Wed 3 Sep 2008
Palin’s Education Policy Misguided
Posted by Jason Morgan under Politics
Palin has expressed her intent to support abstinence-only sex education in schools. A woman who could not even teach her own daughter abstinence is now going to be in a position to tell schools how they should teach your children sex education (or else they won’t get Federal funding).
To revisit: Palin’s teenage daughter became pregnant out of wedlock. She could not have gotten pregnant without having sexual intercourse. Palin wants to teach your children in the same way hers was taught: “Don’t have sex because it’s wrong in the eyes of God until you are married”. Well, too bad, teenagers have raging hormones and are going to get down. Period.
Instead, seeing first-hand that Palin’s support of the unbelievably short-sighted and prejudiced view of teaching abstinence-only sex education (what kind of sex is that educating you about?) program instituted by the Bush administration, will only continue to see teen pregnancy rates rise. This is a direct result of the abstinence-only sex education program. It is time for social conservatives to realize that, like any other ideological group, their values hold true for only their group and the majority of people outside their ideological brigade probably feels an entirely different way. It is wrong to insist that the children of 150 million Americans be taught abstinence-only when a good deal of the populace doesn’t agree with that view for many reasons.
The rebuttal to this is, “Why should my kids be taught that sex is OK as long as they use protection, etc. when I don’t agree with that view?” The answer, plain and simple, is no one should be teaching your child about the intimacies of sex except for you, the parent(s). Sex education is in schools because parents are too timid, uneducated, or embarrassed to discuss sex with their children openly and candidly. Therefore, schools must teach a broad array of things including abstinence, forms of birth control, diseases and transmission, so kids at least have some clue before its too late.
Either way, I can’t support any fool who thinks abstinence-only sex education is the way to go; especially since there is an example of that policy failing right in this particular fool’s own home. This isn’t about condemning Sarah Palin and her daughter for their actions or choices in regards to the child on the way. Things happen, teen pregnancy occurs (and used to be commonplace throughout history), and people deal with it. What should not happen is a public electing a leader who cannot see the shortcomings within their views or policies when confronted with evidence to the contrary head-on.

September 3rd, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Still waiting for a Pro McCain Palin post. Jack, you out there?
September 4th, 2008 at 12:57 am
After reading this post it is clear that Palin is nowhere near the poster-child for conservative America that she has been touted to be.
Instead she is the poster-child for stubbornness and a refusal to face reality (uncontrollable teen hormones).
Unless of course stubbornness and denial are synonyms of conservative. Cause then she’s the perfect representative for conservative America.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Come on guys, don’t fall to the level of the liberal media that has been bashing Palin the last few days. It is a bandwagon effort and it is most certainly going to backfire.
You are starting to paint this blog with a “drive-by media ultra-liberal” color. It is a shame because there are conservative and moderate authors here.
September 4th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
And Obama’s education policy is to kowtow to the NEA instead seeing to the educational needs of our children.
If Palin is tough enough to withstand the barrage that the left-wing mainstream media with throw at her, the Republicans will win. Whether you agree with Palin or not, she represents the conservative values that teh Republican party needed to galvanize the base. That’s the big reason why she’s being viciously attacked by the left-wing press. They know she’s the closest thing to RWR out there right now. She’s firmly grounded in her values and principals…something the Democratic candidate sorely lacks.
September 4th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Sorry…”principles”
September 4th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Jon, I wasn’t “bashing” Palin as you say. Contrary to other media outlets, this particular post focused on an actual issue with real data and research. All I did was bring to the forefront an ACTUAL political issue with Palin, rather than all of the b.s. the majority of the media is saying about her (which is unfair and a shame).
Mr. Gundabar - indeed, I agree that Palin is representative of the values of the Republican party and makes a fine running mate for McCain. And to be honest, I know nothing about Obama’s or Biden’s education policies…but I think I will check them out now. However, your statement about Obama’s stance is pure conjecture as you put forth no actual research to base it on. I intend to remedy that, research it, and let you know no matter what the outcome is.
Let’s be clear: I am not supporting or voting for Obama. All I am trying to say is that Palin supports a poor education policy, despite the backfiring of that policy in her own home. The logical conclusion to that, is she is exactly like George W Bush: even when they are wrong, and even if they know they are wrong, they are going to stay the course. That isn’t “holding your ground” or whatever you want to call it. It is stupid, and anyone who tried to do that at their job in private industry would be summarily fired. Shouldn’t the same have happened in government?
