By providing medically inaccurate information claiming that sodomy with a condom is a “low risk” sexual activity, public schools in California are putting children at risk of contracting AIDS and HIV, a growing chorus of doctors and other experts warned. Far from being “low risk,” medical experts say anal sex — even with a condom — puts children at a high risk of contracting the deadly virus. The misinformation violates California law, too.
Under California’s “Healthy Youth” Act, government schools must provide students with medically accurate information on the relative risk of sexual behaviors. The curriculum that was declared to be the best aligned with the law by the Adolescent Sexual Health Work Group (ASHWG), an agency that works in collaboration with the California Department of Education, was the “Teen Talk” program. Among other extremely serious concerns, however, this program lumps together anal and vaginal sex with a condom as “low risk.”
Meanwhile, in a K-12 Curriculum document purporting to present “honest sexuality education,” a section for 6th grade children dubbed “Protecting Your Health: Understanding and Preventing STIs” presents the same blatantly inaccurate information. On page 5, listed under “Low Risk,” students are told that anal sex is “Low Risk,” alongside vaginal sex, as long as those involved are “using a condom correctly.” The program also teaches that condoms offer “very good protection” during anal sex.
In reality, though, while condoms are FDA approved for vaginal intercourse, they are not approved for anal intercourse. In fact, even with perfect and consistent condom use, condoms are only between 60 and 70 percent effective in preventing venereal diseases including AIDS/HIV during anal intercourse, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). That means at least 30 percent of the time, HIV and AIDS can be spread, even if the condom is used perfectly.
Doctors have expressed major concerns about this. Family medicine physician Dr. Jeffrey Barke, who served 12 years on a California school board, called the HIV prevention curriculum “hazardous” to children. “I am shocked by the lack of medical accuracy in the new state recommended HIV Prevention Curriculum,” he wrote after reviewing many curriculum choices recommended under the California “health” program.
“Equating vaginal and anal condom efficacy stats is misleading at best and deceitful at worst,” explained Dr. Barke. “How is this misinformation keeping students safe? In fact, it is harming students, especially our LGBT students who, according to GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, Straight, Education Network), are at much higher risk for HIV.”
Dr. Andre Van Mol, who serves as co-chair of the Committee on Adolescent Sexuality for the American College of Pediatricians, also slammed the misinformation. “In my clinical judgment inaccuracies in the Teen Talk curriculum regarding the safety of anal sex with condoms put at-risk youth at further risk,” he wrote, adding that the CDC has found that condoms fail about 30 percent of the time in anal sex. “Our students deserve better than Teen Talk provides.”
A growing number of other doctors are speaking out as well. Indeed, The Newman Report has obtained from education officials and activists in the state multiple letters to authorities from medical professionals warning about this. Even homosexual activist and journalist Josh Robbins, who is HIV positive, has been sounding the alarm about the fact that condoms only prevent 7 out of 10 HIV infections during anal sex and that California’s HIV prevention curriculum is “medically inaccurate.”
Teen Talk, the misleading program, also promotes gender confusion and “transgenderism.” For instance, a video included in the Teen Talk program for 7th grade students tells the children, “You can be Gender Fluid, Gender Queer, Gender Non-Conforming, or No Gender.” You can watch it here:
The fact that government schools are encouraging children to engage in dangerous and immoral activities such as fornication and sodomy is outrageous enough. But then lying to those children and telling them that such acts are “low risk” compounds the outrage — and puts lives at risk. The State of California will bear a big part of the responsibility each and every time a child ends up with HIV/AIDS as a result of this outlandish program. The individuals responsible should be held personally liable, too.
