Calls for improved sex eduation... again

[bloods-rose.livejournal.com]

The Joongang Ilbo takes a lengthy look at the perceived need for improved sex education in the wake of the Na-yeong incident. An excerpt:

At the very least, it’s clear that there is a severe lack of sex education in the educational system across Korea. In fact, sex education here more or less remains stuck in the 1980s, as students often receive just an overview of the subject through simple cartoons that rely heavily on metaphors.

“All I remember about sex education is a videotape that showed a swarm of bees carrying pollen. That’s the only sex education I got from school,” recalled 35-year-old Choi Yu-jeong, a graphic designer living in northern Seoul, who attended middle school here in the late 1980s.

Fast forward to 2009, and things aren’t much different despite rapid changes in almost every other aspect of society.

Videos that teach through metaphors are still used by health teachers, and many students find them boring and useless. According to a survey conducted by the Aha Sexuality Education and Counseling Center for Youth in 2007, 43.8 percent of teenagers said the sex education they received from schools was neither helpful nor practical.

At the same time, the country is grappling with a high level of abortions and an increase in sexual crimes against and among youth. The number of abortions totaled 350,000 in 2005, according to the latest government figures, which is much higher than many other countries, experts say. Additionally, the National Police Agency said in July that sexual violence committed by teenagers jumped from 1,165 incidents in 2003 to a whopping 2,717 in 2008.

'Related agencies' are passing the buck, however:

“It’s the schools’ role to allocate their budgets and decide whether they will have sex education programs,” said Cho Myeong-yeon, an official with the student health team of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

Earlier this year, the ministry issued new guidelines that suggest schools nationwide provide at least 17 hours of health classes each year. The courses, it says, should deal with seven different subjects including diseases, personal hygiene and sex education.

Some observers applaud the move, but they say it’s simply a start - not a solution.

“It’s a great achievement, primarily because we had no guidelines in the past,” said Kim Hye-sun, a chairperson at the Seoul Health Teachers Association and a health teacher at Samjeong Elementary School in Banghwa-dong, Gangseo District, western Seoul. “But we have to teach seven different subjects within 17 hours, and that isn’t enough to continuously educate children on diverse aspects of sex in organized ways.”

I've taught students from that school (hey, how often do you see Banghwa-dong in an English language newspaper?). Mind you, kids there might be better off being taught traffic safety; two students have died after being hit by cars in the last two years.

A two-year-old Joongang Ilbo article also looked at the same topic. As I pointed out here, one of the incidents that set off a debate about the need for improved sex education was this incident:

The shocking news of a middle school girl who became pregnant after she was raped on her way home from school and went into labor in the classroom last month had pushed the Health and Welfare Ministry to promote better sex education in schools. Afraid that she might be expelled from school, the young girl had kept her condition a secret from her teachers, parents and school mates. She was taking her final exams on June 27 when her water broke and she gave birth to a boy upon being rushed to the hospital.

Wearing an obstetrical binder when she began getting big, the middle school girl hid her pregnancy from her teachers and friends at school. According to her homeroom teacher, because she was always a quiet child, no one thought anything was amiss. And since her working parents spent little time at home, they too did not notice anything was wrong, she added.

That's from a July 8, 1996 Korea Times article. Needless to say, I'm skeptical that much will come out of this current call for change, though I'd love to be proven wrong.

Source: gusts of popular feeling

Comments

[reeses6826.livejournal.com]

I don't understand. Whats the Na-yeong incident?

[mylittlebambi.livejournal.com]

um.....she's an 8 year old girl that got brutally raped by 30 year old guy, horrible enough until her internal organs are destroyed....

[proleptical.livejournal.com]

Sex education makes students want to have sex!

Because, you know, it's not like they would want to in the first place. Sexual urges... in my teenagers? Unlikely!

[meliffic.livejournal.com]

Sex education makes students want to have sex!

Such case was proven esp. here in my country, that's why the local Department of Education decided to take it slowly when teaching it.

