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Be Not Afraid to Fall Down, You Will Rise
Author Unknown
I WAS HOLDING A NOTICE FROM my 13-year-old son's school announcing
a meeting to preview the new course in sexuality. Parents could examine the
curriculum and take part in an actual lesson presented exactly as it would be
given to the students. When I arrived at the school, I was surprised to
discover only about a dozen parents there. As we waited for the
presentation, I thumbed through page after page of instructions in the
prevention of pregnancy or disease. I found abstinence mentioned only in
passing. When the teacher arrived with the school nurse, she asked if there
were any questions. I asked why abstinence did not play a noticeable part in
the material.
What happened next was shocking. There was a great deal of laughter, and
someone suggested that if I thought abstinence had any merit, I should go
back to burying my head in the sand. The teacher and the nurse said nothing
as I drowned in a sea of embarrassment. My mind had gone blank, and I
could think of nothing to say. The teacher explained to me that the job of the
school was to "teach facts," and the home was responsible for moral
training. I sat in silence for the next 20 minutes as the course was explained.
The other parents seemed to give their unqualified support to the materials.
"Donuts, at the back," announced the teacher during the break. "I'd like you
to put on the name tags we have prepared - they're right by the donuts - and
mingle with the other parents." Everyone moved to the back of the room. As I
watched them affixing their name tags and shaking hands, I sat deep in
thought. I was ashamed that I had not been able to convince them to include
a serious discussion of abstinence in the materials. I uttered a silent prayer
for guidance. My thoughts were interrupted by the nurse's hand on my
shoulder. "Won't you join the others, Mr. Layton?" The nurse smiled sweetly
at me. "The donuts are good." "Thank you, no," I replied. "Well, then, how
about a name tag? I'm sure the others would like to meet you." "Somehow I
doubt that," I replied. "Won't you please join them?" she coaxed. Then I
heard a still, small voice whisper, "Don't go." The instruction was
unmistakable. "Don't go!" "I'll just wait here," I said.
When the class was called back to order, the teacher looked around the long
table and thanked everyone for putting on name tags. She ignored me. Then
she said, "Now we're going to give you the same lesson we'll be giving your
children. Everyone please peel off your name tags." I watched in silence as
the tags came off. "Now, then, on the back of one of the tags, I drew a tiny
flower. Who has it, please?" The gentleman across from me held it up. "Here
it is!" "All right, she said. "The flower represents disease. Do you recall with
whom you shook hands?" He pointed to a couple of people. "Very good,"
she replied. "The handshake in this case represents intimacy. So the two
people you had contact with now have the disease." There was laughter and
joking among the parents.
The teacher continued, "And whom did the two of you shake hands with?"
The point was well taken, and she explained how this lesson would show
students how quickly disease is spread. "Since we all shook hands, we all
have the disease."
It was then that I heard the still, small voice again. "Speak now, it
said, "but be humble." I noted wryly the latter admonition, then rose
from my chair. I apologized for any upset I might have caused earlier,
congratulated the teacher on an excellent lesson that would impress the
youth, and concluded by saying I had only one small point I wished to
make. "Not all of us were infected," I said. "One of us...abstained."
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