Think Progress

Abstinence program had students share chewing gum.»

“In the matter of the ‘gum game’ — the yucky attempt in Montgomery County schools to impress upon teenagers the dangers of sexual promiscuity by asking them to share a piece of gum — all involved now appear to be appalled at themselves,” the Washington Post reports. “‘It’s a disgusting, gross exercise that no adult should have asked a child to do, no matter what the purpose,’ says Brian Edwards, spokesman for the county school system, which has now banned the Pregnancy Center from public classrooms.”

46







Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date

46 Responses to “Abstinence program had students share chewing gum.”


  1. Xbot Says:

    Every year our health education teacher has to do a survey to find out how many students in hsi class have had protected/unprotected sex, so he can justify continuing to teach comprehensive sex education. No matter how many times teens are told that sex is eevill, the numbers stay about the same. However, the more teens are told they can prevent problems by at least using protection, the numbers of protected sex rise sharply.


  2. Xbot Says:

    Sorry to above comment - should be ‘percent using protection rises sharply’.


  3. Zooey Says:

    That is completely demeaning and demented.

    But hey, they were still wearing the abstinence buttons a few days later…..


  4. hacker bob Says:

    #1

    Ditto


  5. DRxJ Says:

    okay, I’m sorry, but this made me laugh!
    Sharing gum is equivalent to promiscuity?
    Who condones such teaching?

    and I’m still chucklin’


  6. TripMaster Monkey Says:

    They would have impressed the dangers of promiscuity on the teenagers much more effectively if they had just shown them this.

    The lesson is clear…if you’re not careful, you could wind up a Republican.

    Of course, this lesson might be deemed too extreme for young impressionable minds…


  7. DRxJ Says:

    and one more thing…
    I forgot, what is the success rate of abstinent until marriage pledged teenagers?
    Something like 5%?
    (too lazy to do the research)


  8. Daryll Says:

    You don’t need gum. Just quote scriptures then take them to a grave yard. Compared to previous generations, this generation lacks morals and values. We need to inform them to wait until marriage. I waited, and I’m getting married next Saturday. They just have to live their lives through the word of God.


  9. jimbo Says:

    i believe it’s up to the parents to relate family issues
    to their kids… anything the government does gets
    corrupted… defense gets corrupted, law enforcement
    gets corrupted, utmost integrity public servants get
    corrupted, teaches make more than most professionals
    make and very unfortunately wisdom, that is education
    also gets corrupted…. come to think of it so does
    healthcare, dieting, transportation, justice, among many
    other things… ALL corrupted by a bunch of leeches and
    that’s about where they belong serving… exactly
    where leeches serve :)


  10. theswan Says:

    Steeped in their own stupidity of the closed mind.


  11. elle Says:

    This is totally gross. As for abstinence edu (which they love here in sc) is completely useless. One look at all the pregnant girls at my daughter’s high school is enough to show that. The use of fear (which is all that abstinence edu is) will not prevent teens from having sex.


  12. DRxJ Says:

    Just quote scriptures then take them to a grave yard.
    Comment by Saint Daryll — February 15, 2007 @ 11:00 am

    Ummmm, that doesn’t sound very Christian. Sounds more cult like to me. Man, St.Daryll, you’re one creepy dude
    Compared to previous generations, this generation lacks morals and values
    examples please? How many illegal abortions (or silent abortions) were done in the 50’s?
    It wasn’t all Leave it to Beaver (no pun intended) back then!
    We need to inform them to wait until marriage. I waited, and I’m getting married next Saturday.
    Okay, starting next Saturday, your new nick name will be 20Second Daryll!
    Seriously, if true (because you lie continuosly), congratulations! May I suggest “the Joy of Sex” or “Kama Sutra” ( Word of Warning: don’t read until after the wedding!).


  13. And You Thought REAGAN Was Stupid Says:

    #9. Daryll: Congrats on the upcoming nuptials. Don’t forget to wear your condom. ;)


  14. Buhahaha Says:

    Daryll,

    Are you really that stupid? Yah I guess when I wonder who still supports Bush, we have idiots like you. Ya know someday if we’re lucky we’ll see religion of all forms banned. Belief in fairy tales if for fools.


  15. n Says:

    Not to mention a health hazard, some parents should sue those freaks


  16. Juan C Says:

    I waited, and I’m getting married next Saturday. Comment by Daryll

    Try not to blew it so soon.


