Wisconsin DA: Teachers risk arrest over new sex-ed classes

[ElNono]

Wis. prosecutor: Teachers risk arrest over new sex-ed classes (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2010/04/wisconsin-da-says-teachers-face-arrest-over-new-sex-ed-classes/1)
Posted by Michael Winter

A Wisconsin district attorney has warned schools in his county that if they proceed with new state sex-education courses, teachers could face criminal charges for encouraging minors to have sex, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (http://www.jsonline.com/%20news/statepolitics/90020507.html).

Juneau County District Attorney Scott Southworth (http://www.juneau.wi.gov/localgov_departments_details.asp?deptid=430&locid=151) said a new state law that requires students learn to use condoms and other contraceptives "promotes the sexualization — and sexual assault — of our children." In his March 24 letter to five school districts, Southworth, a Republican, said teachers could be charged with contributing to the delinquency of minors. He urged school officials to suspend the program, which takes effect in the fall, and transfer the anatomy curriculum to a science course.

Here are a couple of excerpts from his letter:

"If a teacher instructs any student aged 16 or younger how to utilize contraceptives under circumstances where the teacher knows the child is engaging in sexual activity with another child -- or even where the 'natural and probable consequences' of the teacher's instruction is to cause that child to engage in sexual intercourse with a child -- that teacher can be charged under this statute" of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. ...

"Forcing our schools to instruct children on how to utilize contraceptives encourages our children to engage in sexual behavior, whether as a victim or an offender," he wrote. "It is akin to teaching children about alcohol use, then instructing them on how to make mixed alcoholic drinks."

He said in an interview with the Journal Sentinel that he could not say how likely he would be to file charges, saying it would depend on the specifics of any case.

"I'm not looking to charge any teachers," he said. "I've got enough work to do."

The paper spoke to a co-author of the legislation. She called the DA's letter "irresponsible" and said it was "laughable to think teachers could be charged for telling students how to use contraception."

"Using condoms isn't a crime for anyone," said Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison. "This guy is not a credible legal source on this matter, I'm sorry to say. His purpose is to intimidate and create enough panic in the minds of school administrators that they'll turn their backs on young people and their families."

The new law continues to let parents remove their children from sex-ed classes, and schools can also not offer such instruction. One district that received the letter said it had not taught sex ed for years.

[coyotes_geek]

Good grief. Regardless of whether or not you believe that kids should be taught contraception in school, it's ludicrous for the DA to threaten teachers with prosecution for following the law. If the DA wants to charge anyone for contributing to the delinquency of minors he should try and charge the legislators who passed the law, not the teachers who now find themselves legally obligated to follow it.

[RandomGuy]

Interesting letter for someone who is obstensibly an elected official.

If this had been a Democrat using legal strong arm tactics to further a liberal policy aim, you can bet it would have been Yonivore and the Conservative Avengers all over this like stink on shit. As it is we all know they will very likely be MIA in this thread. I wish things/people were not so predictably partisan sometimes.

Sigh.

[balli]

For all the freaking buzzword, fear this, bullshit that the teabaggers and their GOP life partners throw around about 'activist judges' you think they'd be ashamed as all hell over all these loser, activist state level DAs who waste time and money on garbage like this and suing over healthcare or federal lands or gun rights or whatever else piece of shit craziness they come up with.

[Wild Cobra]

He has a point about teaching condoms being similar to teaching how to mix drinks though. Why don't we have schools al;so teach how to make field expedient explosives while were at it using your own piss and Vaseline.

[balli]

You're an idiot.

[coyotes_geek]

He has a point about teaching condoms being similar to teaching how to mix drinks though. Why don't we have schools al;so teach how to make field expedient explosives while were at it using your own piss and Vaseline.

Might have something to do with the percentage of teenagers who get horny being close to 100% and the percentage of teenagers who are interested in blowing up buildings being close to 0%.

[Wild Cobra]

Might have something to do with the percentage of teenagers who get horny being close to 100% and the percentage of teenagers who are interested in blowing up buildings being close to 0%.
Just illustrating the absurd by being absurd.

Teaching a practice is inviting it. Now I agree that many teenagers will have sex. I agree there is proper things to teach. However, as they focus on "how" more and more, they focus less on responsibility and consequences.