Okay

[unsospiro.livejournal.com]

This is the part where netizens link this issue to GD's Shine a Light performance and dub him the anti-christ and in that process everyone forgets about sex-ed in Korea and focuses on a pop-star's stage shenanigans.

Re: Okay

[radical-ed57.livejournal.com]

Mte. I hope it doesn't go down like that though...

[cookie-nut.livejournal.com]

"All I remember about sex education is a videotape that showed a swarm of bees carrying pollen."

Really? REALLY?

Tell me Korea, did you hire this guy?

[cookie-nut.livejournal.com]

If not...please do.

[velcro-undies.livejournal.com]

Interesting article. I think awareness of a problem is at least a first step. I think I'm a little more hopeful that real change could occur.

One of the things that I find concerning is Korea's impatience for "updating" its portrayal of sexuality in popular culture without updating its sex education in the midst of what is still a paternalistic, largely shame-driven society. People here often laugh or become angry at some Koreans' outrage/shock/dismay over sexually-provocative clothing, dancing, on-stage behavior, etc (perfect example is G-Dragon's concert), but when such behavior doesn't fit within the cultural norm, it's not necessarily healthy to have it shoved in everyone's face. Pushing the envelope can be a good thing, but overall cultural attitudes have to evolve too in a healthy way at the same time. If they don't, you wind up with a violently unhealthy dichotomy of attitudes, and the greatest amount of the harm falls on women.

[velcro-undies.livejournal.com]

Also, getting tired of too many responses to too many articles lately being little else than nasty sarcasm over another culture. If your only reason for reading about Korea-related issues is to repeatedly make ugly and condescending attitudes about Koreans, then surely there are better commms in which to be spending your time.

[breathe-ai.livejournal.com]

...I think my brain might just be jammed from lack of sleep but how does a case of brutal rape lead to a call for better sex-ed? Yes it's good to get better sex-ed but how does that relate to a inhumane rape case? I'd understand if it was because the rate of teen pregnancy is on the rise, but I just don't get how educating a girl about protection and how babies are made is going to help her from a sexual predator. Seriously I don't get it and I think I might be missing something or maybe I just missed the sex-ed class that taught us how to fend off rapists...

[velcro-undies.livejournal.com]

I think it relates to the amount of shame still linked to sex-type issues. It's not that sex education would have kept her from getting raped, but sex education would mean there was some open dialogue going on about sex, and would have increased the likelihood this poor girl would have told someone what happened. That's what I got from it anyway, it's the general aura of shame surrounding sexual issues in general.

[electric-six.livejournal.com]

“All I remember about sex education is a videotape that showed a swarm of bees carrying pollen. That’s the only sex education I got from school,”

All I remember about sex education is having to watch a dated 80's video depicting a baby being pulled from the wrath of the pube jungle.

[dream-a-dreamer.livejournal.com]

lol at the baby thing

[mylittlebambi.livejournal.com]

my close friend got her sex ed when she was 10, her brother was 12. real sex ed about sperms etc....by her parents because her parents are dentists :P

so when she was in junior high school she can taught her friends about it & her friends were baffled she knows a lot about the process, lmao~

[wackypinkbunny.livejournal.com]

What does the Na-yeong incident have to do with sex education... if anything that should spur rape education or something. Also, they decided to teach about sex because of another girl getting raped... rape is different than sex.

[callmeliyah.livejournal.com]

I agree with your comment.
But on another, possibly inappropriate note...YOUR ICON MAKES ME LAWL >:O

[pandatablo.livejournal.com]

I liked that in sex ed they give free condoms =D
I did not like the video abt giving birth . that's just nasty no matter how you put it !

