"Theories and goals of education don't matter a whit if you don't consider your students to be human beings."

By reenee, Santa Maria.

Ah yes, in yet another example of how to remain firmly cemented in denial, here comes a story out of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, about a high school newspaper that was confiscated by school administrators due to the content. The student newspaper, The Oak Leaf, dared to include an article on birth control, along with information on how to obtain contraceptives from doctors and the local health department. Additionally, it had a photo of an unidentified student's tattoo. The student had not told her parents about the tattoo, which begs the question, "How did she get a tattoo?" Aren't most reputable tattoo artists required to demand parental permission for anyone under 18? Of course they are. More on this later.

All of this takes us to the brutal reality that, "some kids will find a way to do what they want, despite parental objections."

Superintendent Tom Bailey in defending his actions said, "The article needed to be edited so it would be acceptable for the entire school." He went on to say, "We have a responsibility to the public to do the right thing, We've got 14-year-olds that read the newspaper."

Call me crazy, but wouldn't it be better to have a 14 year old educated on how to prevent pregnancy? What would be worse here, a 14 year old finding out about how to obtain contraceptives, or a 14 year old getting pregnant? Gee, let me mull this one over.

Is it possible that there are people still living in a world where they think that if as adults, they don't talk outloud about certain things, then the kids won't find out about them and do them? Well, yes, yes there are. This mythical land is called "Denial."

Denial is after all, a refusal to accept or believe something. It's an unconscious defense mechanism characterized by the refusal to acknowledge painful realities, thoughts, or feelings, and as a result, we want to avoid the pain. It's a very powerful force. Who wants to be hurt, angry, or disappointed? Everyone does it at some point in there lives, it can be very comfortable. However, the trick is to not set up housekeeping in the "Land of Denial." If you have to go there, trust me on this one, never unpack your bags, just visit.

It's obvious that this particular lesson in censorship was the result of Superintendent Bailey reacting to his own kind of peer pressure. The kind of pressure that comes from people that are scared of parental reactions. In my humble opinion, the nation's school's might turn out thousands of more well rounded students if instead of dissecting frogs, and looking for the meaning of poems, they concentrated on life's skills, things like reading comprehension, writing skills, managing/budgeting money, sex education, choices in birth control, and how to prevent the rampant spread of sexually transmitted diseases. All students who are not allowed to attend the birth control and sex education classes could be enrolled in parenting skills classes.

You think I'm crazy? Check out this graph. Whatever it is that we're doing right now to educate our teens is clearly not working. Apparently, neither is ignoring their raging hormones.

Parents thinking that their teenagers are going to do what they say all of the time, are of course, living in denial. When some children find that their parents remain closed off from certain subjects that they're curious about, then they will go to their peers, they always have and always will. Some parents fear the term "peer pressure," without acknowledging that it can be positive at times. Not all children will abandon their value system when hanging around with their friends. Strong, accessible parents will never be completely abandoned by their children. At the same time, parents must realize that no matter how great their relationships are, some children will look to their peers for certain acceptance and or answers. Sadly, for some parents it's easier to lay the blame on television, the movies, music, friends they disapprove of, and even at times, each other, when they don't find the time for them. Perhaps more parents should get involved and keep in mind what Coretha Henderson did when her 14 year old began to misbehave. This woman was both villified and praised. What ever opinion you might have about this woman, what is undeniable, is that she did something.

Regarding the aforementioned tattoo, Superintendent Tom Bailey said, "I have a problem with the idea of putting something in the paper that makes us a part of hiding something from the parents."

Well, I'm sorry, but this makes no sense to me whatsoever. As I mentioned before, the student paper had included picture of a tattoo on an unidentified student. If the student allowed it to be photographed, chances are someone already knows, and the student will have to ready herself for the inevitable moment when her parents find out. Considering this country's preoccupation for minding other people's business instead of their own, odds are that the parents already know.

There are so very many more important things in life to focus on rather than a tattoo or parents boohooing. There are so many other things that could be getting the school boards, parents and administrators to sit up and take notice. Confiscating a student newspaper seems so obtuse. Let's face it, kids are having sex. That's a fact. It matters little whether we approve or disapprove. That's not the point. Dealing with it would be better than ignoring it and hoping that it goes away. Not talking about it will not make it go away. Kids that are aware, are already using birth control. The ones that could profit from this information will not. Getting on our high horses and telling teens to "just say no" is not going to work with all of them, so all we need to stop thinking that it will. Isn't it better to give a teenager the facts about prevention before they're pregnant?

Here are some sobering facts regarding pregnancy:

• Despite recent and encouraging declines, the United States still has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and birth among comparable nations.
• Nearly four out of 10 girls still become pregnant at least once before they reach age 20. Nearly 1 million teen pregnancies occur annually, some 55 each hour.
• Four-fifths of teen births are to unmarried teens. In fact, nearly half of all non-marital first births occur to teens.

Why should this matter to us?

• Teen pregnancy is closely linked to a host of critical social issues-welfare dependency and overall child well-being, out-of-wedlock births, responsible fatherhood, and work force development, in particular.
• Teen mothers are less likely to complete high school and more likely to be on welfare.
• Children of teen mothers are at a significantly increased risk of poverty, welfare dependency, poor school performance, growing up without a father, low birth weight and prematurity, and abuse and neglect.

The only real lesson that the administrators gave to the students was, "We're in control, you have no voice."