Nothing like making the teens engage in more sex because you make them feel safer about it.

I'll bet teaching how to make explosives are less deadly that how to have sex properly. You may not believe so, but abortion is killing.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Just illustrating the absurd by being absurd.

Teaching a practice is inviting it. Now I agree that many teenagers will have sex. I agree there is proper things to teach. However, as they focus on "how" more and more, they focus less on responsibility and consequences.

Nothing like making the teens engage in more sex because you make them feel safer about it.

I'll bet teaching how to make explosives are less deadly that how to have sex properly. You may not believe so, but abortion is killing.

so teaching someone about murder will logically turn on their homicidal instincts.. thanks for the clarification

[Wild Cobra]

so teaching someone about murder will logically turn on their homicidal instincts.. thanks for the clarification
Didn't you ever play with firecrackers as a kid? Making explosives doesn't mean you will use them for unscrupulous reasons.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Didn't you ever play with firecrackers as a kid? Making explosives doesn't mean you will use them for unscrupulous reasons.

teaching me how to use a codnom didn't make me any more horny. what it did was let me know how not to knock up a chick..

[Wild Cobra]

teaching me how to use a codnom didn't make me any more horny. what it did was let me know how not to knock up a chick..
And there lies the problem.

A false sense of security.

[boutons_deux]

Law enforcement is highly political.

[coyotes_geek]

Just illustrating the absurd by being absurd.

Teaching a practice is inviting it. Now I agree that many teenagers will have sex. I agree there is proper things to teach. However, as they focus on "how" more and more, they focus less on responsibility and consequences.

Nothing like making the teens engage in more sex because you make them feel safer about it.

I'll bet teaching how to make explosives are less deadly that how to have sex properly. You may not believe so, but abortion is killing.

Whether or not teaching contraception is a good idea is a separate issue from whether or not the DA's actions here are warranted. I respect the rights of the states to decide what they want to teach in their public schools, and if you're against teaching contraception by all means, petition your representatives and make your voice heard. But for this DA to threaten to prosecute teachers for complying with a law is completely absurd.

[George Gervin's Afro]

And there lies the problem.

A false sense of security.

as opposed to not using a condom?

[Wild Cobra]

as opposed to not using a condom?
I was not making that point at all. Not my fault you can't keep up.

[Wild Cobra]

Whether or not teaching contraception is a good idea is a separate issue from whether or not the DA's actions here are warranted. I respect the rights of the states to decide what they want to teach in their public schools, and if you're against teaching contraception by all means, petition your representatives and make your voice heard. But for this DA to threaten to prosecute teachers for complying with a law is completely absurd.

Now I agree that many teenagers will have sex. I agree there is proper things to teach. However, as they focus on "how" more and more, they focus less on responsibility and consequences.
Try understanding that again please.

[coyotes_geek]

Try understanding that again please.

I understand it just fine. Doesn't make the DA's threats any less absurd. If the DA has a problem with the law he needs to take on the legislature who made the law, not the teachers who are bound to abide by it.

[baseline bum]

He has a point about teaching condoms being similar to teaching how to mix drinks though. Why don't we have schools al;so teach how to make field expedient explosives while were at it using your own piss and Vaseline.

So you would have people not learn about condoms then?

[George Gervin's Afro]

I was not making that point at all. Not my fault you can't keep up.


And there lies the problem.

A false sense of security.


so wearing a condom provides a false sense of security.. where as wearing one would lessen the odds of pregnancy ocurring.. maybe I need to slow down for you because it's obvious I go way ever your head most of the time..

[TeyshaBlue]

Interesting letter for someone who is obstensibly an elected official.

If this had been a Democrat using legal strong arm tactics to further a liberal policy aim, you can bet it would have been Yonivore and the Conservative Avengers all over this like stink on shit. As it is we all know they will very likely be MIA in this thread. I wish things/people were not so predictably partisan sometimes.

Sigh.

It was in USA Today which cribbed it from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for Pete's sake. I don't make a habit of reading Wisconsin newspapers or USA Today, But it's an indictment of conservatives because? Please. Unless I'm totally missing your point (maybe I'm not a Conservative Avenger, whatever the hell that is), this straw response was utterly predictable, and I honestly thought you'd resist, RG.
I'm a fairly well read conservative, but some weeks I don't have as much time as others to peruse the media as much as I would like.

