The SCHOOL Made me DO IT.
Today's text comes via THIS article published yesterday in the London Daily Telegraph:
What is one to make of Mrs. Atkins' suggestion that faulty sex education is to blame? One of the sisters explicitly refers to her knowledge of contraception, while another has already been pregnant three times (at age 16).
It thus seems beyond dispute that these sisters are already in possession of the knowledge that one might normally think would come under the heading "sex education." They clearly know where babies come from, two of three obviously know about contraception, in which context it is impossible that the third does not.
Is it nonetheless possible that additional "sex education" would have been of benefit? Do we think, for example, that additional knowledge of other sex practices might have helped, such as suggested HERE by Planned Parenthood? (Check out their "TeenWire" section, wisely reviewed HERE.) Or do we think that more discussion of the rightness of homosexuality, or the theological errors of Baptists, as suggested by Montgomery County (MD) would have helped?
Of course not.
What then is the answer to Mrs. Atkins' implicit question, "Why did this happen?" She herself suggests the answer, if unwittingly, when she says "she was astonished" and that "it just doesn't seem possible."
Strangely enough, the answer may be found, again unwittingly, on the blog of former AirAmerica person Lizz Winstead. She takes THIS opportunity to trash "abstinence only" sex education. But read carefully and, in particular, the comments. One sneers "Hell, I can't get them to sit down long enough for dinner or take the garbage out." May one speculate that the author of the comment, as well as Mrs. Atkins, might have taken the time to do so?
And THAT, of course, is precisely the problem.
And you know it.
(Hat tip to The Vestryman, who pointed out the article by gesturing wildly, eyes wide, while incapable of coherent speech.)
Three sisters have each had children while still at school, the youngest at the age of 12. Jemma, Jade and Natasha Williams, who receive benefits totaling more than £31,000 a year, are raising their babies alone after they became pregnant within three months of each other."The sisters were aged 12, 14 and 16 at the time of their respective deliveries. There, I do believe, we have our problem in a nutshell, do we not? But our exposition is not yet complete. In a not so different context, I have asked "Where are their fathers?" In this instance there appear to be neither fathers nor husbands (although custom would call for a total of four males). But there is indeed a mother, now a grandmother thrice-over. The sisters
There is yet more detail that seems necessary before moving on. It appears it was the youngest sister, Jemma, who gave birth first, followed by her eldest sister, Natasha "who had already had two miscarriages and an abortion." The middle child, Jade, explained:. . . live in Derby with their twice-divorced mother, who holds the education system responsible for their plight.
"If I could turn the clock back I would definitely prefer them to not have children as their education is so important.
"They've all ruined their lives because they are all too young to have children."
"It was just one of those things really. I wasn't using contraception and I suppose I just thought it wouldn't happen to me."While no more is reported of Jemma's situation
Natasha said her pregnancy, while unplanned, had pleased her. "I don't really want to be anything but a full-time mum," she said.Mrs Atkins, who had her first child at 20, said she was astonished that her daughters had become pregnant so young.
The cause of this calamity is clear to the mother:"It just doesn't seem possible," she said. "I was so shocked when I found out about Jemma. She thought I would hit the roof and didn't tell me for seven months. I only found out when I took her to buy a new bra and as she was being measured I saw her huge bump."
"I blame the schools - sex education for young girls should be better," said Julie Atkins, 38. "More and more kids are getting pregnant younger and younger and sex education needs to start a lot earlier."We may now pause for reflection.
What is one to make of Mrs. Atkins' suggestion that faulty sex education is to blame? One of the sisters explicitly refers to her knowledge of contraception, while another has already been pregnant three times (at age 16).
It thus seems beyond dispute that these sisters are already in possession of the knowledge that one might normally think would come under the heading "sex education." They clearly know where babies come from, two of three obviously know about contraception, in which context it is impossible that the third does not.
Is it nonetheless possible that additional "sex education" would have been of benefit? Do we think, for example, that additional knowledge of other sex practices might have helped, such as suggested HERE by Planned Parenthood? (Check out their "TeenWire" section, wisely reviewed HERE.) Or do we think that more discussion of the rightness of homosexuality, or the theological errors of Baptists, as suggested by Montgomery County (MD) would have helped?
Of course not.
What then is the answer to Mrs. Atkins' implicit question, "Why did this happen?" She herself suggests the answer, if unwittingly, when she says "she was astonished" and that "it just doesn't seem possible."
Strangely enough, the answer may be found, again unwittingly, on the blog of former AirAmerica person Lizz Winstead. She takes THIS opportunity to trash "abstinence only" sex education. But read carefully and, in particular, the comments. One sneers "Hell, I can't get them to sit down long enough for dinner or take the garbage out." May one speculate that the author of the comment, as well as Mrs. Atkins, might have taken the time to do so?
And THAT, of course, is precisely the problem.
And you know it.
(Hat tip to The Vestryman, who pointed out the article by gesturing wildly, eyes wide, while incapable of coherent speech.)
Presented for your delectation by the Gentleman Farmer at 6:51 PM
Comments on "The SCHOOL Made me DO IT."
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Yeoman said ... (10:35 AM) :
post a commentIt's interesting to see how far the culture of blame has spread.
We see this all the time in the US, but obviously it occurs in the UK as well. Nobody is responsible for their own actions, it must be somebody else's fault.