaggerated on occasion.

That said, there does seem to be consistent reports of teens not waiting to be out of their teens before having sex, and these numbers seem to stay fairly constant throughout history, regardless of the prevalent mores of a given society.

[Dumpnuts]

Here are some statistics on the subject of sexually active teens:http://kff.org/women...-united-states/

It's roughly 50/50 on the whole sexually active teens vs. non active ratio.

Edit: I don't know anything about the organization that posted these numbers, so I can't say much as to it's validity. It's just the first thing I found.

Edited March 7, 2014 by DumpsterJesus

[+OverSword]

You mistake someone not taking something seriously to someone being dumb about it. Whether the data gets through or not isn't reflected by the level of seriousness. Teens, particularly young males, will kid about it out of sheer nervousness, but that shouldn't be taken as a lack of focus. After all, in the event they are faced (so to speak) with the actual situation, they tend to be both very focused and very serious, however they will usually have enough clarity to at least worry about whether or not a condom is available. Whether the condom wrapper has a drawing or whether it is a plain is less important than how easily it can be opened.

I don't think that the issue is really if you use a condom with a cartoon or not. The issue is that as educators taking on the responsibility of teaching this subject (a very important one) it should be approached with all seriousness and professionalism. Let the stupid teen movies make all the band camp jokes that they want, that's the appropriate venue for that.

[F3SS]

You mistake someone not taking something seriously to someone being dumb about it.

To be fair, I didn't say anything like that. Also to be fair, your statement is true and I agree with it.

[F3SS]

At the very least, these wrappers are laced with immaturity and will do little to help mature the immature on a mature matter.

[aquatus1]

Why equate importance with seriousness? One doesn't have to look beyond this board to know that no matter how important some people think their subject is, others will not take it seriously. It doesn't change anything about the subject itself.

[+OverSword]

Why equate importance with seriousness? One doesn't have to look beyond this board to know that no matter how important some people think their subject is, others will not take it seriously. It doesn't change anything about the subject itself.

For most subjects I would agree absolutely. Not with Drivers Education and not in this instance either, and the parents of the affected children seem to agree with me.

[Purplos]

If there is a teen out there who sees a cartoon condom wrapper and THAT makes them decide they want to have sex, they have serious issues.

"I got herpes, Mom, because the little cartoon beaver on his condom wrapper was so silly!"

Please...

[Stellar]

For most subjects I would agree absolutely. Not with Drivers Education and not in this instance either, and the parents of the affected children seem to agree with me.

Yes, well, those are probably the same parents that blame the schools for their own failure of raising a responsible child...

[Stellar]

Perhaps the schools should just not hand out any condoms at all, that way the parents can have full control over which condoms they buy for their own children...

[+OverSword]

Yes, well, those are probably the same parents that blame the schools for their own failure of raising a responsible child...

I disagree, I would say those are the parents who are the exact opposite since they took and active part in addressing this. It's the parents that think this is nothing to be concerned about that aren't taking an active part and therefore the ones who ultimately blame the schools.

[+OverSword]

Perhaps the schools should just not hand out any condoms at all, that way the parents can have full control over which condoms they buy for their own children...

I know you're being fecescious but that may be reasonable. After all it's not the school that takes your daughter to the doctor to get her birth control pills right? Edited March 8, 2014 by OverSword

[aquatus1]

For most subjects I would agree absolutely. Not with Drivers Education and not in this instance either, and the parents of the affected children seem to agree with me.

Again, just because it isn't taken with utmost seriously doesn't mean it is considered to be unimportant. You keep equating the two. It is a false dichotomy, and will result in the same outcome.

[+OverSword]

Again, just because it isn't taken with utmost seriously doesn't mean it is considered to be unimportant. You keep equating the two. It is a false dichotomy, and will result in the same outcome.

I understand you and yet still feel this was not only unprofessional of the school but also ill advised. They are so blasted politically correct about so many other things, heck they suspend kids for pointing fingers at each other.

[Stellar]

They are so blasted politically correct about so many other things, heck they suspend kids for pointing fingers at each other.

They sure do, and I bet that if they did otherwise, there would be parents complaining that the schools aren't giving the subject of guns the "seriousness it deserves"...

[+OverSword]

Touche'

[aquatus1]

Again, false dichotomy. We have no idea what the context behind the finger pointing thing was. For all we know, it was a regularly used gang threat (it probably wasn't). You can't just assume that it was because of political correctness. Nor can you say that political correctness would require the removal of joke condom wrappers, any more than you can say plain condom wrappers are politically correct (one can easily claim that it is a sign of oppression or censorship).

When all is said and done, the purpose of schools is to communicate their message in the best way possible to get kids to follow that message. Whether it is sports, science, or sex ed, the same applies. Kids (and most adults) don't respond well to serious when they just can't take something seriously. If anything, someone taking it seriously at a level beyond what is considered an appropriate level of seriousness just makes people laugh at it a bit more. A frank discussion, with a bit of humor thrown in, is more than enough. Stories of adults they know having sex is quite effective at preventing kids from engaging in the same. Humorous condom wrappers are more likely to be kept on hand than plain ones (humorous condom wrappers send a message that you are just having fun, whereas plain ones send a message that "This is intended to be used".