Educating Citizens

 

Today’s The New York Times has an interesting article on the New York City proposal mandating a particular kind of sex education for students in the public school system. [HERE] For the time being, there is an exemption for students in private schools, and there also appears to an opt-out for parents who choose not to have their children attend classes which appear to promote an active sexual-relations life.

Education is a good thing. Teaching young people and future citizens about who they are is also a good thing. But there are significant problems with the sex education proposal as it now stands. Some of the problems are commissions; however, others are omissions. From the commission perspective, the proposal appears to encourage or promote sexual activity by young people. For those who may disagree with me, their argument might run along these lines: if young people are going to engage in sexual relations, it’s important to teach them how to be “safe.”

But are they really safe? The mandated program makes certain assumptions about teaching “safe sex,” but does it, in fact, encourage promiscuity without responsibility? If the program’s “responsibility” element focuses on how to properly use prophylactic devices and contraception, where is the content about resisting temptations to satisfy sexual desires? The current proposal as described by the Times appears to emphasize autonomy and self-gratification without paying attention to educating responsible young people who fully comprehend the sexual nature of the human person.

A major omission with the proposal as reported is the need to introduce the youth of New York City to understanding virtue so each of them can lead a virtuous life. One can learn about sex, the sexual nature of the human person, human reproduction, and all that without promoting sexual indulgence. Moreover, the City could also instill responsibility in its future citizens by discussing forbearance, the courage to resist self-satisfaction, the gift of prudence, and the development of just, that is, right-relationships between and among young people.

The likelihood of these thoughts ultimately being considered, let alone adopted, by the civil authorities is probably small. Still, there may be time for the good people of New York to consider alternatives to the current plan for educating today’s youth and tomorrow’s citizens.

 

RJA sj