September 4th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Check out his entire voting record here.
http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=9490
Then tell me that the teacher’s union isn’t radically opposed to McCain because he is pro home-schooling, pro vouchers, and pro anything that will enable parents to send their kids to schools of their choice. You can check out McCain’s voting record at the same url.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Mr. Gundabar,
Thanks for the information! You always bring something to the table that can help teach us a thing or two about a thing or two. While many of us disagree, we certainly appreciate your contributions to Babeled.
September 4th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
What, like a link to a website that has been provided on this website twice before?
September 4th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
No, just generally speaking. It is not his job to keep track of links provided.
September 4th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
I was trying to bust your balls, not his.
September 4th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
“As mayor (of Wasilla, Alaska), Palin continued to inject religious beliefs into her policy at times. She asked the library how she could go about banning books because some voters thought they had inappropriate language in them.” (Time, 9/2/08)
Palin is so ahead of the times with her thinking on education that she’s actually managed to step back a couple centuries.
September 4th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
I have to admit that she does sound like an uptight religious conservative that is afraid to admit when she is wrong.
Andrew - great article.
While I wholeheartedly condemn the act of banning any form of literature, the only plausible reason I could see her pushing for such action is if the people of Wasilla, AK are just as much of a religious nut job that she is. Afterall, it is the duty of the executive branch to represent the majority of people, right? Banning books is what happened during the Dark Ages and that’s why we still haven’t colonized Mars.
September 4th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
As stated in comment #1…still waiting for a positive blog post for McCain and Palin by someone other than Man Overboard. Can’t do it can you guys?
And way to be condescending to Will Gundabar…real classy!
September 5th, 2008 at 9:15 am
I think the issue you bring up is a good one Andrew. Abstinence only sex education is incredibly short cited and if simple logic wouldn’t tell you that then having a pregnant teenage daughter should. The bringing up of this issue gives you an idea of how she leads. Some may call it stubbornness while others say it’s being steadfast. Politics is mostly about who you chose to believe but I can’t imagine anyone on this blog can make a case for abstinence only education or banning books.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:21 am
As far as the teacher union being too strong and teachers not having children’s best interest at heart I disagree. I also feel confident that this is an area I can speak about competently. I am a tenured teacher and my siblings and parents are both in education.
I think teachers on an individual level are very well respected and appreciated. By this I mean that if you know the teacher and see the job they do you respect that teacher. So I certainly don’t this opinions as a personal attack. Mr. G I know you are quite fond of me despite my inability to remember the largest island in Japan (the feeling is mutual).
However in general terms people have the misconception that teachers are just clinging to their jobs and just do as their union tells them. In my experience that isn’t true. We have a really strong union who at times I completely disagree with. However I am very grateful for how they look out for me. Every year it seems like our benefits are being threatened and a new assessment has to be given (8th grade NCLB test is longer then the bar exam)
Mr.G the solutions you bring up sound ideal and I would love to get behind them but unfortunately when I have looked into these issues I have noticed their are some hang ups that just aren’t practical and they tend to be band aids instead of solutions. I would love to go in to detail and will if prompted but I feel this post is already way too long.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Keeks, I somewhat have a background in education myself. My mother has been a teacher for 38 years. My father has practiced educational law for 20 years. I have researched NJ Title 9 and 18A law for almost 6 years now as a legal assistant.
Everything you said I agree with, except for vouchers. Pretty much the only reason vouchers are becoming less popular within state systems is because it opens up the doors to private schools which further results in the state school system funding religion. Everyone knows that since Reagan’s educational reform act, vouchers have been a Republican effort. Everyone also knows that the NJDOE is full of Democrats. Therefore, vouchers will eventually fade to a null existence.
As far as abstinence goes, I agree that it is rediculous to think teenagers, with their raging hormones, would practice it. However, one can make the argument that abstinence is the only 100% effective method of birth control. I have seen people get pregnant on the pill and we all know condoms break.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:18 am
Jon, who is being condescending to Will Gundabar? If it’s me, then my intent was fully misinterpreted. I was being completely honest in my thank you to him and Jay was busting my chops for it. I’m happy he reads the site and brings solid arguments to the table. If what I said came across as condescending that was 100% unintentional.
September 5th, 2008 at 11:37 am
No, you weren’t being condescending. I was referring to…
“What, like a link to a website that has been provided on this website twice before?”
Might have been busting your chops, but it seemed a bit snotty to him. Like you said, it is not Will Gundabar’s duty to keep track of previous links.
