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Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2007 > December > 20 > Entry
Spears prompts national sex talk
Jamie Lynn Spears
I have three daughters (the oldest is 9). They love Nickelodeon’s family-friendly, teen hearthrob heavy lineup of kids shows.
I know the questions are coming, thanks to Jamie Lynn Spears.
Get ready America, because if you have young children and cable T.V. in your home, the questions will be coming about sex and pregnancy.
Perhaps it’s not a bad conversation to have. But it certainly will be awkward for some of us adults.
I know it’s coming from my oldest daughter — How did she get pregnant? Isn’t she too young to have a baby? Will she still be on Nickelodeon?
I guess this is what you call a “teachable moment.” It does tickle me a bit that this conversation will be happening in living rooms across America at the same time.
Maybe we need a national script. Can we hire a P.R. firm? I can hear myself now:
“Well, girls, mistakes were made. It was never intentional. I’m sure Jamie Lynn is sorry to anyone she has offended.”
They should start learning about political non-answers anyway, with the presidential race starting in just a couple weeks.
(Image credit: AP)
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: My Favorite Posts, Sex Education
Comments
By Rick
December 24, 2007 10:57 AM | Link to this
That converstation should include the value of chastity. Yes, that old fashioned word. The conversation to young men should include the possible consequences of statutory rape. The father may face serious consequences in this case.By Otis ...
December 24, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this
This reminds me of something Dr. Drew (former co-host of MTV’s Loveline) said years ago. If you don’t talk to your kids about these things at about age 8 … studies show that you lose them to the dominant influences of the culture (or something to that effect). If I can find the qoute … I’ll post it.By Lea
December 24, 2007 8:50 AM | Link to this
My 9-year-old son’s take is… “That’s weird”. And he thinks she is too young. My 12-year-old daughter stated that Jamie Lynn is “stupid” for “forgetting birth control”. She swears she would never get that caught up in the moment. Now I’m not naive enough to believe that… But at least the discussions were relatively stress-free!By Mary
December 21, 2007 4:00 PM | Link to this
Just another “conspired” distraction for easily distracted Americans from other things like the Iraq War, the mortgage crisis, starving people, etc. However, I did catch an interesting slant in the news on the legal issues of her having sex and how the laws are different from state to state. Maybe instead of memorizing state capitals, students should memorize state laws regarding teen sex, sex with a minor, and consensual sex, as well as the biological risks of an early pregnancy. In a culture that is force fed celebrity, the glory of youth, thong underwear, glamour, and beautiful bodies as the ultimate value of the person, - gee “Brittany Spears younger sister got pregnant?” Should I be shocked?