Letter to the Editor: Teen Sex Articles Promoted Communication

Dear Editor,

In light of the recent media attention on the "Sex and Relationships" section of the Mountain View High School (MVHS) Oracle, on behalf of all the staff at CHAC, I would like to make a statement of support.

As the premier safety-net mental health organization working with students on this campus, and many other Mtn. View-Los Altos school campuses, we see first hand what consequences appear when education and honest communication about sex and healthy relatioships is not encouraged.

We want to applaud the student staff writers who contributed to this section. In the big picture, the fact that they decided to cover this much on the topics of relationships, pregnancy, STDs, and abstinence-only education shows courage and conviction.

It is our hope that the adults in their lives remain open to what students wish to, and need to know in order to live fulfilling and healthy lives. Considering that:

• 4 of every 10 girls become pregnant before the age of twenty,
• Half of all STD's reported each year occur in sexually active teens ages 15 to 24
• 44 percent of sexual assault victims are under the age of 18 and 38 percent of rapists are a friend or acquintance, and
• More than 20 percent of all adolescents report having experienced either psychological or physical violence from an intimate partner

We believe it is not only critical for young people to have access to correct information and the opportunity to dialogue/write about these topics, that to not provide opportunities is a disregard of the chance for youth to be informed to make safe healthy choices. Why neglect the youth needs to be well informed?

We would also like to encourage a deeper discussion that is inclusive of diversity of the student population, including LGBTQ youth, youth of color and youth from low-income families. Again, we applaud the student staff writers, their advisors, teachers and the adminstration of MVHS for supporting this publication and we look forward to continuing our work with all the schools, from elementary to high school, to provide mental health services to our youth.

CHAC has been providing counseling, therapy and related services to our local schools since 1973. We serve Mtn. View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Sunnyvale schools grades K-12th and their communities as well as surrounding communities. See :www.chacmv.org to learn more about our extensive services.

Sincerely,

Monique Kane, MFT
Executive Director
Mountain View, CA

More on Mountain View Patch:

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• Mountain View High Newspaper Defends 'Sex and Relationships' Section
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