September 5th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Jon,
Abstinence is the only 100% way of not getting pregnant (virgin Mary notwithstanding) but abstinence is taught in sex ed as the best fool proof option. Some people believe it should be the only thing taught and that is where I disagree and from what it sounds you do as well (I don’t mean to put words into your mouth).
I did a little research on vouchers. I’ll admit it was from Wikipedia. Vouchers were actually started in 60’s when segregation was ended and some parents didn’t want their children to be forced to integrate. As you mention President Reagan was a proponent and so is Senator McCain. He mentioned it in his speech last night and he made a good case for it and other school choice options (thought it was a bit vague).
My problem with vouchers is that it doesn’t seem to help the children it is intended to. With the vouchers the working poor still can’t afford most private schools. As you are well aware school’s budget are incredibly tight so to add this extra expense that doesn’t reach the most needy is not popular.
September 5th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Castration is also a 100% effective way of avoiding pregnancy.
September 5th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Oh it should never be taught as the only way to prevent pregnancy. What should happen is an honest statistical chart for students in sex-ed to look at with all the percentages. Abstinence would of course be at the top at 100%, then the pill at 99%, then condoms at whatever percent they are, and so on all the way down to withdrawing and straight up planting at 0%
I will agree with you that vouchers do not help all of the students they are intended to. What I meant by a “Republican effort” was not that Reagan invented vouchers in the 1980s, but that his administration embraced them as part of his educational reform (making the idea of vouchers seem like a Republican stereotype). And by the way, before Reagan’s reform, the educational system was virtually unchanged since the 1960’s. Us children of the 1980s were lucky to be born into a more “up-to-date” form of education.
September 5th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Andrew, you just made me cringe and spill my coffee.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Your right Jon about vouchers being stamped as a republican idea and there for democrats I’m sure avoided it like the plague. The president who did the most for education in recent history was LBJ. There was no special education prior to his term and I believe he is known as the “education president”. His foreign affairs platform is not nearly as wonderful. State wide the governor who did the most for NJ was Tom Caine. So it really doesn’t matter what side of the aisle you sit on.
September 5th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Agreed! LBJ did the most.
September 5th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Stats are definitely the most honest way to teach kids about sex.
Getting back to Jay’s point…a horny teenager is almost always going to choose 99% safe birth control over 100% safe abstinence.
That 1% makes a huge difference.
September 5th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
The teenager doesn’t always have the option for the 99% effectiveness of the pill. The majority of girls age 12-17 are not on birth control medication unless they are having trouble regulating their cycles.
That being said, I would assume the most common form of teenage contraception is a condom and nothing else which is nowhere near 99%.
September 5th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I know that, I was just making the point that 99% and less that allows you to get off is more appealing than 100% and indefinite frustration.
September 5th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
haha nice
September 5th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Jon, you’re right, the condom is the most used form of birth control for teens (ages 15-19 from the study I found) with usage rates at 66% for sexually experienced females and 71% for males.
The CDC found that the historic slide in teen pregnancies from 1991 to 2004 was driven 77% by increased contraceptive use and 23% from teens having less sex.
September 5th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
One of the reasons condoms don’t have a better effectiveness is due to user error. So education will help this. Jon your point about the pill is a good one. Again education would help these stats as well.
There’s a great book by Tom Perrotta called “The Abstinence Teacher”. About a sex ed. teacher who gets in trouble for answering a question about oral sex. Good book, great author. A lot of the same points we’re bringing up are talked about in this book.
September 5th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Keeks, you really got what I was trying to say and brought up some good conversation with a lot of people who each contributed good insight. Thanks.
September 5th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
thanks jay, my pleasure.
September 6th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Good thing this isn’t writewhateverjoncarrtellsyou.com. If you don’t like the assortment of opinions and articles found on this web page, stop reading it.
September 6th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
I enjoy most of the articles found on this blog site. Political articles, and all articles for that matter, are subject to comment as the nature of a blog site (not a web page) suggests!
Maybe you should take your own advice when reading through the comments.
Nice domain name btw!
September 6th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Jon, I just checked, and it looks like nobody owns that domain name as of yet. You’d be a fool not to scoop it up before another Jon Carr gets it.
September 6th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I would but I have too many domain names to manage already. I just bought…
http://www.getjoncarroutofthesandbox.com
and
http://www.putjoncarrinthecorner.com
hahaha
September 6th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
A nice call back right there.
September 6th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
lol awesome jon