That being said, the DA is so profoundly wrong, it's difficult to comprehend how he could even articulate such a bizarre opinion.

[Wild Cobra]

so wearing a condom provides a false sense of security.. where as wearing one would lessen the odds of pregnancy ocurring.. maybe I need to slow down for you because it's obvious I go way ever your head most of the time..
You said:

teaching me how to use a codnom didn't make me any more horny. what it did was let me know how not to knock up a chick..
Not how to reduce the chances, but how not to make her pregnant.

That's my point. It's a false sense of security. You are even willing to lie to yourself saying "I'm not going to knock her up if I use a condom."

Don't you get it?

[TeyshaBlue]

You said:

Not how to reduce the chances, but how not to make her pregnant.



Where do you get the idea that the schools were telling kids that using a condom would completely eliminate pregnancy?

[Wild Cobra]

Where do you get the idea that the schools were telling kids that using a condom would completely eliminate pregnancy?
George proved the point that they end up believing that.

[TeyshaBlue]

George proved the point that they end up believing that.

Ok, so the schools didn't say that. Thx.

[baseline bum]

Where do you get the idea that the schools were telling kids that using a condom would completely eliminate pregnancy?

Because that's what all libtard sex-ed does.

[Wild Cobra]

Ok, so the schools didn't say that. Thx.
Did you not read everything I said on the topic, or are you just being an ass?

Teaching a practice is inviting it. Now I agree that many teenagers will have sex. I agree there is proper things to teach. However, as they focus on "how" more and more, they focus less on responsibility and consequences.

[TeyshaBlue]

Because that's what all libtard sex-ed does.

Don't get me wrong...I'm not a fan of school facilitated sex education. The loons that craft our curriculum have zero business addressing what is, ostensibly, a familial obligation.

Yeah, I know. Alot of parental shaped units don't bother to address this at all. Regardless, school is not the only avenue to address this. Fuck knows there's a zillion ads, factoids, and "very important" after school specials already.

[TeyshaBlue]

Did you not read everything I said on the topic, or are you just being an ass?



Teaching a practice is inviting it.
I'm an ex-teacher. You are catagorically incorrect.

[George Gervin's Afro]

I'm an ex-teacher. You are catagorically incorrect.

give he him a break he read that somewhere on a rightwing blog or something..

[ElNono]

He has a point about teaching condoms being similar to teaching how to mix drinks though. Why don't we have schools al;so teach how to make field expedient explosives while were at it using your own piss and Vaseline.

The children are not required to attend the sex-ed class, so your point is moot.

[Shastafarian]

He has a point about teaching condoms being similar to teaching how to mix drinks though.

Not sure why no one called you out on this one yet. I guess because of all the other mindlessly idiotic things you say. But no. It's nothing like teaching them how to mix drinks. The closest analogy I can think of to alcohol would be the teacher telling the kids how to turn over so they don't aspirate and die when they drunkenly vomit.

[baseline bum]

Don't get me wrong...I'm not a fan of school facilitated sex education. The loons that craft our curriculum have zero business addressing what is, ostensibly, a familial obligation.

Yeah, I know. Alot of parental shaped units don't bother to address this at all.

Parents don't know the facts. A lot of people don't understand simple things like why unprotected anal sex is so dangerous. It's just easy to label HIV as something for the gays without recognizing one's hetero daughter can be at the exact same risk.


Regardless, school is not the only avenue to address this. Fuck knows there's a zillion ads, factoids, and "very important" after school specials already.

I wouldn't depend on media outlets who constantly throw sex (and always outside of a relationship) at everyone who watches the other 99% of their airtime.

[jack sommerset]

Creepy

[TeyshaBlue]

Parents don't know the facts. A lot of people don't understand simple things like why unprotected anal sex is so dangerous. It's just easy to label HIV as something for the gays without recognizing one's hetero daughter can be at the exact same risk.
Some parents don't know the facts about a great many things. Is it the school's place to rectify this? I only ask as a precursor to a discussion of whether or not we could ever quantify this need.


