Why Know? Summary

SUMMARY: SIECUS REVIEW OF WHY KNOW?

Why kNOw?, a curriculum for Middle School and High School students, is produced and distributed by Why kNOw Abstinence Education Inc., a nonprofit organization based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The organization was formerly a division of AAA Women's Services, Inc., a crisis pregnancy center. The Why kNOw? curriculum is divided into 19 lessons for grades 6–12; five for sixth grade, five for seventh grade, and nine for eighth grade and high school.

Why kNOw? offers limited information about important topics in human sexuality suggested by SIECUS' Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education; K-12, such as puberty, anatomy, and human reproduction, and no information about sexual orientation and gender identity. Why kNOw? does contain some detailed information about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV/AIDS, however, much of this information is outdated, inaccurate, and misleading. In addition, the curriculum presents information about condoms which is focused on exaggerated failure rates, and contains almost no information about other forms of contraception.

Instead, Why kNOw? relies on negative messages, distorts information, and presents biased views on gender, marriage, family structure, sexual orientation, and pregnancy options.

Not Appropriate for Public Schools

Based on Religion—Promoting one world view

• The curriculum tells students that the “best guideline about love ever written” is from 56 AD, and then hands out a direct paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13:4: “Real Love: is patient; is kind; does not envy; does not boast; is not proud; is not rude; is not self-seeking; is not easily angered; keeps no record of wrongs; does not delight in evil; rejoices with the truth; always protects; always trusts; always hopes; always lasts; [and] never fails.”(Why kNOw?, 8th grade and high school, p. 118)
• Why kNOw? quotes the Song of Songs as a “historical book” and claims that “though the origin of the name ‘French Kissing' is unknown, King Solomon should take credit for the act.”(Why kNOw?, 8th grade and high school, p. 108)

Presenting biblical language, stories, and quotes as historical fact is never appropriate for public schools.

Relying on Negative Messages

Messages of Fear and Shame—Trying to scare students and instill guilt

• “How many of you know that sex outside a faithful marriage relationship can cause out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, broken hearts, and shattered dreams and goals? Yet people continue to have sex out-of-wedlock and think that nothing will happen to them.”(Why kNOw?, 6th grade, p. 28)
• “WARNING! Going on this ride could change your life forever, result in poverty, heartache, disease, and even DEATH.” It goes on to say that many “will board this ride and come out losers.”(Why kNOw?, 6th grade, p. 26)
• “But if we take the bait, they could lead to our ultimate destruction or death. It may not be a physical death, but just as real—the death of a relationship, a friendship, a dream or a goal.”(Why kNOw?, 7 h grade, p. 45)

There is no evidence that sexual behavior outside of marriage leads to everything from poverty to shattered dreams; this emphasis on negative outcomes is clearly meant to scare students rather than inform them. 

Sexual Arousal and Behavior—Portraying sex as an uncontrollable force

• “Sex is any activity that causes genital arousal. One stage will eventually lead to another.”(Why kNOw?, 8th grade and high school, p. 108)
• “Why is it not a good idea to go to the house of someone of the opposite sex when parents are not at home? You would be placing yourself in a potentially dangerous or tempting situation.”(Why kNOw?, 6th grade, p. 33)
• “[Kim] got rid of those crab things but then she got pregnant and had an abortion in July. She and James are still having sex, even though she says she wants to stop but she can't.”(Why kNOw?, 8th grade and high school, p. 136)

Portraying sexual arousal as a force outside of students' control is in direct conflict with the goal of helping young people make responsible decisions, including the decision to remain abstinent. Students need to know that at any point in a relationship, regardless of whether they have begun to engage in sexual activity or have engaged in sexual activity in the past, they have the right and the ability to set their own sexual boundaries.

Distorting Information

STDs—Focusing on worst case scenarios and relying on guilt

• ¨The curriculum states that Chlamydia can be transmitted through vaginal and anal sex and that HPV can be transmitted through vaginal, oral, and anal sex.(Why kNOw?, 8th grade and high school, p. 94)

[In fact, Chlamydia infections of the throat transmitted through oral sex are well-documented and HPV can be transmitted through any contact between infected skin and non-infected skin, no intercourse is required.]

• “Warts are usually painless, but can become large and block urethra, vagina, anus, or throat…”(Why kNOw?, 8th grade and high school, p. 93)

[While it's true that if left untreated, genital warts can become large, in order to seek prompt medical attention, young people need to know that initially warts are small, raised bumps.]

