BRADENTON -- “Just say no” just doesn’t work in regards to abstinence-only education, members of the Manatee Tiger Bay Club said Thursday.
Their heartfelt discourse was only one side of a riveting discussion on sex education at Pier 22. The topic featured during the club’s monthly luncheon garnered uproarious laughter, serious side comments, open-ended questions from parents and philosophical discussions.
“Why are we talking about it?” Manatee Tiger Bay President Greg Porges asked. “Teen pregnancy is a huge socioeconomic problem in the United States.”
Florida foots a bill of $450 million and the county holds an $8.2 million bill due to teen pregnancy, said Porges, who invited extra help to foster a full discussion on the issue.
Guest panelists included Daniel Manassa, Care Net community education director; Lynette Edwards, Manatee County’s assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction; and Barbara Zdravecky, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest Central Florida.
Manatee County schools have seen a reduction in the number of middle schoolers getting pregnant, Edwards said. Last year there were 30. This year there are nine. She credits a new curriculum on making the right decisions that has been launched at select middle schools.
Edwards said the county offers students “abstinence-based, not abstinence only” education.
“Didn’t we learn decades ago that ‘Just say no’ -- Nancy Reagan’s mantra -- doesn’t work?” one member said.
Zdravecky said years ago the school district had one of the most progressive sex education programs, which included Planned Parenthood. However, many parents asked for the organization to be removed. Today, Planned Parenthood exists in Sarasota County, but not Manatee.
“Manatee County has been one of the worst for teen pregnancy and particularly for repeat teen pregnancy,” Zdravecky said.
Care Net, Manassa said, has stressed abstinence in the community for 13 years.
“Abstinence is the surest way to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease,” he said. “It’s important to be … voluntarily choosing not to engage in sex.”
One member told Manassa that he respects his beliefs, but he didn’t believe it would work for students today.
Zdravecky added, “With all due respect to Daniel, ‘Just say no’ is not a negotiation skill. Fear has kept our kids in the dark. We haven’t been truthful to our kids. Kids are still having sex.”
Tiger Bay member Rusty Russell turned 86 Thursday. He offered his own advice on how to solve the problem of teen pregnancy.
“My feeling is if you would just scare the hell out of the boys -- all of a sudden, they will realize they’ve got responsibility,” Russell said amid uproarious laughter from the group. “They’re the ones saying, ‘Oh, but honey, it feels so good.’ ”
Edwards agreed the school district had to tailor health education to send a message to boys who believed it wasn’t their responsibility to be mindful of teen pregnancy or unprotected sex.
