• Sex education makes sense • County needs manager system • There should be regulations
Sex education makes sense
In response to the letter about Pono Choices, I find it absolutely mind-boggling that there are still those who believe that sexual education of sixth graders will corrupt them. Futhermore, I find it absurd that the writer believes explicit acts of sex will be taught to our children at school. It’s a sad fact, but the majority of those sixth grade and up already know a lot about “violence and perversion” from the TV shows, movies and Internet surfing they are permitted to view at home.
In the letter, the writer states that “Hawaii is high on the nation’s list for teen pregnancies, STDs, drug abuse and suicide.” Just why do you think that is? Perhaps it is because those “hormone driven adolescents” referred to are not receiving the critical information they need to make healthy choices when confronted with “issues that will take them away from innocence or family values.”
The writer of that letter is of the opinion that “it’s time to get the government out of our schools and place it back into the hands of the teachers, parents and local communities.” Well, I am all of those things. I am a fifth- and sixth-grade public school teacher, parent of an 11th grader, and have been a member of the community in which I teach for the past 17 years. I have seen the Drug Awareness and Resistance Education program cut due to lack of funding and feel that it would be criminal for a sexual education program to suffer the same fate. I witness the drug abuse situation in my community on nearly a daily basis and see young girls becoming moms before they are truly equipped, both emotionally and physically, for the challenges motherhood presents.
These “hormone driven adolescents” the author mentions think they are invincible; they know how people get pregnant and diseases, they just think it won’t happen to them. We are doing our children a disservice by not providing them with the cold, hard facts about the rampant spread of STDs, some of which are potentially life threatening. We are doing our children a disservice by not outlining the true economic reality and emotional turmoil of teenage pregnancy. We are doing our children a disservice by not giving them the tools they will need to make safe decisions when faced with (and they will be) the realities of today’s teenagers. The writer of the letter against sexual education and those of a similar mind, may sign a form to opt out of this valuable instruction for your child but, please, do not force your belief system on those of us who want to protect our children anyway we can. Knowledge is power and this is the best way to “respect and honor our children.”
Diane McDonald
Hanalei
County needs manager system
Two recent letters to The Garden Island by government watchdogs Ken Taylor and Glenn Mickens were extremely interesting. The fact that the broken system we now have in place is being pushed so hard by the status quo stimulates me to vote for the county manager system that, as they say, is working so well in other municipalities.
When I say broken, I cite the many projects that have gone unfinished for so long and leave this island in poor condition.
Mount Trashmore in Kekaha that needs a red light on top of the gigantic pile of garbage to warn planes! No new landfill or MRF (materials recovery facility) after years of poor planning; the Kuala gym with a leaky roof and a leaky door for 21 years; roads in shambles cited as the worst in Hawaii; a TVR problem ongoing for years with no solution in sight; one lane bridges an issue for 13 years; a multi-use path costing taxpayers over $5 million per mile with no one questioning the obscene use of this money or what usage we are getting for the cost; and our beaches being more and more infringed upon by landowners limiting the publics use of their beaches.
The mayor pounds his chest for all his accomplishments but other than putting leis around peoples necks, what of essence has he accomplished? Giving the chemical seed companies the playbook to sue the county is one I can think of.
This county manager system may not be able to solve all our problems but we can’t keep doing things wrong and expect different results so let’s at least give it try — put it on the ballot and it has my vote!
Christi Demuth
Princeville
There should be regulations
I agree, when there is serious concern regarding spraying of pesticides, putting in a large dairy or fishing regulations, it should always begin with sound research. Unfortunately, for some reason ($) it doesn’t seem to work like that. We give people permission to pollute and ravage our island in the name of money! The good neighbor thing is a joke! We tried to work with these companies, “Please limit your spaying to certain footage away from our children’s schools, hospitals, and homes.”
No, they wouldn’t do it. It’s all about the bottom line.
How can anyone be OK with these companies pouring thousands of gallons of poison monthly on our island for profit?
Linda Bothe
Kalaheo
