D.C. Students To Be Tested On Sex Education, Drugs

WASHINGTON -- District of Columbia public schools are planning to test students on their knowledge of human sexuality, contraception and drug use this spring.

According to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, the exam will be the first standardized test on health and sex education in the country. The 50-question exam will be given to students in grades 5, 8 and 10.

The city's rates of childhood obesity, sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy are among the highest in the country. School officials say the test will help determine what students know about risky behavior.

Comments

[acumenguy]

02:05 PM on 09/18/2011

This article makes me think of a poignant Pink Floyd song. Who know the lyric I'm thinking of ...? Bragging rights to who gets it right 1st.

[acumenguy]

05:24 AM on 09/18/2011

As soon as I read this, the lyrics of a very poignant Pink Floyd song kicked in. Test, old schoolers, what do you think the lyric is ....?

[FrontRunner]

07:01 PM on 09/17/2011

"Congress" should have to take a drug test (pee in the bottle kind) and pass it as a condition of THEIR employment.

[medic628]

10:25 AM on 09/17/2011

One of the questions on the test should be. Are your leaders leading or just collecting a paycheck?

[Dragon2063]

12:26 PM on 09/16/2011

I can just imagine some on the questions on such a test:

1. What is your drug of choice?
a. Cocaine
b. Crack
c. Pot
d. all of the above
2. If you know either one of your parents, what is their drug of choice?
Answer:
3. Would you like to see drugs dispensed with your condoms at your school?
a. Yes
b. Maybe
c. Most likelly
d. H yes!
Just a sampling folks. I know you out there could come up with 100 more.

[Inspiringangela]

10:13 AM on 09/16/2011

Schools should teach a mandatory Health Education class in the second half of the 8th Grade, just prior to HS. This class should be factual and cover everything from acne, peer pressure, drugs, sex ed, etc. These classes should also be separated by gender, with the boys' class covering specifically male issues, such as nocturnal ejaculations, and the girls' class should include strictly female issues, like menstruation. The students should be tested in this class on a schedule just like they are in any other class they are expected to pass. This way, the students are given true information which they really need. But after this, it really is up to the individual to take that information and apply it to their life. At the 5th Grade level, it is up to a parent or parents to give their child sex & drug guidance, and by the 10th Grade, it will be too late for too many of the kids.

[LilaGrace]

10:32 AM on 09/16/2011

Second half of eighth grade may be too late for a lot of these kids, especially in urban areas where the age a child first has sex tends to be lower than in other areas. Better to get them when thay are a little younger, especially since a lot of these kids have parents who were practically children themselves when they becamse parents, and let's face it, sex education at home is often nonexistent. By the way, when I was 12 (27 years ago) they already had a health class split by gender that covered female/male issues. These kids need to know where babies and STD's come from, and the dangers of drug use and they need to know how to protect themselves. Telling them not to do it has NEVER worked and it never will. But if they are going to do it anyway, at least arm them with the information they need to protect themselves.

My daughter is in 3rd grade, and since she was in Kindergarten, the DARE program has been teaching her and her classmates about the dangers of drugs. We have regular conversations at home about the dangers of drugs, but I am grateful for the assist. And when she is a little older, I'll start talking to her about sex. But if they aren't getting the message at home, then they NEED to get it somewhere, and school is the perfect place for it.

[AC Guts]

03:22 PM on 09/16/2011

While I agree with you, if the DARE program there is anything like the one I remember some 17 years ago, there was no "true" information in there. It is simply one giant scare campaign and when your daughter later realizes that everything she was told about drugs from the supposed "authorities" was a lie or drastic exaggeration she will only be drawn to the risky behavior and wonder what else the "authorities" have been lying about. As soon as she realizes that pot isn't going to cause her to drop out, do heroin, get pregnant, injure her friends or any number of drastically dramatized scare tactics that get thrown at children regarding drugs the Pandora's box is open.

[callingcar13]

10:02 AM on 09/16/2011

Finally a test that the DC students will pass

[CkmissA]

09:34 AM on 09/16/2011

Thank God, finally someone is having a conversation with theese kids! Hopefully this will help decrease the number of kids getting pregnant & getting AIDS. Sorry tea- party right wingers, we all know abstinence only education just doesn't work. Don't believe me? Just ask your role model Sarah Palin how that worked for her daughter.

[tkizzycat]

09:10 AM on 09/16/2011

I think all kids should be tested for drugs as a requirement for school

[AC Guts]

03:22 PM on 09/16/2011

What good would that do?

[Dragon2063]

08:52 AM on 09/16/2011

Well in Washingon; Look what we have there setting the example! I'd love to see the questions on that exam. I bet everyone in the school system passes that test.

[buz1801]

08:04 AM on 09/16/2011

Just add rock 'n' roll to complete the holy trinity.

[gdr2332a]

07:52 AM on 09/16/2011

Finally, a subject that they have done all the research on and studied every chance they got. They should pass this one with flying colors. will that help meet the state education requirements for graduation?

[Ossit]

07:45 AM on 09/16/2011

Whoops! Wait a minute kids! Before you do, don't forget that drug test! We gotta make sure you're clear headed enough to answer. Oh D.C. hasn't started that yet? Just wait a few minutes.

[dew1442]

06:54 AM on 09/16/2011

At the root of this problem....was the period of time when Mothers felt they needed to leave the home and go into the work place, leaving an entire generation of "latch-key" kids to do for themselves and grow up totally unsupervised.
I know the comments will be "Women have just as much right to work as Men do" and I agree...Problem is, who is supposed to raise the kids that were produced? The nanny, the day care, the after-school program? Maybe a little more thought should have gone into such an important decision----Do we want to start a family or Do I want to start my career?

[cibersatan]

07:16 AM on 09/16/2011

....and I bet you would like to go back to the "rule of thumb" too

[dew1442]

11:14 AM on 09/16/2011

Might if I knew what it was????

[sjamesndc]

08:46 AM on 09/16/2011

You've hit the nail on the head. Too many parents have abdicated their responsibilities to their children in pursuit of the 'almighty dollar'. When I was coming up, most Moms were at home, children were similarly disciplined at home and we didn't have the discipline problems at school nor the level of youth violence in society. Today, too many kids are largely rearing themselves, have inconsistent or few boundaries and are more violent and ill-mannered than ever. See a connection? Looking back, I wonder if these Moms wish they had spent more time at work, or more time with their children?

[LilaGrace]

10:44 AM on 09/16/2011

I wonder if these moms wished they hadn't HAD to work when their kids were growing up. Many were forced to work because it was either that or the family starved. What about divorced mother's? They should stay home? So who pays the bills then? Maybe when you were "coming up", it was economically possible for a family to live on one paycheck, but that hasn't been the case for a long time, so stop blaming women for this. Where are the fathers? Or does being the primary breadwinner absolve them of any responsibility for their children??

Every mother who works wishes she could spend more time with their kids, but most of us don't have that luxury. If we don't work, our families starve.

[YannosB]

05:01 AM on 09/16/2011

and if any doubt the reality of my last comment, just read on; especially the posts of the obviously younger set... its such a joke, such a meaningless matter to them !