  17. Liberty Lover Says:

    I see no problem when children are young to allow them to believe in fantasies like Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. But remember how devastating a revelation it is to find out they aren’t real? Remember the betrayal felt upon learning the truth?

    Once children are old enough to know the truth about SC and the TF, then they are also old enough to begin to understand the truth about their bodies. The truth is that having sex is a natural, normal act, but that engaging in the act requires a maturity that most teens have not yet achieved. As older, wiser adults, WE should have the maturity to be able to engage our children in an open, honest dialogue about how to protect oneself IF one chooses to engage in sexual activities. THAT should be their right of passage into the world of adult responsibilities and actions. In all other aspects of their life, their grades, their use of automobiles, their choice of college, we ask them to step up and take responsibility for their actions. Why should their sex life be any different?

    How mature is it to ask children to share a piece of gum with the only intent being to gross them out? Why not ask them to drink out of a toilet? Why not just jump right to the end and show them the birth of a child coming out of the birth canal…(not exactly a pretty site)?

    Eventually all of these children will have sex lives — personally I would like my children to think of sex as a normal expression and extension of love — not something to be thought of as the “gross co-mingling of bodily fluids.”


  18. DaryllsGayLover Says:

    DARYLL!!!

    YOU SAID YOU WOULD BE MINE FOREVER!!

    COME BACK!! HAGGERD AND FOLEY ARE COMING… FOR A SLEEPOVER!

    DONT DENY YOU LOVE ME, AND DONT MARRY YOUR SISTER!


  19. Daryll Says:

    Seriously, if true (because you lie continuosly), congratulations! May I suggest “the Joy of Sex” or “Kama Sutra” ( Word of Warning: don’t read until after the wedding!).

    Comment by DRxJ — February 15, 2007 @ 11:15 am

    How many times do I have to tell you, I’ve never indicated that I was a Military Officer, nor indicated that I was gay until the 80’s, nor ridiculed someone for being gay. I’ve indicated in previous posts that someone has been using my blog name illegally, but oh well. Anyway, thanks, this is an individual that I’ll be with for the rest of my life regardless of illness, disabilities, financial troubles, etc., because we know how to communicate (we’ve practiced this thing for 5 years now). Oh trust me, I don’t plan to carry my laptop/Palm with me (Maui). If more individuals had the love that I have for my significant other (Tiffany), this world would be so beautiful and the divorce rate would be very low. I can truly say I know her mentally, intellectually, etc. This is the message that I’m trying to stress to other young people.


  20. Liberal in New Mexico Says:

    So, tongue or a sex organ on your mouth is allright, but the gum in your mouth is yucky?


  21. Daryll's brother Darell Says:

    Congadulations Dary’ll, Mom (Darlene) is so proud of you and Tiffany.
    She also is singin praises that you’re not gay anymore,and that you won’t be wearing yourself out on our pet duck anymore.
    Enjoy Maui bro,but avoid satan,he’s there too ya know.
    Send pictures.


  22. Art Says:

    Teacher?
    I swallowed my gum.
    Does that mean I’m pregnant?


  23. elle Says:

    #21 Any of those are yucky if they’ve been passed around a room.


  24. hacker bob Says:

    Ya know someday if we’re lucky we’ll see religion of all forms banned. Belief in fairy tales if for fools.

    Comment by Buhahaha

    Ann you are probably the same type of person that uses you First Amendment rights as often as possible, right?

    Don’t let the Constitution get in the way or anything…..


  25. DaryllsGayLover Says:

    Daryll,

    Trust me, you don’t truly know someone, until you go through a divorce.

    So when tifany leaves your dumb ass, I’ll be waiting…. butt up and face down just like you like me!

    KISSES!


  26. Jay Randal Says:

    Chewing someone else’s gum could give you all kind of diseases. Gum pulls bacteria off of teeth and could transfer it to another person. Herpes especially can be transmitted by sharing gum.


  27. ForTruth Says:

    Daryll has got to be a parody.


  28. Buhahaha Says:

    Hacker:

    OHHH that constitution that has been spoke of by your Preznit as just a god damn piece of paper!

    If mankind is lucky it will replace fairy tales aka religion with science, and logic. Otherwise we’re bound to destroy ourselves over who’s god is bigger. Failure to see this just shows how blind you are!


  29. Daryll's brother Darell Says:

    Comment by DaryllsGayLover

    How dare you;you don’t know Daryll at all.
    He swiched to ducks in the 90’s to avoid fornication-he’s pure.

