It is a fact of life that many very young girls begin menstruation early. Even as young as 10 or 11. They are very much children, but can become pregnant if they behave ignorantly or are molested. When a child is capable of becoming pregnant, sex education is not only age-appropriate, it is vital. But not in MAGA world apparently.
The Florida GOP in its wisdom wants to add discussion of menstrual cycles and sexual health to its list of forbidden topics for school kids. Their bill to do so is so poorly crafted that it would make it illegal for young girls to discuss the subject amongst themselves. And God forbid that a teacher try to help a youngster by explaining why they are bleeding.
https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-bill-bans-young-girls-from-discussing-periods-school-2023-3
Why is there political advantage in propagating dangerous ignorance? Maybe some MAGA-Republican can explain the logic?
Tidewater News and Opinion Forum 
Pretty soon we will return to referring to undergarments as “unmentionables”…now that we mention it.
I say we should encourage ignorance about sex, then ban birth control, cut aid to dependent children, bring back child labor and for good measure, chastity belts.
Actually, I may have revealed some planks in the GOP platform.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t forget forced pregnancy. Gotta make those 11-year old girls accountable for their wantonness.
LikeLiked by 1 person
American Taliban. At least the real Taliban are pretty open about their agenda. Our GOP is packed with spineless scum carrying heavy weapons to make up for tiny dicks.
IMO
LikeLiked by 2 people
RE: “The Florida GOP in its wisdom wants to add discussion of menstrual cycles and sexual health to its list of forbidden topics for school kids.”
Is that a fact? The proposed legislation doesn’t contain the word menstruation and, in any case, would not prevent the topic from being discussed in grades 6-12.
RE: “Why is there political advantage in propagating dangerous ignorance?”
I wonder, given that this post is clearly ignorant.
LikeLike
Isn’t this something normally left to the parents and other older relatives? If a girl starts early, her mother if going to know and either talk to her herself or arrange for it.
Why is it assumed girls can’t learn something if it isn’t taught by the teacher’s union?
LikeLike
Anecdotal, but I would wager it happens more than just to y daughter.
When she was in 5th grade, she started her period while at school.. Her best friend took her to HER mother who happened to be a teacher at the same school. The teacher helped our daughter and then contacted my wife. ALL appropriately done and we were grateful that there was someone there to assist our daughter until my wife could get there.
It seems to me, that the FL proposed law would not allow this to happen. And a teacher, who is part of a child’s life circle, would not be able to assist a student in need.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I don’t see where the proposed law would prevent such individual assistance, it’s more about it being part of the curriculum.
LikeLike
Are you sure? And even if that were the case, you don’t think a teacher is going to be scared shitless to assist because a parent or other teacher or administrator will come after her for doing just that? It is too slippery slope – IMO.
ANd why shouldn’t a human/mammalian bodily function NOT be discussed in science or health classes.? UNless of course we want to NOT teach facts about the human body.
…”would not prevent the topic from being discussed in grades 6-12.”
ANd Mr. ROberts’ statement is also an issue, based on menstruation starting in young women as early as age 10. NOT sixth grade, but 4th and 5th.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“I don’t see where the proposed law . . .”
Maybe you don’t see it, but the author of law conceded that it does exactly that when he was questioned by a fellow committee member. I do not expect the law will be passed as drafted. There are Democrats in the legislature and a few not crazy Republicans. The point of the post is the absurd lengths MAGA goes to keep children ignorant. Why should a child who can become pregnant be kept ignorant? And in the modern world with all the hormones floating around that means ANY female child.
LikeLike
Again, that is education that the parents should decide when the child is ready and needful.
LikeLike
When I was in elementary school, there was a girl who had her first period in gym class. She was distraught, embarrassed and taken to the school nurse. The information and jokes among the boys, most of whom, including me, were based on ignorance.
I am not sure the disposition, but she was gone for the day. Chances were decent mom didn’t have to work, but we were a working class neighborhood so a second income may very well have been the case.
Somehow, hopefully, the nurse was able to calm her down by explaining this most natural of events. So if this bill were in place, the nurse could be fired.
Grooming! Burn her at the stake!
Folks, we need to get a grip. Outrage may fuel FOX and friends’ pockets, but sex education is really lacking today. And children are reaching puberty early in many instances.
IMO
LikeLiked by 2 people
A pregnant child is no longer just a family issue.
First, the push is for state control of the zygote, so it is now a public problem.
Second, since it is a public problem, then there is a state interest to look out for the welfare of the mother and fetus.
Third, affordable access to quality healthcare, including nutrition is paramount if the state may have to pick up the care in cases of neglect or poverty.
