Romney is a very confused man.
Either that or a tremendous hypocrite.
Probably both. Confused hypocrites abound.

I haven't checked to confirm this, but on MSNBC yesterday someone asserted that as a candidate for governor Romney once checked a box on a questionnaire indicating that he supported age-appropriate sex education in schools (no age specified). I wouldn't be surprised if this is yet another Romney flip-flop.

Brian A.
I'd rather be cycling.

If you listen to the Christian conservative/family blabber folks, it sounds like Obama is promoting some kind of soft porn booklet to get the point across.

I can see both sides, what Obama is trying to say and what Romney is trying to say. They both have valid points and they're not that far apart from each other. Both interested in protecting the youngest ones. However, when you impune the motives and thoughts of others, you take away credibility from your view. "Romney would let a child molester get away...pretend incest doesn't exist...etc." The reader automatically knows that isn't true, so that tends to invalidate the rest of your opinion. I was interested in your comments until I got to the bull, then rolled my eyes.

I go to great lengths to keep my kids away from the constant fear-mongering the public schools promote.

A huge proportion of children experience inappropriate sexual advances from some adult family member, friend, or stranger. I've always been amazed when speaking with other adult women about childhood experiences how many of them--from all classes, races, religions, etc-- have had some bad sexual experience back when they were too young to know what was going on. I'm not talking of rape, but fondling can also have a devestating affect on children. Last year my 65 year old cousin told me that the nun in charge of his class made him to sit under her desk while she pulled up her skirt and was without underpants. This has disturbed him for many many years. He said he never told anyone about it because he was scared of her.

As children we should learn to love our bodies and we should learn how to protect ourselves. Some parents scare their children to death. They make them so utterly paranoid the poor kids shudder every time someone smiles at them. As a whole lot of sexual abuse includes family members (and authorities parents promote trust towards) this doesn't really help a child who is confronted by inappropriate behavior from those two groups.

If children are made to know (without a lot of dark fear attached to it) that there are some people in their families, at church, or anywhere really, that might be inclined to touch their private parts, it certainly can't hurt them. But it is also important that they are told what to do if this happens. Children not only need to report fondling or sexual acts, they also need to be strong enough to confront the perpertrator with courage. They need to be taught to say STOP IT. They also need to know that the person might threaten them or tell them not to tell anyone, but a child needs to know this is usually only a threat. They need to be able to say. YOU SHOULD NOT BE TOUCHING ME THIS WAY. IF YOU DO, I WILL TELL.

Sexual predators depend on a kid's confusion and their fear of telling anyone because the act is seen or felt as shameful. These people are usually cowards who skulk around. Confronting them can deflate them and make them back off.

I was told all about sex before I went to school and the need to be wary of anyone who touches your private parts was made very clear. Growing up, there were several instances of men trying to touch me inappropriately, but these moments didn't paralyze me. I felt confident enough to basically tell them to buzz off. And each time it worked, Every time this happened the men responded with shock.

A heinous child molestor would of course be stopped by nothing, but many, many encounters are not with those types. Just sleazy people who want to take advantage of innocent kids. Empowering children enables them to handle the unexpected. Teaching them to be assertive arms them with protection.

No health problem as common as child fondling or molestation should be swept under the rug just because adults fear children will (gasp) find out about sex prematurely. Teaching a child how to care for their body shouldn't be any different than telling them how to brush their teeth or wash their hands after they go to the bathroom.

Many people who fear sex education haven't really come to grips with their own fears and shame about sex.

Kids have a right to know a stove is hot, and they also have a right to know their local minister or priest or cousin has no right touching them inappropriately.