Sex, AIDS and Teens

Bravo to Peter Frank and his efforts to educate teens about the much-avoided, but very real, facts of life (“Psychologist Spreads Word on Perils That Are Faced by Teens,” Jan. 30).

His organization, Center for Student Concerns, is much needed to educate students and teachers about the uncomfortable issues teens face today. These include suicide, drug abuse, child abuse, eating disorders, depression, parental divorce, running away, stress and any other problems teens may be confronted with.

With the spreading of the disease AIDS and teen-age pregnancies, the need for students to have a proper sex education is also growing. If parents themselves do not find it their responsibility to educate their children about matters of sex, then how are youths going to discover the truth about the matter? Children learn from what is available to them. As a result, they place blind faith in their peers and, unfortunately, the messages they receive from the general media.

Our society today completely contradicts itself concerning the morality of sexual behavior. Sex is promoted within every form of media available: television, radio, magazines and any form of advertisements. This information is as readily available to children and teens as to adults. The message is clear, and not difficult to understand: Sex is OK.

Of course, the message excludes the facts of pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and the emotional ties involved. Parents can no longer avoid the fact that their children are being educated about life from these artificial examples. Don’t our youths deserve to know what the media won’t tell them? Don’t they have the right to know about their bodies and the risks taken when being sexually active?

The rational answer is “Yes.” However, the elders of our society cannot put aside their old-fashioned attitudes and accept the problems of teen-age pregnancies. Even with more than one million teen-age pregnancies per year, the subject sex is still completely taboo to certain parents, who thus deny their children the truth about sexual risks.

Frank has not overlooked the importance of television, and has begun a show on cable television called “Youth in Crisis.” This program makes it easier for Frank to reach a variety of viewers of all ages and concerns. If parents themselves cannot take the initiative to educate their own children on the basic facts of life, they should at least support such programs that will give our youths honest answers and advice.

Now there is even an added dimension to this problem concerning AIDS. If parents and teachers cannot accept children being educated about sex itself, how can they accept educating them about sexually transmitted diseases? Education Secretary William J. Bennett and Surgeon General C. Everett Koop were correct in supporting the concept of teaching children about AIDS. This disease has moved beyond victimizing only those who are involved in homosexual activities.

Unfortunately, people of all ages and backgrounds are becoming prey to this disease. Our children have the right to know how to accept, and avoid, this fatal illness. We should emphasize “safe sex” while incorporating it into our educational system. It is time to start truthfully educating our youth about sex, its risks and pleasures, instead of pretending that it doesn’t exist until your 18th birthday.

Thank you, Peter Frank, for doing the job that so many parents avoid.

LAURA SIMEK

La Jolla