If today you discovered that someone very close to you is gay or lesbian, what will be your instant reaction? Many will react differently. Some will react negatively out of ignorance. Others will react abusively and dangerously because they never got an exposure to any kind of sex education. Few will respond with caution because of either past experiences, or due to some acquired knowledge and exposure.
Today in a readers dialogue column, in one of the local newspapers a concerned parent from Nairobi voiced her worry as regarding rampant homosexuality in schools. In a one paragraphed statement titled "Lesbianism in schools worrying" she writes as follows:
"I am worried about gay practices in high schools. Is the Ministry of Education doing anything about it? Recently, three girls were arrested after forcing a Form One student to perform lesbian acts. We parents can't be changing our children from one school to another. A school in Karen has suspended over 30 students due to allegations of lesbianism among Form Two students without a chance to defend themselves. can the Ministry intervene? I am thinking of transferring my child."
First, my dear mum you are worried about gay practices in high schools. I think it is fundamentally important to distinguish between sexual identity or orientation and mere sexual practices. I studied in both primary and secondary boarding schools. I am aware of some students who practiced homosexuality innocently leading to a discovery of their actual identity as gay persons. Others just happened to practice it as a normal and passive process.
We were not taught comprehensively about our sexuality. Now, a bigger part of our knowledge distinctively rely on our own instincts, feelings and provoked discoveries. What I am trying to say is that the probability of stopping such practices in schools is minimal.These practices are naturally and instinctively nurtured in us.
Secondly, I don't believe that the Ministry of Education is adequately equipped to deal with this issue. I strongly believe that it is incapacitated to handle this. Refusal or resistance to embrace progressive scientific research work, evidences and knowledge, and failure to integrate it with the already existing educational frame works, is like shooting oneself on the feet. In the past attempts to include sex education in the academic syllabus has been thwarted by a section of a 'religious' society.
Suspensions and expulsions are an excise in futility. A person's sexual identity or orientation does not change by mere punishments or pressure. School heads and teachers who persist in encouraging and perfecting such tactics and acts are an embarrassment and need to be educated.
Mum, changing your child from one school to another will not help either. I can only advice you to choose the root of advocacy. By doing this, we will be able to push policy makers to re-evaluate and strategical make sustainable and informed decisions.
Schools require well trained counselors who are not inclined to religious biases. They must base their services on factual findings. We need also to fight ignorance by introducing educative campaigns on sexuality and sex education in general.It is unfortunately that the young girls were not given an audience and therefore, it would be difficult for them to understand and digest what is happening to them both psychologically and physically.
Today in a readers dialogue column, in one of the local newspapers a concerned parent from Nairobi voiced her worry as regarding rampant homosexuality in schools. In a one paragraphed statement titled "Lesbianism in schools worrying" she writes as follows:
"I am worried about gay practices in high schools. Is the Ministry of Education doing anything about it? Recently, three girls were arrested after forcing a Form One student to perform lesbian acts. We parents can't be changing our children from one school to another. A school in Karen has suspended over 30 students due to allegations of lesbianism among Form Two students without a chance to defend themselves. can the Ministry intervene? I am thinking of transferring my child."
First, my dear mum you are worried about gay practices in high schools. I think it is fundamentally important to distinguish between sexual identity or orientation and mere sexual practices. I studied in both primary and secondary boarding schools. I am aware of some students who practiced homosexuality innocently leading to a discovery of their actual identity as gay persons. Others just happened to practice it as a normal and passive process.
We were not taught comprehensively about our sexuality. Now, a bigger part of our knowledge distinctively rely on our own instincts, feelings and provoked discoveries. What I am trying to say is that the probability of stopping such practices in schools is minimal.These practices are naturally and instinctively nurtured in us.
Secondly, I don't believe that the Ministry of Education is adequately equipped to deal with this issue. I strongly believe that it is incapacitated to handle this. Refusal or resistance to embrace progressive scientific research work, evidences and knowledge, and failure to integrate it with the already existing educational frame works, is like shooting oneself on the feet. In the past attempts to include sex education in the academic syllabus has been thwarted by a section of a 'religious' society.
Suspensions and expulsions are an excise in futility. A person's sexual identity or orientation does not change by mere punishments or pressure. School heads and teachers who persist in encouraging and perfecting such tactics and acts are an embarrassment and need to be educated.
Mum, changing your child from one school to another will not help either. I can only advice you to choose the root of advocacy. By doing this, we will be able to push policy makers to re-evaluate and strategical make sustainable and informed decisions.
Schools require well trained counselors who are not inclined to religious biases. They must base their services on factual findings. We need also to fight ignorance by introducing educative campaigns on sexuality and sex education in general.It is unfortunately that the young girls were not given an audience and therefore, it would be difficult for them to understand and digest what is happening to them both psychologically and physically.
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