Mind_Storm

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/7985.htm


CITY'S ED. BOOBS

By CARL CAMPANILE

October 13, 2003 -- EXCLUSIVE

The three R's in education were almost racy, raunchy and risqué.

Embarrassed city Department of Education officials yanked an eye-popping book from 371 middle and high schools because it contains sexually graphic material - including crude street language - that somehow landed on the recommended reading list for students.

The 300-page book - "Deal with It! A Whole New Approach to Your Body, Brain and Life as a Gurl" (Pocket Books) - has chapters called "The Boob Files," "What's Up Down There" and "Mystery in Your Panties."

Department spokeswoman Margie Feinberg said the sexual primer was mistakenly put on the list of suggested classroom library books and was delivered to schools. But she emphasized that the book was ordered removed before classes started last month because it was deemed inappropriate for adolescents to read.

Among the specific topics discussed include: "Sex is Play," "To Lose it or Not to Lose It," "The First Time," "Why Do Girls Like Girls" and "Coming Out."

Topics also include how to perform anal sex, oral sex and group sex.

The book also discusses how to prevent being a victim of rape, incest and molestation. There's cartoon-like presentation of breasts, the vagina and the penis

Some of the advice about girls' breasts: "Boobs get a lot of attention . . . When boobs start popping up left and right, they can be hard to ignore."

The authors call masturbation the "ultimate safe sex" and say while it's not talked about as much, girls play with their private parts as much as boys. There's also discussion of sex toys.

It tweaks the "double standard" in society that it's OK for boys to have premarital sex, but not girls.

Parents were outraged.

"Who was the genius who purchased this book? Didn't they look at the book before they ordered? This shows they don't know what the hell they're doing," said Queens parent Carmen Santana, whose 12-year-old attends middle school.

"It's disgusting. It's so insulting. It uses ghetto language."

Even students were surprised that the popular teen book made the public school reading list.

"Some of it is X-rated. Only mature people should read it," said Christina Rosario, 17, a senior at Stevenson HS in The Bronx who bought her own personal copy at a bookstore.

"It talks about sex and all the positions."

Frank Wang, a student at the HS for Environmental Studies, said the book was OK for high-school kids, but not middle-schoolers. "They tend to be immature with these things," he said.

The authors of "Deal with It!," Esther Drill, Heather McDonald and Rebecca Odes, are creators of the gurl.com Web site that discusses many of the same issues.

The book also has tips about dealing with family, money and drugs, and "sucky emotions."

Mephisto2

Yeah, imagine educating kids on sex and stuff...

Mr Mephisto

Sledge

I know. What a concept.

Anyway, everyone knows that women reproduce asexually.

Mephisto2

Aren't they related to Pod People?

Mr Mephisto

Gortexfogg

Ok, I'd draw the line there. Yea, kids need to know about sex and what to do and what not to do and all that stuff, but it should be presented in a form that isn't "cartoon-like".

sadistikdreams

I think it's not okay for middle schools, but it might be okay for high schools if they censored the language.

__________________
"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone.
The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials."
-Lin Yutang

hearts, by d.a.

Halx

Damn! The world was JUST about to be saved, then the FUCKING PARENTS had to get involved.

__________________
You have found this post informative.
-The Administrator
[Don't Feed The Animals]

phredgreen

wow. that'd be tragic. a book that teenagers, especially girls, can read and relate to without thinking their grandmother is looking over their shoulder with a disapproving stare whilst learning about the wonders of menstration and about how any form of sexuality is just plain bad until you're in your late thirties.

< /sarcasm> (does that help, mephisto?)

our society as a whole will be completely held back and stagnant until the gen-x and -y'ers finally start taking the reins from the boomers. until then, expect more good sense to be flushed down the toilet in favour of "traditional" (read: ancient) values reigning supreme.

__________________
My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.
- Thomas Paine

Mephisto2

Erm.... I'm not sure if you're agreeing with me or not.

If you are, then good for you!

If you're not.... <WAVES FIST>



Mr Mephisto

Ashton

telekinetic2

by which, I assume you mean, there's always Tilted Sexuality :-)

my favorite line "Only mature people should read it," said Christina Rosario, 17, "It talks about sex and all the positions."

