OMFG... just No... OMG...

[Worship Jaclyn]

I agree with what you said, except for this "so I'm not going to credit schools with doing what I consider to be the bare minimum." Do you mean "bare minimum" as a task for parents or as in "the school does the bare minimum"?

Because schools absolutely do not do the "bare minimum". The bare minimum would be telling your child to rewrite whatever the teacher wrote, and adding simple things. "Bare minimum" wouldn't be teaching your child to count, manners, another language, biology, chemistry, algebra or even getting them to remain active. So schools should get some sort of credit, for being a glorified babysitter that teaches kids things for 12-13 years while parents are out working and making money for the family. Granted some school systems suck and could be better, but "bare minimum".. that's usually the parents, that just tell kids "do you homework" "did you finish your homework?" the types that never get involved in their child's studying UNLESS their child is failing or the teacher suggests the parents to help them with their work.

Also in an instance of being a child surrounded by adults that tell you to live how they live, school could offer diversity. Example : A child has racist parents, but the child goes to a very diverse school- if the child wants to talk about racism w/o hearing how a race is lesser who do they have to talk to? Their teacher, classmates or counselor. A child has homophobic parents but learns about sexual identity - who does that child have to talk to? their classmates, or their teacher/counselor.

ETA: Also it isn't the schools job to teach these things at all, so that's not what I'm saying. I'm just saying that in the absence of parents teaching kids, we have the public school system. And they should get credit for being a somewhat possible safe space for children especially when home or a relatives house isn't.

I am not talking about specific good teachers or counselors. There are amazing teachers out there and I have known many. The school system as a whole, it's motives and what it does for kids, is in my opinion the absolute bare minimum that children need and deserve to thrive in life. I certainly don't mean that parents are great and do so much, there are plenty of bare minimum parents out there as well. I have many reasons for feeling the way I do about our country's school system, none of which will add anything to this conversation so I don't care to really get into it honestly.

I guess I can say that I agree, they do some good definitely but I think they overall do a whole lot more harm. So that is the reason why I don't think we should constantly praise what they do right, I think that keeps us from looking at it like the broken thing it is. But again, that's just my thought process and getting into it more would be a world of derailing.

 

[justjoinedtopost]

There are so many things we don't teach acceptance or awareness of. We don't teach awareness of eyesight problems, or congenital diseases. We don't teach awareness of diabetes and diabetics.

Wow that's some low hanging fruit right there...



http://bfy.tw/7E8d

I sat in a public school classroom, and listened as diabetes education and awareness was addressed. To students. I imagine if diabetics had been getting beat up, harassed and bullied regularly, even more effort would have been put into it. But choose the "facts" that serve you.

• There was a very effeminate kid. No idea if he was gay or not, just know he was real girly acting. For two years, his peers (myself included) tormented the hell out of him. When it got to be too much for him to handle, and he tried to stand up for himself, he got beat the fuck up. He did not have any friends. He never went and told on us. He just shouldered that shit. I don't know how this affected him later in life.
• There was a 12 year old kid lived right up the road from me in a trailer. Every time I saw him away from school, he had his 2 year old sister with him because his mother did not want to be bothered. One day I saw him french-kissing his sister. When I blabbed about it to my classmates, there was blood in the water. For the better part of a school year, he endured the same. Even after the second time he was assaulted in the classroom, in full view of a teacher, nobody gave a shit.

There were no Marxists there to capitalize on these situations (and others like them). And the corporations were too busy with their quest for global domination to care.

So now there are the overreaches (real and/or perceived) of the P.C. obsessed left. And you have the indifference of the right, who decry any attempt to change things as moral impurity. Lovely.

 

[SexySteph]

We don't teach awareness of eyesight problems, or congenital diseases. We don't teach awareness of diabetes and diabetics.

Maybe not where you grew up, but unless my school is an exception, we do in the US.

 

[IsabellaSnow]

What school doesn't teach about eyesight and diseases and stuff?! Like what the hell did you think when someone wore glasses? You just "worked it out"?! Didn't your parents talk to you?

I was taught about loads of stuff in school, and I went to a whole bunch of them and they were all the same on that front. Some things I learned along the way from parents and other people etc. But my school would address a bunch of different issues in a light age appropriate way.

