The land of the Karma Sutra flunks sex ed

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JD26Df02.html


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This week, the Ministry of Education in Maharashtra State in Central India announced that it was planning to reintroduce sex education to the schools. The move comes a year after protests by parents and politicians prompted the Ministry of Education to pull its existing curriculum because it was deemed "too graphic".

Apparently, black and white cartoon-style cross sections of a penis or a vagina are too graphic. In a country that struggles with sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, unplanned parenthood, an exploding population and gender selective abortion - one might think sex education would be something of a priority.

Unfortunately, it isn't. In fact, sex education is banned in many Indian states, a fact that's increasingly frustrating to educators. "If somebody's life ruined by lack of scientific knowledge it's the state's responsibility to provide it," Vasant Purke, education minister of Maharashtra, told media this week.

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Considering that India gave the world the Karma Sutra - possibly the first illustrated how-to manual for intercourse ever written - in the 2nd century, India may have been one of the earliest countries in Asia to have had a sexual revolution. In international terms the Greeks were first in the field, of course, but other than its open society towards sex, the Greeks have accomplished little since.

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But in India, even simple lessons and straight talk on sex are non-existent. On April 23 ministers of Maharashtra's state government lashed out at the Ministry of Education and Minister Purke, characterizing his announcement to reinstate sex ed as rouge and brash.

Shobha Phadanvis, a female member of India's opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, even absurdly warned that introducing such a curriculum without careful study could lead to an increase in teachers who sexually abuse students - another controversial issue in India's schools.

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Here's a message for India to mull over: damning your children to unwanted pregnancy, diseases and overall negative sexual experiences is not a great way to manage your society.
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women's organizations around the world should start networking (if they are not already) to help the women, and thus girls, of India.

nt

to have an error like that in the headline.

Just sayin.'

And sex education should be mandatory in every school throughout the world.