Sex education threatens Nova Scotians.Halifax--This fall, 2004, along with reading, writing and arithmetic, Nova Scotia Nova Scotia (nō`və skō`shə) [Lat.,=new Scotland], province (2001 pop. 908,007), 21,425 sq mi (55,491 sq km), E Canada. Geography students will learn all about sex, condoms, date rape date rape n. forcible sexual intercourse by a male acquaintance of a woman, during a voluntary social engagement in which the woman did not intend to submit to the sexual advances and resisted the acts by verbal refusals, denials or pleas to stop, and/or physical and sexually transmitted diseases Sexually transmitted diseases Infections that are acquired and transmitted by sexual contact. Although virtually any infection may be transmitted during intimate contact, the term sexually transmitted disease is restricted to conditions that are largely (STDs). Having resisted the distribution of the government produced book Sex? A Healthy Sexuality Resource because it was "too racy rac·y adj. rac·i·er, rac·i·est 1. Having a distinctive and characteristic quality or taste. 2. Strong and sharp in flavor or odor; piquant or pungent. 3. Risqué; ribald. 4. ," the Halifax school board has approved its distribution with the proviso that parents of grades 7, 8 and 9 students must sign parental consent Parental consent laws (also known as parental involvement or parental notification laws) in some countries require that one or more parents consent to or be notified before their minor child can legally engage in certain activities. forms. According to Joe MacLellan, a pro-life leader in Antigonish, "filth" is too mild a word to describe the manual. Having read Draft 14 of it, he reports that the words "morality" and "marriage" never appear in the document. The only guidelines offered to students are about avoiding STDs and unwanted pregnancies. After that, "feeling good" about engaging in sexual activity is the only criterion for deciding. Planned Parenthood Planned Parenthood A service mark used for an organization that provides family planning services. is featured prominently in the document as the organization available to help girls should they fail in their efforts to prevent unwanted pregnancies. The Evangelical group, Focus on the Family, says more space should have been given to telling teens they will not become "uncool" if they don't have sex. It also noted the absence of references to organizations that promote abstinence. Catholic Archbishop Terrence Prendergast of Halifax and two other regional bishops have addressed their concerns about the book in a letter to parents (The Atlantic Catholic, April 3, 2004). They warn parents that the book is too explicit and graphic and could undermine what parents are teaching their children at home. They go on to remind parents that they are irreplaceable as the primary educators of their children, particularly about the gift of fertility. Without naming other sources, they direct parents to other "books, pamphlets and videos, as well as programs in natural family planning natural family planning Biological birth control Any FP that does not rely on artificial agents–eg, OCs, 'morning-after' pill, spermicidal foam, RU-486 or devices–eg, condoms, diaphragms, IUDs to prevent conception Methods Rhythm–calendar method, ." The Cape Breton Strait District School Board has imposed a bah on the book (National Post, Aug. 24, 2004, The Atlantic Catholic, Apr. 3, May 15, 2004). |
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