I can't remember being taught about sexuality, but if children were taught I'd say at the same time as sex ed would be appropriate. No big deal would need to be made about it. But it is part of education so it'd be good if children reaching sexual age were taught about it to limit potential bullying or repression.

I'm a believer in the public school system. I didn't like it much as a teenager but I believe the consistent interaction with other children and adults is very important. Home schooling isn't really such a thing in the UK, I don't know if we have a better school system or not. The only difference I know of is that it apparently tends to be higher level younger but we very rarely hold children back or move them up so it's easier in that sense. I'm pretty sure that it's not actually that easy to homeschool here. You have to have good reason and need to prove you're up to it and I think there are legal implications of you don't comply.

Totally off topic but I'm always fascinated to read posts from Americans because it shows how big the culture difference is, even just between states. Things that might initially seem crazy to me are normal somewhere else, I've loved that people from this forum have given me the opportunity to understand the culture differences and why they exist and work. Thank you guys I never would have had the opportunity without this place and the people who've been willing to share their stories.

 

[Mila_]

What school doesn't teach about eyesight and diseases and stuff?! Like what the hell did you think when someone wore glasses? You just "worked it out"?! Didn't your parents talk to you?

I was taught about loads of stuff in school, and I went to a whole bunch of them and they were all the same on that front. Some things I learned along the way from parents and other people etc. But my school would address a bunch of different issues in a light age appropriate way.

I can't remember being taught about sexuality, but if children were taught I'd say at the same time as sex ed would be appropriate. No big deal would need to be made about it. But it is part of education so it'd be good if children reaching sexual age were taught about it to limit potential bullying or repression.

I'm a believer in the public school system. I didn't like it much as a teenager but I believe the consistent interaction with other children and adults is very important. Home schooling isn't really such a thing in the UK, I don't know if we have a better school system or not. The only difference I know of is that it apparently tends to be higher level younger but we very rarely hold children back or move them up so it's easier in that sense. I'm pretty sure that it's not actually that easy to homeschool here. You have to have good reason and need to prove you're up to it and I think there are legal implications of you don't comply.

Totally off topic but I'm always fascinated to read posts from Americans because it shows how big the culture difference is, even just between states. Things that might initially seem crazy to me are normal somewhere else, I've loved that people from this forum have given me the opportunity to understand the culture differences and why they exist and work. Thank you guys I never would have had the opportunity without this place and the people who've been willing to share their stories.

I wonder if my posts are really that difficult to understand or if some people simply jump at whatever I say.

Of course my school taught me what diseases are. Of course I learned about diabetes. But I was talking specifically about "raising awareness" as in.. nobody designed a "diabetics day!" Or made us a coloring book about insulin, or made us all learn how to prick our finger and test our blood levels with a fake tester in science class. We didnt have heart to heart conversations with a counselor while sitting in a circle where we were expected to share our experiences with diabetic people or how we feel inside about diabetes and sugar levels. Do you get what I am saying? I just would prefer if sexuality was taught like they teach about diabetes: neutrally. That is if they must address it at all.

 

[VeronicaChaos]

One thing I'd like to say in response to the fear that if incest were legal, what would stop people from doing it: biology. We are biologically programmed to have an aversion to invest. I think it's laughable to think that the only thing stopping everyone from becoming incestuous is the illegality of it. The only people that would benefit from incest being legal are grown adults, and a tiiiiiiiny amount of them, who wouldn't have to worry about jail time.

Also, in regards to whether or not it's mentally healthy to engage in; being in unhealthy relationships is not illegal. Grown ups have the right to make bad decisions and do things they regret. Otherwise, what's your argument for porn being legal? Because you're in it, you have a bias towards it? It's not all sunshine and roses; I know many many models who talk about feeling exploited and trapped in this industry, and these are the girls that work from home, never touch anyone, and can theoretically do whatever they want. Just because a situation has a risk of trauma does not mean we should send people to prison for it. If you're really concerned about people becoming traumatized, keeping them out of jail would probably go a long way.

 

[IsabellaSnow]

I wonder if my posts are really that difficult to understand or if some people simply jump at whatever I say.

I think you're just not the best at explaining your points... I can understand most people's posts. But maybe I just don't get you.