I wouldn't depend on media outlets who constantly throw sex (and always outside of a relationship) at everyone who watches the other 99% of their airtime.

Excellent point I'd not considered.:toast

[baseline bum]

Some parents don't know the facts about a great many things. Is it the school's place to rectify this? I only ask as a precursor to a discussion of whether or not we could ever quantify this need.


I do think it's the schools' responsibility to teach things important to kids. I don't think they should be going in and telling people to just go ahead and ignore consequences like WC always tries to strawman the discussion into, but I do think it's critical for people who are instinctively programmed to want sex (over practically everything else :lol) to learn exactly what the risks are and how to lessen them. I don't know that I'd have them learn how to roll condoms on cucumbers in front of 30 snickering classmates, but I think I would send them home with a pamphlet, a vegetable, and a homework assignment provided they brought a signed permission slip the day before and I had personally talked to a parent on the phone. I do think facts that HIV transmission and pregnancy rates are drastically reduced with proper condom use should be universally taught, unless the child's parent objects. In that case I'd sit him in front of an episode of Sesame Street or something, I guess. The failure rates should definitely be part of the curriculum, but not the main focus. But overall, I think education goes a long way towards one making adult choices like an adult.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Creepy

you certainly are

[ChumpDumper]

Wild Cobra is right!

We teach kids about the holocaust and they go out and round up Jews for extermination in large gas chambers!

It's true!

[greyforest]

He has a point about teaching condoms being similar to teaching how to mix drinks though. Why don't we have schools al;so teach how to make field expedient explosives while were at it using your own piss and Vaseline.

http://www.upnorthhealth.com/assets/images/jan09/teenbirths.png

I understand your logic, but the results prove otherwise. Teaching abstinence simply fails.

No one has to teach kids how to fuck, it's programmed in to them just like every animal on the planet.

[TeyshaBlue]

I do think it's the schools' responsibility to teach things important to kids. I don't think they should be going in and telling people to just go ahead and ignore consequences like WC always tries to strawman the discussion into, but I do think it's critical for people who are instinctively programmed to want sex (over practically everything else :lol) to learn exactly what the risks are and how to lessen them. I don't know that I'd have them learn how to roll condoms on cucumbers in front of 30 snickering classmates, but I think I would send them home with a pamphlet, a vegetable, and a homework assignment provided they brought a signed permission slip the day before and I had personally talked to a parent on the phone. I do think facts that HIV transmission and pregnancy rates are drastically reduced with proper condom use should be universally taught, unless the child's parent objects. In that case I'd sit him in front of an episode of Sesame Street or something, I guess. The failure rates should definitely be part of the curriculum, but not the main focus. But overall, I think education goes a long way towards one making adult choices like an adult.

I very reasoned response. I dont think I'd disagree with one point. If you aren't already, you're probably gonna make a hell of a good parent.:toast

[MiamiHeat]

I fully support this DA. Remove these classes from school.

On top of that, how many pervert teachers are going to have a field day with this?

"and when you place the condom on, make sure the penis is fully erect. Hard and big, you can use your mouth and suck on his penis to get him hard so the condom can be placed correctly!"

I mean jesus fucking christ.

35 year old teachers talking like this to 15 year old girls and boys.

REMOVE !!!!!

[jack sommerset]

you certainly are

You're fucking creepy.


You get your kicks out old 60 year old Miss Willson tearing a condom open with her teeth, sucking on the banana, rubbing her twat then folding the rubber down onto the banana thats your business you sick fuck. Kids don't need to see that sick shit. They can figure it out on there own. It ain't rocket science you dumbass.

[ChumpDumper]

You're fucking creepy.


You get your kicks out old 60 year old Miss Willson tearing a condom open with her teeth, sucking on the banana, rubbing her twat then folding the rubber down onto the banana thats your business you sick fuck. Kids don't need to see that sick shit. They can figure it out on there own. It ain't rocket science you dumbass.

http://www.upnorthhealth.com/assets/images/jan09/teenbirths.png

[TeyshaBlue]

I fully support this DA. Remove these classes from school.

On top of that, how many pervert teachers are going to have a field day with this?

