Teens have sex but don't have the facts

Chicago Tribune ^ | March 17, 2008 | Dawn Turner Trice

[kingattax]

Alternatives, a North Side youth agency, recently held three forums for teenagers ages 14 to 19. The series was called "Let's Talk about Sex." And talk, they did.

In a co-ed forum, the teens pondered contraception. One well-meaning young man stood and said aluminum foil could be used in lieu of a condom. Other teens offered up myths such as the efficacy of plastic baggies, having sex while standing and bathing right after sex.

Adults in attendance informed the students that none of those methods protected against unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the results of a study it conducted of girls ages 14 to 19. The study found that one in four teenage girls has an STD. That's more than 3 million teens. Nearly half of the black girls studied had an STD. The rate was 20 percent for both white and Mexican-American girls.

That's astounding.

These teens live in this hyper- sexualized world, but too many parents are loath (or ill-equipped) to engage their children in a substantive conversation about sex.

As the parent of a 13-year-old daughter, I know it ain't easy. But think "aluminum foil" and we've got some explaining to do.

Chicago Public Schools, for one, made comprehensive sex education mandatory last year for 6th through 12th graders. That's a good start. But while the state requires schools to teach HIV/AIDS prevention, sadly there are no statewide standards for comprehensive sex-education programs.

[NYFriend]

“One well-meaning young man stood and said aluminum foil could be used in lieu of a condom.”

What?

[dan1123]

How come I think that they dug up some of these responses by asking the students what they had heard works—whether they believe it or not.

The kids may hear the stupid things on television, know it’s not true because it was never presented as truth, but it’s useful to get more funding for sex-ed, so it gets played up.

[dashing doofus]

Aluminum foil? What???

[TomGuy]

So, the 20-odd years of mandated sex education in public schools is basically a failure.

[goodwithagun]

Ouch!

[Old Sarge]

Teens have sex

Sun rises in East

Water is wet

American voters are stupid

Sky is blue

[Izzy Dunne]

You know, he may be right.

Just think about the attempt...

[kingattax]

One well-meaning young man stood and said aluminum foil could be used in lieu of a condom.

[NRA1995]

Yeah, an aluminum foil condom while doing it on Astroturf....whatta rube!

[colorado tanker]

I blame the HIV activists and CDC for a lot of this. For years they lied and claimed AIDS is a heterosexual disease, which wasn't true, at least not in the US among the non-IV drug user community. I think a lot of heterosexuals ignored the precautions when they realized they'd been had.

Plus, our country is so ignorant about the difference between infectious disease and viruses. Antibiotics can knock out infections but once you get a virus like HPV, you've got it for life. And it's common.

[gunservative]

This reads like something out of The Onion.

[Cboldt]

No wonder the aluminum foil beanie doesn’t work for me. I’ve been putting it on the wrong head.

[Always Right]

“One well-meaning young man stood and said aluminum foil could be used in lieu of a condom.”

What?

It actually works well. This guy for instance has never had sex.

[kingattax]

lol..always read the instructions

[Snickering Hound]

[Always Right]

No making fun of ABBA today, their drummer just died.

[joebuck]

"One well-meaning young man stood and said aluminum foil could be used in lieu of a condom."

Bet he doesn't get many second dates.

[svcw]

Ouch!

[dashing doofus]

Silly. Obviously he means that you have to remove the foil from the box first. ;-)

[kingattax]

Bet he doesn't get many second dates.

after the kid put the foil on, the 16 year old girl looked at it and said "wow...i didn't know you had to cook it first".

[Albion Wilde]

[Tinfoil] actually works well. This guy for instance has never had sex.

Not with anyone else, he hasn't.

[MortMan]

Chicago Public Schools, for one, made comprehensive sex education mandatory last year for 6th through 12th graders. That's a good start.

Only if one believes the state is the end-all and be-all.

[varyouga]

LOL. He should’ve completed that outfit with military issued “Birth Control” glasses.

With both you're guaranteed to not get anyone pregnant...ever.

