BSVDWatch.org

Listening to Joel Becker makes my skin crawl. I agree with Dr. Ablow - he seemed to be getting some kind of twisted thrill out of talking about these very inappropriate things with kids. THIS is why my four kids will never go to a public high school.

Some of the posters here have said that this topic was "educational" and therefore appropriate in a high school setting.

True education would have encouraged the students to come to their own conclusions based on the evidence provided. For example, at one point, one of the panelists talks about how females have to "open up" physically and emotionally in order to have sex with the male, because of the female anatomy.

Later, when a student asked, "would you have sex with someone you liked, but he didn't love you?", a truly educational response from an adult in a position of teaching would have been along the lines of, "Given what we said earlier about opening yourself up, what do YOU think the answer to that question should be?" This would have drawn the student to make the only conclusion that makes sense - one that would not have violated most health, religious or moral teachings.

Instead, the panelists ALL stated that they would have sex with someone who did not love them. WRONG ANSWER!!!

They also failed to take this approach with their discussion of drugs.

This was not quality "education".

Just because some teens are engaging in these activities doesn't mean that they are doing the right or smart thing- and that adults shouldn't do the right or smart thing either, which is to protect kids. These panelists are suggesting that kids take real risks with their health and their futures, all for the sake of "experimenting". Would any rational adult allow their child to "experiment" with dynamite? Guns? Fire? If we don't teach kids that their lives are more precious than an experiment with sex & drugs, then they will not believe they are worth more than this. By the way, drugs are illegal- even if the panelists don't think they should be... and can illegal activities be endorsed in public schools?

This is actually refreshing to see the truth spoken to kids. Guess what: THEY CAN HANDLE IT.

Proud to be a Boulder resident and father of 2 in a city that is not afraid to remain open to all ideas and opinions. Thank you BVSD.

I agree with the comment from #6. if anyone actually read this entire transcript they would see an overall message of preparation and responsibility being advocated.

I came here to read this after watching O'Reilly and his ilk denigrate these speakers and take dozens of their comments out of context. I see now that my suspicions were correct and he loses more of the tiny sliver of credibility he has left.

Speak truthfully to your kids and help them make responsible, well-informed choices free of fear-mongering and intimidation.

#6 appreciates your agreement and wishes that more adults would think about what kind of message teens are getting when a bunch of you FREAK OUT over something so inconsequential.

Just finished reading the transcript.

I can state without reservation that I have no problem with what was said in that forum. I found the information given valuable and the tone of the questions being asked were such that I believe the teenagers in the audience were actually listening and absorbing.

The direction these panelists took was one devoid of fear-mongering (in my opinion promoting taboos only make them more appealing, it's why alcholism is more of a problem in America than it is in Europe where wine is served at the dinner table). They were instead attempting to "reduce the harm" that drugs and sex can cause by illustrating the consequences of these actions, both the good and the bad. I believe the panelists operated from an assumption that teenagers can make better choices when given more information.

Contrast this with the "just say no" mentality that keeps the taboo in place in ignorance and guilt. I've witnessed this in the fundamentalist Christian side of my own family where my two Pentacostal brothers have failed miserably in keeping their daughters child-free and their sons out of prison.

I, for one, will teach my child to make wise choices by telling him much of the truth revealed in this forum. I'm not one to fear drugs and sex as some evil to be avoided, but see them exactly as the panelists see them, things that people have enjoyed for the entire history of mankind. Denying this will just push the issue underground and make the resulting taboo more of a problem.

But then, I have refused to promote the Santa Claus myth with my child because I never want him to think I've betrayed him once he finds out the truth.

To guest user #6, the panelist did have some warnings, but in general, they treated much of the discussion very casually. They mocked organized religion. They said that sex need not be accompanied by love... you might get hurt, it might be great, but love is not necessary. They implied if not stated that drugs should be legalized. They treated drug use very casually. The panel was completely one-sided. None of this is the message that I want sent to my children, and it is unfair that BHS and these panelists took it upon themselves to circumvent the message of parents.

I, as many others are sick and tired of academia assuming it is their place to raise or offer advice of this nature to my children.

Teach them the basics and let me do the parenting; thank you.