"and when you place the condom on, make sure the penis is fully erect. Hard and big, you can use your mouth and suck on his penis to get him hard so the condom can be placed correctly!"

I mean jesus fucking christ.

35 year old teachers talking like this to 15 year old girls and boys.

REMOVE !!!!!


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/teyshablue/DaveBowman.jpg

[TeyshaBlue]

You're fucking creepy.


You get your kicks out old 60 year old Miss Willson tearing a condom open with her teeth, sucking on the banana, rubbing her twat then folding the rubber down onto the banana thats your business you sick fuck. Kids don't need to see that sick shit. They can figure it out on there own. It ain't rocket science you dumbass.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y64/teyshablue/georgetakei.gif

[rjv]

maybe another DA can in turn arrest that DA for allowing the rate of potentially life threatening diseases to be spread amongst one of its most vulnerable populations.

[baseline bum]

I very reasoned response. I dont think I'd disagree with one point. If you aren't already, you're probably gonna make a hell of a good parent.:toast

Thanks for the compliment. I know sex ed is a controversial subject, and hence, an individual opt-out makes sense for any parent who is strongly opposed. Still, I don't think an unreasonable minority (or even majority) that equates education to endorsement and promotion of promiscuity should shortchange those whose parents don't want them to be shielded from the real world.

[Supergirl]

"Forcing our schools to instruct children on how to utilize contraceptives encourages our children to engage in sexual behavior, whether as a victim or an offender," he wrote. "It is akin to teaching children about alcohol use, then instructing them on how to make mixed alcoholic drinks."

No, douchebag, it's akin to teaching how to avoid situations where they wind up driving drunk, in a car with someone drunk, get alcohol poisoning, or wind up doing something stupid, painful or deadly while drunk.

Teenagers will have sex if they want to have sex. Teaching them about condoms prevents the spread of STIs and decreases unwanted pregnancies. This is just a fact. It's the old Republican strategy: If we repeat the lies enough times, maybe eventually they will be true. Or at least, maybe people will be stupid enough to think they're true.

[Ginobilly]

"Forcing our schools to instruct children on how to utilize contraceptives encourages our children to engage in sexual behavior, whether as a victim or an offender," he wrote. "It is akin to teaching children about alcohol use, then instructing them on how to make mixed alcoholic drinks."

No, douchebag, it's akin to teaching how to avoid situations where they wind up driving drunk, in a car with someone drunk, get alcohol poisoning, or wind up doing something stupid, painful or deadly while drunk.

Teenagers will have sex if they want to have sex. Teaching them about condoms prevents the spread of STIs and decreases unwanted pregnancies. This is just a fact. It's the old Republican strategy: If we repeat the lies enough times, maybe eventually they will be true. Or at least, maybe people will be stupid enough to think they're true.


This!+1 Also, they should make laws where they make them get jobs so they can take care of their children. No more mommy and daddy to bail them out with abortion, money,etc! You wanna be a man? Act like one and face the consequences like the rest of the world. I bet you anything this will scare off a lot of kids and make them think twice before engaging in sex!


Any fool can make a baby, but it takes a real man to raise a child.
Morpheus, boys in da hood, 1991.

[Oh, Gee!!]

all this talk about condoms is making me horny, and a drug addict, and a cusser, and a criminal, and a minority---the conservative perspective on the teenage mind

[Wild Cobra]

http://www.upnorthhealth.com/assets/images/jan09/teenbirths.png

I understand your logic, but the results prove otherwise. Teaching abstinence simply fails.

No one has to teach kids how to fuck, it's programmed in to them just like every animal on the planet.
Are all things factored in?

Those growing up with conservative values often make the same mistakes, but are less likely to have an abortion.

Are abortions figured in for pregnancies rather than births?

[Oh, Gee!!]

Those growing up with conservative values often make the same mistakes, but are less likely to have an abortion.

is this a real thing? or, something you just made up?


Are abortions figured in for pregnancies rather than births?

pregnant is not the same as delivery, or abortion, or miscarriage.

[Wild Cobra]

pregnant is not the same as delivery, or abortion, or miscarriage.
No Shit Sherlock.

That's why the statistics doesn't apply to the discussion.

[Oh, Gee!!]