"all"? I doubt or, if it does, I'd like a copy

billege

I can't wait until we, as a younger generation, say to the boomers, "SHUT THE FUCK UP! WE TOUCH OURSELVES AND IT'S NOT A FUCKING SIN!!!"

Ahem...the catholic upbringing kinda got out there.

Listen, it is a parent's right and privledge to decide how thier children are taught about sex. That should not be at issue here. What I fear the reality is, is parents opting to not teach anything. Given the teen pregnacy rate, and all the confusion about sex, I don't think this approach is working.

Our grandparents talked about sex with, no one; as far as I can tell. Our parents didn't really talk to us, with a few exceptions I'm sure. Let's hope that at some point in the near future that strong parents can lay it down like that book seemed to.

IE: That does this, this pokes this, touching this feels good, this is dangerous, use protection, this can be the most wonderful emotional experiance, or the most devestating.

I think many parents shy away from telling thier own kids about sex because they really don't have much of a handle on it themselves. Unfortunately, they presume to stop those that have found a way to articulate the realities to kids from speaking. If there is one thing that history has shown does not work, it's a prolonged campaign of ignorance. Information wants to be free.

There are more sources of information than ever before in human history. I would much rather choose that MY child learn about sex from an accurately written book, that I reviewed, than on "BOBS BIG WORLD OF ANAL RAPE.COM"

It's unfortunate that so many people are terrified of thier own sexuality. Only understanding and reasoning with these people will ever change the tide. Do your part, if you are ever asked a tough question by someone that desperately needs the answer, give them what you know, even if it scares you.

That's how the world changes.

Be a hero, tell kids the truth.

Or, be a liar, when they find you out.

Those are the only real choices a parent has.

Which one will you choose?

__________________
I can sum up the clash of religion in one sentence:
"My Invisible Friend is better than your Invisible Friend."

Midlandmadman

Billege said to "Be a hero, tell kids the truth."


so I did..

To my daughter... "remember when you got your fingers caught in the car door??" Yes

"remember how your 2 fingernails got broke out and you needed surgery.. and how bad thoes stiches hurt??" Yes


Well sex hurts like a million times worse then that!!!


Ok so my parenting skills need some work.............

__________________
Its good to be back.

jvwgtr

These parents are operating on the assumption that their kids don't already have this information.

"Son, we need to talk about the birds and the bees."
"--Ok, Dad, what do you want to know?"

rodgerd

Actually it should, as you yourself acknowledge. There are too many people willing to assert a kind of parental property right over kids as though they are chattel. Parents don't have the right to yank their kids out of school and put them to work in a mine (as they once did) because we, as a society, decided the rights of the child to get an education come first.

Sex ed ought to be no different. It's a key part of your life, regardless of whether you get it as often as you can, as soon as you can, "save it for marriage" or what have you.

And heaven forbid we teach girls about msaturbation. Why, they might start thinking getting off on their own is a better option than hooking up with J. Random Doofus to do so!

Dano069

WOW! Who'd of ever thought that edumacation was a bad thingy! The Bible's the only edumacating book we need.

__________________
I may look attentive, but I'm taking peeks down your blouse faster than the human eye can follow.

mattevil

god why cant we have better sex ed?In biology the other day i caught several girls shocked that babys come out head first!this was college biology mind you!

MSD

Censor-happy parents are the reason that I didn't even know that a vagina was an opening and that my penis was for anything other than pissing until I was 11. I also was baffled by my mother's assertion that having a baby before marriage is a sin, because I had no idea that men were involved in any way, and I assumed that it was something that either happened or didn't, and couldn't be controlled.

MangaMonkey

Hi,

Anyways, when I got over that laugh, I realized just how ridiculous this situation is. Dear God, when I talk to me friends it reminds me of just how much of a problem sex education still is.
"Oh, but I pull out all the time. She can't get pregnant."

Thanks,
Manga

Harshaw

Well of couse they come out head first, can you imagine coming feet first out of the belly button?

__________________
This too shall pass.

mattevil

on a related note did it take any of you other guys as long a time as me to actually figure out where exactly women pee out of?i was shamefully about 15