    (e mail me @ Daryll’s other brother . com)


  30. cynical ex-hippie Says:

    #28 Maybe that’s their abstinence plan. If they give all the students herpes, nobody will want to have sex with them!


  31. tablogloid Says:

    Daryll, isn’t Tiffany a stipper at the Bada Bing!
    Anyway, how can you know what another person thinks?


  32. Evil Spaniard Says:

    That’s a bad lesson. Imagine if the girls learn in sex ed that they must bite when they have sex =:(


  33. hacker bob Says:

    If mankind is lucky it will replace fairy tales aka religion with science, and logic. Otherwise we’re bound to destroy ourselves over who’s god is bigger. Failure to see this just shows how blind you are!

    Comment by Buhahaha

    Ok, lets see.

    Man has been on this planet for how long, about 700000 years? And even privative man had some sort of “religion” he was practicing (sun worship, tree worship, later multi-deities, single deities, whatever).

    So, if you start right now, maybe you can remove religion from mankind in about 35000 generations.

    Or, maybe you can just be gracious enough to allow others to practice their religion while you, I assume, choose to practice none. Together we can all work to keep religion out of politics.

    BTW, it was science, not religion, that destroyed Hiroshima.


  34. Parrotlover77 Says:

    So is this what No Child Left Behind and all the related cut-backs in funding are leading to?

    When you read that they outsourced SexEd to a bible-thumping group, it all makes sense.


  35. Evil Spaniard Says:

    BTW, it was science, not religion, that destroyed Hiroshima.

    Comment by hacker bob — February 15, 2007 @ 2:01 pm

    Indirectly was religion, too. Japanese people rushed to war in the belief that theur godly Emperor was infallible. And you can bet that the ones that decided and droped the bomb where good midwestern christians.


  36. hacker bob Says:

    Spudge

    Together we can all work to keep religion out of politics.

    I agree thqat religion and politics should not mix.

    Non-religious people don’t push athieism or agnostism on the religious
    Comment by Spudge_Boy

    No, they just push to ban religion, like our friend above. They wish to deny others the choice of weather or not to practice religion. And yes, I do realize that not all Athiests or Agnostics do this.


  37. Greg Laden Says:

    Needless to say (Oh, wait, maybe it SHOULD be said …) Sharing gum is probably going to cause more transfer of disease than would sex. This might, for example, guarantee a way for everyone to get herpes…


  38. hacker bob Says:

    Change “thqat” to “that

    and

    “weather” to “whether”

    and my last post will make more cents sense


  39. Justin Says:

    A bigger question, I think, was why on Earth was the “Pregnancy Center” ever invited into public schools in the first place?


  40. Zooey Says:

    Daryll & Tiffany,

    My best you both on your upcoming wedding day.

    I really hope it turns out exactly the way you hope it will.


  41. Xeno Says:

    This article made me laugh and cringe at the same time. I live in Montgomery County, MD, and worked for the local social services agency for a few years. Let me assure you that the abstinence program has not made a dent on teen pregnancy rates here. My caseload (500+) was made up primarily of teen moms and/or women whose first pregnancies occured when they were teenagers. Obviously, very few were practicing safe sex; many weren’t even aware of what that concept really means. The ignorance of safe sex and birth control may in fact be the only way in which the wingnuts at the Pregnancy Center had any impact on the situation.


  42. unbelievable Says:

    There are more germs in the human mouth than any other body part.

    Swapping gum is less sanitary than intercourse…


  43. unbelievable Says:

    I waited,
    Comment by Daryll — February 15, 2007 @ 11:00 am

    Because you’re gay…


  44. Raymond Funamoto Says:

    May I offer you Montgomery Country Schools reougnant-repub right wingnuts some chewing gum laced with Spanish Fly(Cantharides)?


  45. strap on Says:

    My best you both on your upcoming wedding day.
    Comment by Zooey

    Only if Tiffany wears a …..



Jump to Top

About Think Progress | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy (off-site) | RSS | Donate
© 2005-2008 Center for American Progress Action Fund
image Register imageimageRSSimageimage imageimage
image
image
View Most Popular
image
image
Visit Our Affiliated Site
image
image image
What We're About
image
image
Featured
image
image
Subscribe to the Progress Report



image
image
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.

Name:
Email:
Tip:
(required)



image
Reports
image
image
imageTopic Cloud
image

image
imageArchives
image

image
imageBlog Roll
image

imageAbout Think ProgressimageimageContact UsimageimageDonateimage