That's why the statistics doesn't apply to the discussion.

so says the d-bag that was trying to bring those statistics into the discussion. were you dropped on your head as a child?

[Winehole23]

District Attorney Suggests That It May Be a Crime for Teachers to Follow the New State Law Mandating Certain Forms of Sex Education (http://volokh.com/2010/04/08/district-attorney-suggests-that-it-may-be-a-crime-for-teachers-to-follow-the-new-state-law-mandating-certain-forms-of-sex-education/)

Eugene Volokh (http://volokh.com/author/volokh/) • April 8, 2010 3:41 pm





The letter, from Juneau (Wisconsin) County District Attorney Scott Southworth, is here (http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/host.madison.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/f/22/48a/f2248a6e-41e1-11df-b6bb-001cc4c03286.pdf.pdf?_dc=1270602454). The D.A. is complaining about the new state statute on sex education (http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2009/data/acts/09Act134.pdf); some of his objections:

[T]he new law ... [p]romotes the exual assault of children — §118.019(2)6 requires schools to provide instruction on how to utilize contraception. However, it is a crime to engage in sexual intercourse with any child under the age of 18.... Forcing our schools to instruct children on how to utilize contraceptives encourages our children to engage in sexual behavior, whether as a victim or an offender. It is akin to teaching children about alcohol use, then instructing them on how to make mixed alcoholic drinks. While it is true that some children will wrongly choose to engage in sexual behavior before entering adulthood, our school districts should never promote illegal activity.

[The new law e]xposes our teachers to possible criminal liability — §948.40 of Wisconsin’s Criminal Code deals with “Contributing to the Delinquency of a Child.” Anyone who intentionally encourages or contributes to the delinquent (criminal) act of a child can be charged under this statute. For example, if a teacher instructs any student aged 16 or younger how to utilize contraceptives under circumstances where the teacher knows the child is engaging in sexual activity with another child — or even where the “natural and probable consequences” of the teacher’s instruction is to cause that child to engage in sexual intercourse with a child — that teacher can be charged under this statute. The teacher need not be deliberately encourag[ing] the illegal behavior: he or she only need be aware that his or her instruction is “practically certain” to cause the child to engage in the illegal act.
Now I realize that there are disputes about whether teaching high school students about contraceptives might lead to more sex, and even more unprotected sex. I’m inclined to doubt that, since I suspect that teenagers will (or will not) have sex regardless of what they’re taught about contraception in school, but that the teaching might lead them to have safer sex. Still, I’m certainly open to serious debate (preferably with actual social science evidence) on the subject.


But suggesting that teachers might be committing a crime for teaching students about how to reduce risks?



First, teachers can’t be committing a crime for doing something the new statute authorizes. But, second, it just isn’t a crime to teach students about using contraceptives even when one knows the student’s sexual conduct is illegal (let’s even assume that the teacher knows both the student and the sexual partner is underage, so that both are committing a crime).



The relevant state statute, Wisc. Stat. § 948.40 (http://nxt.legis.state.wi.us/nxt/gateway.dll/Prior%20Sessions/1999/stats99/15314/15341?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0$q=[field%20folio-destination-name%3A%27948.40%27]$uq=$x=Advanced$up=1#LPHit1), provides,

No person may intentionally encourage or contribute to the delinquency of a child. This subsection includes intentionally encouraging or contributing to an act by a child under the age of 10 which would be a delinquent act if committed by a child 10 years of age or older... Under this section, a person encourages or contributes to the delinquency of a child although the child does not actually become delinquent if the natural and probable consequences of the person’s actions or failure to take action would be to cause the child to become delinquent.Moreover, under § 939.23 (http://nxt.legis.wisconsin.gov/nxt/gateway.dll/Prior%20Sessions/1995/stats95/14294/14303?f=templates$fn=document-frameset.htm$q=[field%20folio-destination-name:%27939.23%27]$x=Advanced),

“Intentionally” means that the actor either has a purpose to do the thing or cause the result specified, or is aware that his or her conduct is practically certain to cause that result.So either the teacher must have the purpose to cause minors to have sex as a natural and probable consequence of his actions — not just view this as a likely but regrettable side effect of his teaching, but actually wish that the minors have sex — or the teacher must be aware that his teaching “is practically certain to cause” their having sex. But even if sex education might increase the probability that some students will have sex, it surely isn’t the case that teaching children about contraceptives “is practically certain to cause” their having sex. And I doubt that teachers are teaching children about contraceptives with the specific purpose of getting them to have sex.