[Albion Wilde]

It’s probably a mental mix-up. He meant to say “Saran Wrap”. Seen one food wrapping product, seen them all.

[driftdiver]

No but it was severely mauled by an irate house cat shortly after that picture was taken.

[driftdiver]

“Chicago Public Schools, for one, made comprehensive sex education mandatory last year for 6th through 12th graders. That’s a good start. But while the state requires schools to teach HIV/AIDS prevention, sadly there are no statewide standards for comprehensive sex-education programs.”

Sounds like they want to start with Kindergarten next.

[Gator101]

aluminum?

[driftdiver]

Why is it always the drummers?

[AngelesCrestHighway]

“One well-meaning young man stood and said aluminum foil could be used in lieu of a condom.”......

Proud product of public education!.....

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Ouch!

Are you speaking from experience or surmise? (BTW, guys say a lot of things, under certain conditions, if you know what I mean.)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I’ve heard crossing your fingers also works.

[Wolfie]

If they don’t have the facts by now, then they’re some seriously stupid teenagers.

[goodnesswins]

“Sex Education” educates kids in how to have sex....NOT what having sex does to your life....

[NRA1995]

“One well-meaning young man stood and said aluminum foil could be used in lieu of a condom.”

Or, if you REALLY feel lucky, use Seal-A-Meal

[kingattax]

Proud product of public education!.....

keep in mind that these are the kids that all those teachers are having sex with

[Billthedrill]

Teens have sex but don't have the facts

I have the opposite problem. I do have the facts.

[kingattax]

I have the opposite problem. I do have the facts.

with a name like 'billthedrill' ?..lol

[Trailerpark Badass]

So, the 20-odd years of mandated sex education in public schools is basically a failure.

Liberal: "No. It means we haven't spent enough money on it."

[CynicalIndependant]

Well they did say it was a forum, there’s always one misinformed jerk who types more than he thinks.

Foil though. Man, if you were messing around on shag carpet in dry weather and tried that...

[Tammy8]

That is what gets me, for years we have had planned parenthood, sex-ed classes, health classes that include sex-ed- and yet we have such a high rate of STD and pregnancy among teens. For years the libs have told us we need to educate children about every aspect of sexuality, hide nothing-pour money at the problems; well that’s not working obviously. We were much better off when parents alone were responsible for their children’s sexuality education.

[Resolute Conservative]

“The study found that one in four teenage girls has an STD”

I’ll bet it is more like 1 in 4 sexually active teens. Misleading to push the HPV vaccine to further enable teens to have sex.

[kennedy]

Aluminum foil? What???

It's true. It works.

All a girl has to do is take a sheet of aluminum foil and hold it firmly between her knees at all times when she is with a boy.

Alternatively, this approach works too.

[Vigilanteman]

Aluminum foil is actually quite effective if used as a hat to keep the mind-numbing sex obsessed enemedia from sending signals to control your mind.

On the other hand, if used as a condom, it might irritate the young lady so bad she'd give him a well-deserved whack over the head with a baseball bat.

[dashing doofus]

Are the Canadian Flag eyeglass covers part of the contraceptive, or just decoration? ;-)

[deuteronlmy232]

One well-meaning young man stood and said aluminum foil could be used in lieu of a condom.

Think about it, aluminum foil will work, it will cause immediate abstinence. Or better put, three seconds and the girl is going to yell, "Stop, you're outa here!" that will stop pregnancy and std's I say bring on the "Aluminum foil!"!!

[deuteronlmy232]

325 degress for aout 5 hours should do it.

[deuteronlmy232]

works out to be closer to one out of every two sexually active girls between 13-19 have a std. I know it sounds unreal, but, who are we to argue with the govt.

[deuteronlmy232]

May I be so bold as to say: “Just the thought of that hurts.”

[deuteronlmy232]

after the kid put the foil on, the 16 year old girl looked at it and said "wow...i didn't know you had to cook it first".

That is so funny. I can hardly see my keyboard.