Hey there. I think & have said the government may want to consider working us less; we must balance striving for the economy with the enjoyability of our lives, in the interest of “the pursuit of happiness” (as, for example, measured in the gross national happiness index);
& This balancing of work with play, play with work, also goes for schools.
I have shared my ideas for new classes/classroom-focuses in the past – some of those ideas, thru whichever means they did, did get traction – but today I’m flipping ahead to a brand new one.
Some of us would say it is the most important one, & one that doesn’t really exist in the way I think we would like, in our highest desire.
Let me put it this way: what I remember of sex ed, was watching a video of an already-pregnant woman giving birth, & us putting a condom on a banana.
What I am envisioning is something more inclusive, & more cultivated: a Dating & Relationships class – personal romantic relationships shared 1-on-1 with rotating teachers — for all intents: “Love gurus” — strictly — *strictly* — voluntarily, & general imagery (with parents’/guardian’s permission per student,) love story movies, (such as Life Is Beautiful,) books of classic romance stories, magazines of teen (& perhaps all-ages) romance topics & advice, etc, as well as oral history &/or documentaries, & love songs & poems, etc – taken to their deepest romantic conclusions, in discussion, for the general gather-together class, perhaps with a special (since Love *is* so special,) class made up of those interested in each other, possibly with rather frequent (as dating is frequent) dates / alone time in parks, at movies, or wherever the kids are hep on, as voted on by them, completely consensually, as field trips.
If the venereal diseases, films of pregnant women giving birth of “sex education” are our “talking about the birds & bees,” this would be our “talking about the birds, & the bees, & butterflies, & the trees, & (…), & (…), & (…), & (…), & (…) … & (∞)” talk, indefinite & as everywhere-touching of topics as Love itself.
I have to say the momentous, really ‘solar’ significance of Love would make it way difficult; it is hallowed but important, so these would be important, good experiences to have for them, done right.
I would take *a long time* to formulate, experiment, & re-formulate the guidelines for our society’s desired teaching of this; but I think Love goes beyond sex, & this therefore has a place in education, given the gravitas of Love in Life.
From old couples coming in & talking about what kept them together, what kept them loyal, what kept them coming back in some cases; to edgier cultural movements like sex positivity, such as in magazines like Playboy, at the right age, we should focus on Love qua quintessential Love: Romance.
Thank You!
P.S. & I just have to say it: maybe, where appropriate — say on the dates — we could “allow kissing in school.” It’s not exactly evil =)
To a better world;
Thank you.
Joe Valentyn
August 9th, 2015
Most recent update August 10th, 2015.