In the “good old days”, there was plenty of rape, incest and child abuse. It was dealt with by it “is none of our business”. Pregnancy was hidden, or aborted secretly. Orphanages, or worse, workhouses, were often the “upbringing”. Girls, raped or not, were ostracized as sluts. A mark of “manhood” was to get laid often leading to early marriages, abuse, economic hardship and other issues.
We have much more knowledge about the dangers of delivery for both mother and child. We have safe, effective birth control methods. The most efficacious are the periodic shots or devices that prevent implantation, which runs counter to the fertilized egg is a full citizen drumbeat. Sex Ed, appropriately taught by age, should be at least part of the curriculum before puberty. The basics are enough with the emphasis on avoiding pregnancy with actual facts.
Understanding the biological workings of sex is important. Critical because unwanted children, borne by children, is a major social problem.
Do we really want to turn back the clock to the age of greater ignorance? I still feel ignorance is not bliss…it is just ignorance.
LikeLiked by 2 people
So, because a few young girls will hit puberty early, you want to discuss the reproductive system with curious 1 year olds.
What could go wrong?
You only see the benefits of meddling with hundreds of years of tradition, you never consider the unintended consequences.
LikeLike
1 year olds?
Are you serious? Or making a joke of a serious subject😇
LikeLiked by 1 person
Typo
10 year olds
LikeLike
Yes the parents should educate their daughters about a natural occurrence in their bodies. BUT, if that occurrence begins during the school day, it is a teacher, nurse or other administrator that is going to have to care for the child until a parent shows up. Those adults are going to be terrified that if they help, they will end up in jail.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Again, that is education that the parents should decide when the child is ready and needful.”
This is an example of another “issue” that is really not a problem until some MAGAT decides to make it one. Fourth and fifth grade health curricula are hardly sex manuals and are already subject to careful preparation and review.
But keep it up. The American people are, IMHO, thoroughly fed up with extremists.
LikeLiked by 2 people
“So, because a few young girls will hit puberty early, you want to discuss the reproductive system with curious 1 year olds.”
A few? How many is “a few? “And how early are you talking about?
From the UK NHS . . .
“The average age for girls to start puberty is 11, while for boys the average age is 12.
But it’s perfectly normal for puberty to begin at any point between the ages of 8 and 13 in girls and 9 and 14 in boys.”
Children in school should get age-appropriate TRUTHFUL answers to whatever they are curious about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
RE: “Why should a child who can become pregnant be kept ignorant?”
Because the probability of occurrence is very low the question is almost meaningless. Besides, there is no good reason to assume that the purpose of the legislation is to “keep children ignorant.”
LikeLike
“Because the probability of occurrence is very low the question is almost meaningless”
The more they are kept ignorant the greater the chance of a pregnancy. Duh!
“Besides, there is no good reason to assume that the purpose of the legislation is to “keep children ignorant.” ”
There is no other purpose in blocking age-appropriate sex education than keeping the students ignorant of the facts that such education would provide. This is virtually a tautaulogy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
RE: “There is no other purpose in blocking age-appropriate sex education than keeping the students ignorant of the facts that such education would provide.”
Yes, and all of reality conforms precisely and exclusively to whatever you say.
LikeLike
“Yes, and all of reality conforms precisely and exclusively to whatever you say.”
Hardly, but unlike you apparently, I know words and what they mean. If someone blocks sex-education for children they are blocking the transmission of knowledge to children and that is the same as keeping the children ignorant.
LikeLiked by 1 person
RE: “If someone blocks sex-education for children they are blocking the transmission of knowledge to children and that is the same as keeping the children ignorant.”
Gibberish. The same would be true of quantum physics or anthropology, but you wouldn’t make an issue of the child’s “ignorance” in those cases.
LikeLike
“Gibberish. ”
If Florida made it illegal to teach quantum physics or anthropology, the charge would be the same – keeping children ignorant. The sad thing is that your hypothetical is not particularly improbable given the theistic world view of MAGA.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The sad thing is your obsession with sex education for 10-year old girls.
LikeLike
“The sad thing is your obsession with sex education for 10-year old girls”
Nice try at a low blow, you jackass. Another complete whiff.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is the Florida GOP that is obsessed, not Paul or Len or myself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
…”quantum physics or anthropology,”…
The idiocy continues. Those subjects are not something that happens, naturally, to a young woman. Your comparison is asinine beyond belief.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I remember getting sex education class in the 5th grade. The boys went to one classroom, and the girls to another. Two male teachers taught the boys, and I assume there were two female teachers taught the girls. Film and filmstrip to teach the information. Some of which I had learned from home, most not. It was the first time I had ever learned about girls and menstruation. This would have been in the late 1960s. I would think this kind of education would be continuing today.
LikeLiked by 3 people
It certainly should be.
LikeLiked by 1 person