Keeping all children safe and happy is our first priority. Let's teach the kids in public school to always show great love and respect to all people, no matter race, creed, colour or sexual orientation. An emphasis on this teaching, of showing love and respect to all people, should make a welcoming, no stress environment, for everyone. This is, I understand, the intention of groups organizing for Gay Straight Alliance Clubs for Alberta high schools, similar to Ontario and Manitoba.
But let's also teach that high school and puberty is probably not the best time for schools to imply that kids should self identify, although, if they want to, that's OK too. Teenagers go through lots of emotional swings and changes that are difficult enough. Just emphasize showing great love and respect for all people, no matter race, creed, colour or sexual orientation.
It is also important for sex ed in the schools not to divorce the teaching of accurate medical information on sex and contraception from discussions on the importance of love and marriage. Keeping of course, saving sex for marriage, even Gay marriage, in high regard, so that as much as possible, children can be conceived or adopted into a loving home environment, and spared the increased risks of AIDs and STDs, of sex outside of marriage. Our message in high school, as parents to students, should not be "go ahead" or even, "it's your decision" as if we as parents had nothing of value to teach you.
No matter our sexual orientation, we need to learn to choose to handle "our gift of sex" with the utmost care and responsibility, with as much concern for others as ourselves. Contrary to popular opinion, men need to be taught to take the responsibility of fatherhood seriously, and women need to be taught to take the responsibility of motherhood seriously. And this is what sex ed in public schools should be mostly about. In fact we should be looking to the public schools to take the pressure off of kids to have sex, before they are ready, that certain aspects of an exploitive culture, throws at them all the time.
Our message in high school, as parents to students, should be, the best way to be happy and be safe, whether heterosexual or homosexual, is to start your own family one day, building a future, as parents yourselves, together. And even if you don't have a family one day, that's OK too, you can still serve the world and be great and help others, just the same.
I know, in a way, this message sounds "counter cultural", but only because, an important demographic in our culture, has been left unconsulted by our liberal media and academic intellectuals, for so long; Christian grandmothers. Christian grandmothers don't teach "go ahead" or "its your decision." Christian grandmothers teach "You will be happiest by seeking God's will for your life, in all things." (And that advice is OK to be included in the curriculum too.) And of course, it is also important, to keep the secular dream alive, of young people looking forward to getting married and the joy of building a home, for the next generation.
I believe kids will welcome this message in the public schools as they are increasingly tuning out depictions of premarital sex on TV as exploitive. I understand most kids don't even watch TV any more, as they have their favorites, and usually family orientated favorites, on YouTube.
And so, as a nod in deference to our Christian Grandmothers, and the secular dream, let's change the name of our GSA's to GSAM's, Gay Straight Alliances for Marriage.
P.S. My #EPSBsexed friend tells me there is no place for Christian "shame based" sex ed in public schools, just accurate medical information. I tell her that promoting strong marriages, and teaching the conflict resolution skills needed to help keep marriages together, (our 40% divorce rate is way too high and is hurting both parents and children), is as far from "shame", as "the east is from the west." (I like that phrase and no I was not the first to think of it.)
Many students will take this advice and go with it and many students will struggle with it and many students will disagree with it. But all the students will understand that their "Christian Grandmothers" love them with an abiding and unconditional love, and only want what is best for them.
P.P.S. Divorcing sex from love and marriage is one of the reasons we have the tragedy of such a high divorce rate in the first place. Perhaps Gay Straight Alliances for Marriage can start to restore the foundation that has made Canada one of the greatest nations in the world; our respect for diversity and love and marriage. In Canada, we have the role models of marriages of great public figures to learn from, ranging from Stephen Harper's to Justin Trudeau's and ranging from Rick Mercer's to Elton John's. Rick Mercer is a great Canadian whose accomplishments of encouraging Canadians from coast to coast to enjoy the adventures of this country are appreciated by everyone, including his "Christian Grandmothers." Respect for diversity and love and marriage has made Canada one of the greatest nations in the world. And by God's grace we can continue to be that city on a hill; that hope for the future, that light for the world.