No, by "open minded people," I mean those with enough faith to challenge their own beliefs, just like my religion professors, philosophy professors, humanities professors, and yes, pastor did in my formative years.

Hiding sex from kids only makes it more tempting and fascinating to them. Explaining it early, in the proper context, does wonders for helping them relax about it. It helps them ignore much of the dangerously inaccurate street chatter. It helps them learn to form deeper relationships than just sexual ones, by giving it CONTEXT.

Every girl I knew in high school who got pregnant had no clues about birth control or the relationship between sex and pregnancy! It was no different at my twins' high school, 40 years later. Enforced ignorance is NOT a good thing, at any age. It just leads to tragedy and degradation.

Evil is believing that someone who does not think as we do is somehow inferior. It is an automatic assumption that THEY are evil because they are different. Guess what? They're quite capable of thinking the same about us!

I'm an American. I keep a copy of the US Constitution and 27 Amendments on my iPhone and on my end table. THAT DOCUMENT is what the United States stands for. Yet very few Americans know what is really in it, have read it in the last five years, or understand the reasons behind its articles and each amendment. We may not agree with it, but it's the foundation we live by.

We don't go deeply into Constitutional Law in public schools. A deep dive into it reveals why this country is far stronger than its adversaries. It reveals both its resilience and its flaws, too.

Studying the Constitution and Amendments also reveals what is NOT there, which is quite a lot of the folklore about "what America has always stood for." Much of "what America has always stood for" isn't in any way official. It's just assumptions based upon hearsay, plus domineering traditions of WASP culture, a "might makes right" mentality, and a "we stole this country fair and square" mindset. THAT's not America. It isn't in the Constitution or Amendments, and it isn't what the Founding Fathers and the Amenders intended. Those who think it is need to re-visit the Constitution and its 27 Amendments, and study a little history.

When I worked for the Census as a field supervisor last year, I took the same Oath of Office taken by Vice Presidents and all other government workers except the President (who takes a different, slightly simpler Oath):

“I, { name }, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”

https://www.governmentworkerfi.com/federal-employees-oath-of-office/

That Oath is an awesome responsibility. When we hired enumerators, every one of them had to read the Oath, recite the Oath, and sign a copy of it. Not one of them in my area refused to do so. I wish more people would have to take it. Aside from my wedding vows and the Oath I had to take as part of being certified as a Project Management Professional, it's the most important pledge I've made. It means the Constitution comes before all else. No individual, party, or other entity is above that. We are a nation of laws, not of people.

Schools don’t all indoctrinate. They may teach things that certain parents don’t agree with — on all sides of various issues. One of my favorite professors said that, “Until you can effectively argue for the other side of an issue from your own, it might be a good idea to shut up and listen.”

Some of us are open to science and math and social tolerance, and some aren’t. Some of us know dangerous demagoguery when we see it. Self-righteous fundamentalists of every stripe are likely to complain about those with open minds.

Yeah, I get it. Some very closed minded right wing parents want to keep their kids away from reality. They feel persecuted if anyone with different views should happen to share them.

One person did have a good point about needing to filter the Internet. They can correct that at the firewall.

Personally, I wanted my kids to learn about as wide a variety of people as exist in the community, then ask questions, get authentic answers, and above all, make their own conclusions.

Do I agree with everything they encountered? Hell, no! But we live in a pluralistic society. There is no state religion, race, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, IQ, hair color, shoe size…

Everyone gets a say. Respect, tolerance, freedom from enforced belief, equality of opportunity… These are fundamental American ideals. Educational resources should reflect that diversity.

I’m not the least threatened by my kids’ exposure to different points of view in all forms of literature. I trust them to place it in proper context and rise above those things that are not in their best interests. I have faith…

Yeah, I get it. Some very closed minded right wing parents want to keep their kids away from reality. They feel persecuted if anyone with different views should happen to share them.

One person did have a good point about needing to filter the Internet. They can correct that at the firewall.

Personally, I wanted my kids to learn about as wide a variety of people as exist in the community, then ask questions, get authentic answers, and above all, make their own conclusions.

Do I agree with everything they encountered? Hell, no! But we live in a pluralistic society. There is no state religion, race, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, IQ, hair color, shoe size…

Everyone gets a say. Respect, tolerance, freedom from enforced belief, equality of opportunity… These are fundamental American ideals. Educational resources should reflect that diversity.

I’m not the least threatened by my kids’ exposure to different points of view in all forms of literature. I trust them to place it in proper context and rise above those things that are not in their best interests. I have faith…

No, by "open minded people," I mean those with enough faith to challenge their own beliefs, just like my religion professors, philosophy professors, humanities professors, and yes, pastor did in my formative years.

Hiding sex from kids only makes it more tempting and fascinating to them. Explaining it early, in the proper context, does wonders for helping them relax about it. It helps them ignore much of the dangerously inaccurate street chatter. It helps them learn to form deeper relationships than just sexual ones, by giving it CONTEXT.

Every girl I knew in high school who got pregnant had no clues about birth control or the relationship between sex and pregnancy! It was no different at my twins' high school, 40 years later. Enforced ignorance is NOT a good thing, at any age. It just leads to tragedy and degradation.

Evil is believing that someone who does not think as we do is somehow inferior. It is an automatic assumption that THEY are evil because they are different. Guess what? They're quite capable of thinking the same about us!

I'm an American. I keep a copy of the US Constitution and 27 Amendments on my iPhone and on my end table. THAT DOCUMENT is what the United States stands for. Yet very few Americans know what is really in it, have read it in the last five years, or understand the reasons behind its articles and each amendment. We may not agree with it, but it's the foundation we live by.

We don't go deeply into Constitutional Law in public schools. A deep dive into it reveals why this country is far stronger than its adversaries. It reveals both its resilience and its flaws, too.

Studying the Constitution and Amendments also reveals what is NOT there, which is quite a lot of the folklore about "what America has always stood for." Much of "what America has always stood for" isn't in any way official. It's just assumptions based upon hearsay, plus domineering traditions of WASP culture, a "might makes right" mentality, and a "we stole this country fair and square" mindset. THAT's not America. It isn't in the Constitution or Amendments, and it isn't what the Founding Fathers and the Amenders intended. Those who think it is need to re-visit the Constitution and its 27 Amendments, and study a little history.

When I worked for the Census as a field supervisor last year, I took the same Oath of Office taken by Vice Presidents and all other government workers except the President (who takes a different, slightly simpler Oath):

“I, { name }, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”

https://www.governmentworkerfi.com/federal-employees-oath-of-office/

That Oath is an awesome responsibility. When we hired enumerators, every one of them had to read the Oath, recite the Oath, and sign a copy of it. Not one of them in my area refused to do so. I wish more people would have to take it. Aside from my wedding vows and the Oath I had to take as part of being certified as a Project Management Professional, it's the most important pledge I've made. It means the Constitution comes before all else. No individual, party, or other entity is above that. We are a nation of laws, not of people.