On top of that, the very scenario that the prosecutor first stresses — where the teacher “knows the child is engaging in sexual activity with another child” — is the one where the claim that the contraceptive teaching is “practically certain” to cause the child to engage in sex is at its weakest. The hypothesis would be that (1) the child is already having sex, but (2) the child was likely to stop having sex because of lack of contraceptive education, yet (3) the teacher’s teaching the child about contraceptives is now “practically certain to cause” the child to continue having sex. Really? How likely is that?


So in fact, teachers are not at legal risk of actually committing a crime, despite what the prosecutor says. Of course, the prosecutor’s letter might suggest (whether sincerely or not) that the teachers are at risk of being prosecuted by this prosecutor. But that’s not because the teachers are actually likely to be violating the law.


And beyond this, note that the statute on contributing to the delinquency of a minor applies to “[a]ny person,” with no exception for parents. So under the prosecutor’s theory, a parent who suspects that his son or daughter is having sex would be committing a crime simply for telling the child how to minimize the risk of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases by using contraceptives. And the parent “could face either misdemeanor or felony charges with maximum punishment ranging from 9 months of jail to up to six years of prison,” to quote the prosecutor’s admonition to teachers.



If that’s so, then Wisconsin’s criminal law is seriously broken — though fortunately, I think the problem is with the prosecutor, not with the Wisconsin statutes. Thanks to Connie Conine for the pointer.

[Wild Cobra]

so says the d-bag that was trying to bring those statistics into the discussion. were you dropped on your head as a child?
Come on. I know you aren't that daft.

Birth control is to mitigate the chances of conceiving. Birth statistics don't matter unless you also calculate how many times birth control failed by including abortions. My state, Oregon for example, will have far higher abortion rates than Texas. That doesn't mean Texas teen get pregnant more often, just because they have more kids.

That statistic is about births. Not Conception. Do you get it now, or do I have to spell it out even more?

[TeyshaBlue]

http://www.upnorthhealth.com/assets/images/jan09/teenbirths.png

I understand your logic, but the results prove otherwise. Teaching abstinence simply fails.

No one has to teach kids how to fuck, it's programmed in to them just like every animal on the planet.

BTW..this chart is bogus. When I looked at the data http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr57/nvsr57_07.pdf
the birthrate was 41.9 births per 1000 teens. That does not yield 41.9%


Teenagers—The birth rate for teenagers aged 15–19 years rose 3 percent in 2006, interrupting the long-term decline that had extended from 1991 through 2005. The rate in 2006 was 41.9 births per 1,000 females aged 15–19 years, up from 40.5 in 2005. The teen birth rate had dropped 34 percent from 1991 (61.8) to 2005 (Figure 3, Tables A, B, 3, 4, and 8).

[ChumpDumper]

BTW..this chart is bogus. When I looked at the data http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr57/nvsr57_07.pdf
the birthrate was 41.9 births per 1000 teens. That does not yield 41.9%Good catch.

[possessed]

For all the freaking buzzword, fear this, bullshit that the teabaggers and their GOP life partners throw around about 'activist judges' you think they'd be ashamed as all hell over all these loser, activist state level DAs who waste time and money on garbage like this and suing over healthcare or federal lands or gun rights or whatever else piece of shit craziness they come up with.

Longest sentence ever.

[Winehole23]

Try reading Faulkner or Proust. This isn't even close.

[rjv]

Try reading Faulkner or Proust. This isn't even close.


don't forget joyce and garcia marquez.....

[TeyshaBlue]

For all the freaking buzzword, fear this, bullshit that the teabaggers and their GOP life partners throw around about 'activist judges' you think they'd be ashamed as all hell over all these loser, activist state level DAs who waste time and money on garbage like this and suing over healthcare or federal lands or gun rights or whatever else piece of shit craziness they come up with.


Longest sentence ever.

Maybe not the longest, but it's got to rank up there in ironic content.:lmao