ORANGE COUNTY LETTERS : ENABL Views Sex Education as Community Responsibility

The article “The Cautious Return of Sex Education” (March 23) talks about Orange County schools combatting early teen sex and the spread of AIDS, and they are stressing to the parents that they will be teaching 100% abstinence.

I agree with educating our children about sex and the spread of AIDS. And I am glad to see an organization like ENABL (Education Now and Babies Later) going out to junior high students and teaching them about the risk of sex and contracting AIDS.

It’s great that they are trying to take this approach by teaching only abstinence, but is this realistic? To me, sex is very sacred and private, but it’s just not realistic to think that it’s not out there. There’s more to see than just morals and values; it’s a big responsibility, and there are many risks that go along with it. It’s not about religion anymore; it’s about life or death.

So when I read an article such as this, it makes me happy to know that our community is opening its eyes about educating our children about sex and AIDS and the risk of pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. It shows that our school districts care about our younger generation.

E.P. BERGMANN,

Long Beach