Honestly I'm not going to get on board with your point of view. I disagree with you on this both fundamentally and I don't feel your metaphors have any relevance. And I usually LOVE metaphors. I get your point and standpoint, and I'm glad you've posted your views as it's interesting to get another perspective, and it's nice to see the points of other people debating or agreeing to your posts. But there's a point when it stops adding any more value/info and I think I've got there on this... So this'll probably be my last post in this thread, but cheers for the discussion!

Just one more thing, I noticed you gave someone a Troll rating who'd basically just explained a personal story. The post wasn't remotely Troll like and he was simply not posting your views... I haven't been rating disagree to you in these recent posts because I'm directly posting to you and felt it'd be unnecessary and petty- even though you've been doing it. I just thought after you complaining about people giving you Troll and disagree ratings it seemed a bit hypocritical of you... I don't know if you did it because you felt they'd done it first, but I'm of the belief that if you can't take it then don't dish it.
Sorry it was just an observation... It's not something that offended me, I really don't care much about ratings, just seemed like you were upset about it so I didn't get why you were doing the same to others.

 

[Mila_]

I think you're just not the best at explaining your points... I can understand most people's posts. But maybe I just don't get you.

Honestly I'm not going to get on board with your point of view. I disagree with you on this both fundamentally and I don't feel your metaphors have any relevance. And I usually LOVE metaphors. I get your point and standpoint, and I'm glad you've posted your views as it's interesting to get another perspective, and it's nice to see the points of other people debating or agreeing to your posts. But there's a point when it stops adding any more value/info and I think I've got there on this... So this'll probably be my last post in this thread, but cheers for the discussion!

Just one more thing, I noticed you gave someone a Troll rating who'd basically just explained a personal story. The post wasn't remotely Troll like and he was simply not posting your views... I haven't been rating disagree to you in these recent posts because I'm directly posting to you and felt it'd be unnecessary and petty- even though you've been doing it. I just thought after you complaining about people giving you Troll and disagree ratings it seemed a bit hypocritical of you... I don't know if you did it because you felt they'd done it first, but I'm of the belief that if you can't take it then don't dish it.
Sorry it was just an observation... It's not something that offended me, I really don't care much about ratings, just seemed like you were upset about it so I didn't get why you were doing the same to others.

I have never given a troll rating to anyone who didn't deserve it unless it was unintentional as I am often on mobile and sometimes I mis-click. I have also given a poop rating or two to people give me undeserved poop ratings over and over just to make them understand that it isn't nice. So if I ever gave you a bad rating and you have never given me poops or face palms that I didn't deserve, write me a PM because it was probably a mistake and I will gladly take it back.

You keep repeating that my posts are hard to understand but then you say things like "I get your point and standpoint and disagree with you fundamentally" so if you don't understand what I am saying how do you "get" my standpoint? If you don't like my style or my ideas or my metaphors that is one thing, but to claim that you don't understand them and then say that you do get me is just very confusing to me.

You do the same thing with the argument that my ideas add nothing of value to the conversation. You keep repeating this since page 2 but then you drop this: "I'm glad you've posted your views as it's interesting to get another perspective, and it's nice to see the points of other people debating or agreeing to your posts." Since you have been saying this for 2 pages already, what is it? are my posts interesting and furthering the debate or pointless and adding nothing of value? Honestly if anyone is hard to understand is you when you contradict yourself every 2 sentences. So confusing.

Even if you do have a problem understanding what I am posting nobody else seems to have your problem. Many people have spoken up to say that they are glad I am participating on this thread and making them think even when they disagree with everything I say. So maybe the problem is you aren't reading carefully. I think you simply dislike my point of view so you make up these excuses hoping that I shut up. But as long as people quote me and ask me questions I will continue to participate. Sorry, not sorry.

 

[JoleneBrody]

I wonder if my posts are really that difficult to understand or if some people simply jump at whatever I say.

Of course my school taught me what diseases are. Of course I learned about diabetes. But I was talking specifically about "raising awareness" as in.. nobody designed a "diabetics day!" Or made us a coloring book about insulin, or made us all learn how to prick our finger and test our blood levels with a fake tester in science class. We didnt have heart to heart conversations with a counselor while sitting in a circle where we were expected to share our experiences with diabetic people or how we feel inside about diabetes and sugar levels. Do you get what I am saying? I just would prefer if sexuality was taught like they teach about diabetes: neutrally. That is if they must address it at all.

