This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The presumptive arrogance and flawed logic expressed in Alisha Worthington's recent op-ed ("Without good sex ed, Utah's youths head to porn sites for info") is alarming and dangerous.
Worthington writes that by not bringing more sex education to schools, "the state effectively wiped out the ability for teens and families to get access to quality information locally."
Does Worthington really think school and pornography are the only places teens and families can learn about sex?
Does she really think the schools are the be-all and end-all of information? How egotistical! And how insulting to parents!
Worthington says some teens "lack parents willing to supply comprehensive sex education."
Does Worthington then presume it is the government's job to parent a child? Apparently she does, for she writes it is the schools' job to "empower" kids "to make informed choices regarding crucial concepts regarding consent and boundaries, relationships, contraception, healthy and safe sexual activity and tolerance."
Did it ever occur to Worthington that some parents don't want their innocent children exposed to sex at a young age, to have their minds tainted with impure thoughts?
Does Worthington not realize that sex is an inherently moral issue, and that when to do it, when not to do it, whom to do it with, and so forth are personal decisions that should be left to an informed conscience?
Why does Worthington presume she and her beloved government schools should be in charge of what "good" sex ed is, and that they are the most qualified authority for teaching kids what to think about a topic so intrinsically tied up in ethics?
Teresa Mull
Driggs, ID