A middle school in Massachusetts is under fire for requiring children to complete a graphic sex survey -- without parental knowledge or consent -- that included questions about sexual partners and oral sex.
The Rutherford Institute, a civil liberties organization, filed a complaint with the U.S. Dept. of Education against the Fitchburg School Committee. They are representing the two middle school-aged daughters of Arlene Tessitore.
Tessitore said her daughters, both students at Memorial Middle School, were told they had to complete a Youth Risk Behavior Study.
“Kids were actually told to sit down and take them,” said John Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. “The parents here are very upset.”
Whitehead said the girls were deeply disturbed by the subject matter of the study – including questions about suicide, drug use and sexual behavior.
“One of the questions is, ‘have you ever had oral sex,’” Whitehead said. “You’re talking about kids who probably don’t even know what oral sex is.”
He said the survey also delved into even more graphic language.
“It’s adult material,” he told Fox News Radio, noting that one question asked students what method they used to prevent pregnancy during their last sexual encounter.
“It goes down a whole list, including birth control pills, condoms and one of the answers is ‘withdraw,’” Whitehead said. “Adults know what this is, but kids have to imagine or go online to find out what it means.”
Principal Fran Thomas told Fox News Radio that students were indeed given the survey – and admits it was graphic. But Thomas said the school has nothing to do with the content and they were required to administer the survey to fulfill a grant requirement.
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12 comments:
home of barney frank! what do you expect? maybe they should have answered they did not have to worry about getting barney pregnant!
Leave it to the good ole BOE to screw up anything , now that's what I call idiots!
No, this kind of form has no place in a school. (I'm a retired teacher). It sounds as if the principal is just placing the blame on someone else. But for those of you who think that middle school kids don't know what oral sex is, you better think again. While there are some kids who have been sheltered enough not to know about the "birds and the bees," oral sex among middle school (and even younger) kids is commonplace. Boys are "serviced" under the stair wells and other convenient places. I'm talking about local middle and high schools.
Was it a Catholic School?
Monday's news
So, if it's a common place, what's the big deal with asking questions about it.
And please don't give me this BS that kids in 7th grade don't know what oral sex is.
I'm only in my 20's but I know what all my friends were doing in 7th grade in the grand old town of Pittsville. Im surprised teen pregnancy and STD's did not run rampid in my school. I have neices the same age as these children taking the survey and believe me they know what oral sex is. Know a days its a "gateway" to sex with multiple partners some times before exiting middle school. If people would stop being prudes and stop thinking that these things don't happen and start making condoms and birth control more easily available teen pregnancy rates would go down.
2:16 - What?
In this area, the Eastern Shore has a lot going for it. Last I read, Dorchester County was second in the state of Maryland (behind only Baltimore City) in the number of teenage pregnancies and STDs.
The blame lies in only one place, the "parents." Bad / ineffective / non-exitstant parenting creates nearly every problem in the world. Fix that, everything changes.
I remember some years ago having to explain to my young daughters what oral sex is after watching the news and hearing the president was accused of receiving it from an intern!
lovely!
Wow. And to think THIS is ok, but prayer is NOT???? I wonder if what the liberals would have said if the questionaire was prefaced with "Jesus wants to know if....." but, of course, He already knows.
@7:10 pm June 16
You hit the nail right on the head. This is so inappropriate in so many ways... it's hard for me to wrap my brain around it.
This is NOT something to be brought up in the school system.. and the content of it for 7th graders is just appalling. This is a topic/conversation that should be dealt with in the home... under the supervision of the parents. The school system stole parental guidance/perspective away from them.
Are most 7th graders privy to oral sex? Probably. Have some engaged in it... certainly. This does not excuse/permit this survey to be done.
I find this both horrifying and offensive.
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