Articles

Course Teaches Abstinence;
Why It’s an Important Choice for Students

By JESSICA CRAWFORD
Southwest Daily Times

Lorraine Blanks of Sexuality and Family Education (SAFE) has been presenting a curriculum entitled “Choosing the Best Path” to USD 480’s seventh and eighth grade students since 2004. Classes are currently underway at West Middle School and will soon begin at South Middle School.

The eight-session course Blanks offers teaches the importance of abstinence until the commitment of marriage. Each session of the curriculum discusses reasons why abstinence is an important choice both physically and emotionally.

According to Blanks, the students have been very interested in the information that has been offered and have been eager to participate while class was in session.

“The students seem to be enjoying it,” Blanks commented. “They are learning different skills as to how to say ‘no.’”

The eight sessions offered, which span a time period of approximately three weeks, gradually teach the students the value of abstinence and offer reasons for the importance of it.

The students began by learning the emotional consequences involved in engaging in pre-marital sex.

“Many times the emotional consequences are overlooked,” Blanks said. “The students need to understand the value of self respect.”

Another lesson discusses the health hazards of premarital sex. Blanks teaches there is always the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease or even HIV. One can most generally not tell if a prospective partner may have an STD and that is being strongly emphasized, Blanks said.

There is a lesson that involves the consequences of a teen growing up too quickly if he or she chooses to engage in pre-marital sex. According to Blanks, Seward County was ranked second in the state of Kansas for teen pregnancy. Last year, Seward County dropped to number three in the state.

“We were second in the state for six years consecutively, so we are making progress,” Blanks said hopefully. “With the cooperation of the community and schools we hope to soon be out of the top ten.”

There are lessons that teach the students methods as to how to best deal with the pressures from their peers, media, alcohol and even their own hormones. Blanks stated abstinence is a form of life. She teaches the importance of setting boundaries and tries to convey to the young students the difference between love and infatuation to better arm them for possible pressures they may face in the future.

According to Blanks, probably the most informative part of the curriculum is the information the students gain regarding saying “no” and how they can say it effectively.

“Right now they are learning how to say ‘no,’” she said “They are learning the skills to deal with the pressures of pre-marital sex defensively and offensively.”

The final test for the students is to put into practice what they have learned by participating in a role playing exercise. The students will be placed in fictional situations where they must be able to stand up for themselves.

“The last class they will be doing will be role playing,” Blanks explained. “There are different skills they have learned that they will be putting into effect.”

SAFE has been in effect in Liberal for the last 11 or 12 years. However, “Choosing the Best Path” has been implemented in the middle school system since 2004.

“Before the abstinence program we had other programs such as “Baby Think it Over” and the empathy belly. Some teachers have used these programs in the schools,” Blanks said.

When taking her ideas and curriculum before the board of education, Blanks said she was pleased to be met with no resistance.

“When we brought this to the school board, we presented statistics from just Seward County alone,” she concluded. “They whole heartedly felt the school needed this - they were very receptive.”