[umbrella-smile.livejournal.com]

Don't have sex, you will get pregnant and die. Don't do it in the missionary position, don't do it standing up just don't do it Okay everybody grab some rubbers

[curls975.livejournal.com]

i've always thought that the science of sex and reproduction should be taught to kids from an early age. while the moral aspects of sex and reproduction should be left to the parents.

the more they know about their bodies and the changes is goes through the less likely they would be to experiment to carelessly. talk to them truthfully about abstinence and ways to protect themselves. as well as using facts instead of scare tactics when it comes to pregnancy and STDs.

i knew about the science of sex at a young age and had open conversations with my mother about sexuality so i was able to make better choices, imo, because of it.

because i was given all the info, facts and guidance to form my own moral stance, i knew where i stood and what i would stand for.

so no boy could ever catch me with some stupid "if you love me you'll do it" and i wasnt mislead by "you cant get preggers if you do jumping jacks after sex" myths from idiotic friends.

talk to your children, give them all the tools they need to make the right choice, and more often than not they will make the right choice. and be able to stand up to peer and partner pressure to have sex, or make a foolish choice based off of misleading info.

"you cant get preggers if you do jumping jacks after sex"

[pandatablo.livejournal.com]

wut ?

jfc ... kids these days !

[radical-ed57.livejournal.com]

Hell, I got sex-ed TWICE. Two years in a row (8th and 9th). The first time around I think the pics of what herpes and other STDs look like on a guys pen0r were a bit much, but... /CAN'T UNSEE >

[xradiostatic.livejournal.com]

those photos were HORRIFYING. i sat in the second row in health class too so i had a close up of those. /eye twitch

[http://users.livejournal.com/__generik/]

My first sex ed video was a cartoon couple who kissed and surprise~ the girl became pregnant. This was 12 years ago, my 13y/o sister has updated lesson plans apparently. LOL.

[radical-ed57.livejournal.com]

LOL, wow.

[aloakley.livejournal.com]

At the very least, it’s clear that there is a severe lack of sex education in the educational system across Korea.

no wonder they thought GD was having sex on stage. however its funny reading that then reading this. its like oic

[erbalurbal.livejournal.com]

I think this is a problem in every country. Sex is made to seem taboo and the more taboo something is, the more teenagers want to try it. They need to be educated properly not just about how babies are made but the life long impact is has on the parents. School, work, hopes, Dreams, all changed if you have a baby before you are able to support it properly.

Sexual crimes are usually a craving for dominance. The Korean culture is very strict and I think maybe these crimes are rising because of the lack of social/moral freedom. Everything is supposed to be a certain way and if it isn't they kill themselves because of the shame. It seems very extreme so I am not surprised that the rate of sex crimes is rising.

[yumi-maki.livejournal.com]

They need to be educated properly not just about how babies are made but the life long impact is has on the parents. School, work, hopes, Dreams, all changed if you have a baby before you are able to support it properly.

That's what I like about how they handled sex education at my school. They didn't say 'sex is bad, don't do it' - they told us about the risks involved and they dealt with pregnancy as well and they talked about the fact that at our ages we would not be able to take care of a child and that it really doesn't make sense putting yourself at risk of getting pregnant until you know for sure that you can support yourself and another person.

[laos7.livejournal.com]

There're countries in Europe where sex education is stuck in '60 .__.

[radical-ed57.livejournal.com]

Okay, OT, but I just read this. Did Omona really get reported cuz of the Shinee-Pedobear thing?

[aunts.livejournal.com]

WOAH, what?

[kamikaze-bunny.livejournal.com]

Well, doesn't it also depend on the type of sex-education? You could argue that abstinence-only sex ed is still better the bee and pollen video as long as you fill those 17 hours of mandated sex ed--but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't actually help the whole situation. Clearly, as it has been seen stateside, abstinence-only sex ed doesn't really keep people from doing it.

[douknow.livejournal.com]

True story: I have a Korean friend who never took a class of sex education. Jesus Christ, the girl didn't even know what a condom is - not even the Korean word for it. She's 17 and came to this country 4 years ago. In my opinion, by the time a girl hits puberty, she should already know these things.

The first round of sex education I got was in the 5th grade, right before many hit puberty, and then in the 6th. Neither talked about contraception, or the concept of safe sex, and only discussed how sex worked in a very clinical way and emphasized on abstinence.

The number of abortions totaled 350,000 in 2005, according to the latest government figures, which is much higher than many other countries, experts say.