• “Persons with herpes often feel ‘dirty' and their overall enjoyment of sex decreases.”(Why kNOw?, 8th grade and high school, p. 93)

This discussion of STDs is fraught with incomplete, inaccurate, and biased information that may very well discourage young people from seeking testing and treatment.

Condoms—Exaggerating failure and discouraging use

• “The condom has a 14% failure rate in preventing pregnancy...since the HIV virus is smaller than a sperm and can infect you any day of the month, the failure rate of the condom to prevent AIDS is logically much worse than its failure rate to prevent pregnancy.”(Why kNOw?, 8th grade and high school, p. 96)
• “Saving sex for marriage, and each partner remaining faithful, is the only way to avoid STDs.”(Why kNOw?, 8th grade and high school, p. 146)
• “There will never be any form of birth control or protection that will teach faithfulness, trustworthiness, responsibility, and commitment.”(Why kNOw?, 6th grade, p. 34)

The discussion of condoms relies on exaggerated failure rates and suggests that condoms are not effective in reducing the risk of HIV and other STDs. While this sort of inaccurate information may discourage teens from using condoms, it will not discourage them from having sex, placing them at increased risk of unintended pregnancy and STDs, including HIV, when they do become sexually active.

Promoting Biases

Gender—Fostering myths and stereotypes

• “The young girl learning to understand her changing body often has no idea the effect it has on surrounding males. Signals she doesn't even know she is sending can cause big problems.”(Why kNOw?, 6th grade, p. 17)
• “Drew likes her a lot, but lately keeping his hands off her has been a real job! Stephanie has told him she doesn't want to have sex before she gets married, and Drew agrees. Her actions, however, are not matching her words.”(Why kNOw?, 7th grade, p. 76)
• The tradition of lifting the veil shows that “the groom [is] the only man allowed to ‘uncover the bride,'” and demonstrates “her respect for him by illustrating that she [has] not allowed any other man to lay claim to her.”(Why kNOw?, 7th grade, p. 60)

These outdated messages portray an alarming view in which gender inequality in relationships is not just acceptable but expected. Young people need to be taught that in any relationship, men and women have equal rights and responsibilities.

The Marriage Mandate—Promoting one lifestyle

• “Today many do not realize that sex outside of a faithful marriage commitment breaks the rules of relationships.”(Why kNOw?, 6th grade, p. 11)
• “To experience the fullness of sexual intimacy, a lasting commitment must be present. This commitment is known as marriage.”(Why kNOw?, 6th grade, p. 22)
• “Sex therapists tell us that the most satisfying sex occurs in a faithful, committed marriage in which each person is fully accepted for who he/she is—strengths and weaknesses.”(Why kNOw?, 8th grade and high school, p. 127)

Rather than prescribe one future relationship to all students, Why kNOw? would better serve students by allowing them to explore their own views on marriage as well as the views of society, their communities, and their families.

Family Structure—Depicting non-traditional families as troubled

• “Two parent households produce the greatest sense of stability and security for children.”(Why kNOw?, introduction)
• “Single women are trying to be both mother and father. The absentee dad has become a norm in many communities. It is interesting that domestic violence, child abuse and increased poverty have also increased in proportion to the decline in the sanctity of marriage.”(Why kNOw?, 8th grade and high school, p. 88)

There are many reasons—including divorce, death, desertion, cohabitation, and gay and lesbian partnerships, amongst others—that a student may live in a family that does not match the ideal model espoused by Why kNOw?. Suggesting that these families bear the responsibility for domestic violence, child abuse, and more will undoubtedly distress and alienate many students.

Sexual Orientation—Refusing to accept diversity

• Students are expected to “explore the differences between healthy and unhealthy male/female relationships.”(Why kNOw?, introduction).
• “If your group is all one sex, you might want to write the names of the players from each scenario on the board instead of having students come to the front of the class”(Why kNOw?, 8th grade and high school, p. 83).

By consistently ignoring the existence of LGBT individuals, Why kNOw? is reinforcing the cultural invisibility and bias that these students already face in many schools and communities. Moreover, the curriculum's focus on marriage as the only appropriate context for sexual behavior, essentially tells these students—who cannot legally marry in this country —that they can never have a sexual relationship.

Abortion— Mandating decisions for pregnant teens

• “Pregnancy occurs when the sperm and the ovum join (FERTILIZATION) and a new life is formed.”(Why kNOw?, 6th grade, p. 15).

By refusing to use scientific language or even acknowledge any level of scientific and religious debate about the beginnings of life, Why kNOw? clearly intends to bias students about reproductive options.