I get that, that's very much how sexuality was taught when I was in school but I have no idea what it's like now, and it varies soooooooooo much state to state and region to region that's it's hard to grasp what the national average tone is.
Sex Ed was pretty cut and dry anatomy science and std knowledge/prevention for me. Sexual orientation was never really discussed unless a kid reached out for a guidance counselor.
That was just my experience but it's why I was a bit confused by what you were saying.

Then you have places like Utah where Sex-Ed is nearly void, but the parents don't talk about it either!
Highest rates of porn subscriptions, specifically gay porn and anti-depressants. So that's like the possible extreme of the other side, having to rely on porn for sex Ed and living in the closet for life due to fear of social excommunication.

 

[justjoinedtopost]

"I just would prefer if sexuality was taught like they teach about diabetes: neutrally. That is if they must address it at all."

This is just not based in reality. The sex drive is much more powerful than the diabetes drive. Sex has been stigmatized in a way diabetes never has.

 

[EspiKvlt]

I'm scared to post here because it's a whirlwind of shit that I have literally had difficulty reading as a nonbinary bisexual person, but I do feel the need to say this:

The idea that populations decrease because of homosexuality is rooted in the idea that all men have a penis and all women have a vagina. That isn't the case. Gay people can get pregnant. There are gay men with vaginas.

 

[LioraVox]

I'm scared to post here because it's a whirlwind of shit that I have literally had difficulty reading as a nonbinary bisexual person, but I do feel the need to say this:

The idea that populations decrease because of homosexuality is rooted in the idea that all men have a penis and all women have a vagina. That isn't the case. Gay people can get pregnant. There are gay men with vaginas.

I agree with you.
But I believe the argument was less about sexual identities and more about who a person would have sex with. A gay man with a vagina is still female bodied. What if He had sex with women, there wouldn't be any procreation. Same as a transwoman with her penis, if she isn't having sex with a woman there won't be any procreation. Because you need an egg + sperm to create a baby. If these two things don't mingle, we don't get babies. Which means we as humans will eventually die out. (I know that scientist are trying to create babies just from the eggs of women, tho.. so for now we got the old way).

 

[SaffronBurke]

I agree with you.
But I believe the argument was less about sexual identities and more about who a person would have sex with. A gay man with a vagina is still female bodied. What if He had sex with women, there wouldn't be any procreation. Same as a transwoman with her penis, if she isn't having sex with a woman there won't be any procreation. Because you need an egg + sperm to create a baby. If these two things don't mingle, we don't get babies. Which means we as humans will eventually die out. (I know that scientist are trying to create babies just from the eggs of women, tho.. so for now we got the old way).

There was a story in the news when I was in college. A trans man and his partner wanted to have a baby, but for whatever reason (I don't remember the details), she couldn't get pregnant (I'm guessing they were using IVF and it just wasn't working for her), so he went, "hey, I still have my uterus, I'll have the baby!" and they used IVF so he could do so. I thought it was really cool and sweet that he did that, but everyone at school was talking about how "sick" and "wrong" they thought it was.


There's also now an experimental procedure where you can donate your uterus to a trans woman so she can become pregnant and have a baby. Which I will do if I can, I'm definitely never using mine.

 

[KBdarling]

Well, I'm going to go with a hard NO to donating to their legal fund. I'd rather spend that money saving a puppy or something...

As far as what they are doing...I think a big reason these types of relationships are illegal ...well, because the chance of a child coming out of the relationship.

And now we know where the lyrics to I'm My Own Grandpa came from.....

 

[KBdarling]

P.S. - As I'm reading through some of these posts I'm wondering if there were a few people who missed their sex education class ....

The spread of STDs is caused by having sex with multiple partners in an "unsafe" manner. Such as not using protection....

Or drug use involving needles....

There has been no proof of homosexual relations causing STDs. Homosexual men often seem to be more promiscuous....that may be where this misinformation stems from, but homosexual relations are not a known factor in causing STDs.

 

[justjoinedtopost]

And now we know where the lyrics to I'm My Own Grandpa came from.....

 

[KBdarling]

hahaha! I'm going to be singing this all day!