Aside from the fact students seem to be saying they learned jack SHIT about sex, this tells me schools need to stop preaching abstinence-only sex education (though it obviously the most effective safeguard against unplanned pregnancy and prevention of STDs), and move to safe-sex education. Teens are gonna have sex, and they need to be prepared on how to handle the situation safely, and if necessary, how to avoid unwanted sexual encounters (AKA boyfriends/girlfriends bullying their partner into it).

[gunsandsmoke.livejournal.com]

i am thankful california has pretty good sex ed policies, as far as public education goes. i will never forget being a 12-year old sitting in class watching "the miracle of life" video and swearing right there that i would never, ever give birth lmao. (IT STILL SCARS A LITTLE TO BE HONEST BUT I THINK I'VE MATURED SOME..WHAT)

Afraid that she might be expelled from school, the young girl had kept her condition a secret from her teachers, parents and school mates. She was taking her final exams on June 27 when her water broke and she gave birth to a boy upon being rushed to the hospital.

holy shit

[pandatablo.livejournal.com]

i saw a video on animal planet or smth of a mosquito in the jungle crawling under someone's skin and growing and moving under it . that's pretty much what I have associate pregnancy with ever since . I just find the whole concept of a living thing growing in me very ... strange lol

[streetrat.livejournal.com]

I remember watching a video about several high school american boys getting boners.
Oh and one of a woman giving birth. That was kind of disturbing.

[jesusluvsjaeho.livejournal.com]

and perhaps some rape victim support groups/counseling/hotlines? i mean, places and people for rape victims, such as the young girl who gave birth in class, to turn to.

i don't know if such things are in place or not in korea.

and if that is a stupid suggestion, let me know.

[kittykitt129.livejournal.com]

What a method there, the metaphors. Addressing them in metaphors will probably go over some peoples' heads. Telling them head on will probably scar them and make them not want to. Hmm, tough decision.

She was taking her final exams on June 27 when her water broke and she gave birth to a boy upon being rushed to the hospital.
Aww man, that sucks. Finals AND very, very pregnant at the same time--then your water breaks.
And really she's in middle school. Wow. Granted middle school in Korea = middle school + freshman year in Asia, but still...
According to her homeroom teacher, because she was always a quiet child, no one thought anything was amiss.

As people say, 'It's always the quiet ones...'2 students/2 years is MUCH better than 2,717(or more!) individuals/1 year.

“But we have to teach seven different subjects within 17 hours, and that isn’t enough to continuously educate children on diverse aspects of sex in organized ways.”
America does one class, per year, if we're lucky, and just manages to get over that when the student is a medical major.(I'm talking high school majors)

[douknow.livejournal.com]

I think the telling them head on shit eventually grows out. I mean, once you hit puberty and start realizing boys are kinda cute, and girls are kinda pretty, the whole, "EWWWW SEX" grows out. I was described the clinical mechanics of sex (PENIS GOES IN VAGINA AND FIRST TIME HURTS REALLY BAD) and sure, for a while I was like DNWEVER and figured I'd only do it just to get knocked up, but after a while, I sorta grew out of it.

I think metaphors of bees and pollen serve no educational purpose. If Korea wants to leave it up to the parents, they could always do what my school required my parents to do and send home a "waiver" of sorts, in which parents sign off, "Okay, teach my kid," or, "No thanks, I'll handle it."

America does one class, per year, if we're lucky, and just manages to get over that when the student is a medical major.(I'm talking high school majors)
My school doesn't do one class per year on sex education. We only touch on sex in health class (freshman year) and then your life science and health classes, like MedSci and Biology. Depends on your school, county, state and curriculum.

[nimco.livejournal.com]

I hated sex-ed class back in 8th grade,the teacher made us watch labor videos and draw penises and vags.

I learned a lot more through porn lol.

[douknow.livejournal.com]

lol good luck getting a bunch of conservative Koreans to sign off on showing their 12 year olds porn.

[tamirisns.livejournal.com]

Someone calls Edison Chen! he'll teach prections things to this kids XD LMAO

[umbrella-smile.livejournal.com]

Oh lord ^_^;