I’m sincerely looking forward to a bunch of young atheists clubs opening around the country. Hint, hint.

The key question seems to be what other kinds of clubs are allowed. If other clubs—like to use Nnmns example, an atheist club, or other clubs that have a religious or political message—are allowed, I see no reason for disallowing this one. Though if the school has a rule against religious or political clubs, it’s a position I would be more understanding towards.
God bless.

High School kids, antiabortion clubs? When our teenagers were in H.S., they had Photography Clubs, Golf Clubs, things that teens benefitted with. This shows Adult trends from Evangelical posturing aganist anything they feel is a sin, flowing over to teens who should be enjoying their teen years, and not taking on dysfunctional sexual misconduct that a few of them get in to. Clubs for gay students is different, they provide a need to find each other and enjoy acceptance while heterosexual students will then seek to understand their differences. Antiabortion clubs seems to present a problem that most people never experience, and if they do it is their problem, and nobody elses. It may not be a radical thing to have an antiabortion club, but it is highly inappropriate for a H.S. to allow. My opinion.

That doesn’t make sense to me. You are saying it’s ok to have clubs to support homosexuals but not clubs to promote prolife (or heterosexuals)? Sounds like the atheists already have the clubs nnmns wants, seeing how this is completely against most our most traditional religious beliefs.

w, nope, no such clubs that I know of, and you can imagine there’d be howls from some Christians and perhaps others if there were. But I’m hopeful.

Yes it is o.k. to support children who have been born Homosexual. It hasn’t one thing to do with religion. Ask any mother or father who has gay children and they will tell you that. As well as the Medical Community. Religion and Government are seperate in school. How does what I posted tell you that atheists have clubs in school? Don’t mix apples and oranges.

I just read this article over, and it mentions religious clubs are accepted after school. I’m Christian but I don’t think this is right, even in VA or any other Southern state. Taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for utilities, that are used for anything other than school related teachings, or sports, arts, etc. that students can avail themselves to while they are in H.S. If religion is so important to them and their families they should be in a Parochial School, or have extra classes with their Ministers at their Churches. I’m so happy all this madness wasn’t in our society back in the 70′s. Can you young parents imagine how peaceful it was then not to mix in everyones personal affairs, and judge every possible moral action that anyone could think of? Did the fundamentlists invent a spray to pollute the air in America and throughout the World. Tastless, and with no odor, but all of a sudden everyone can only think of everyones morals 24-7?

Well said, Henrietta!

That’s one for the goose AND one for the gander. We may not like it, but there is precedent for clubs like this. There are some clubs called the Gay Straight Alliance that are support for homosexuals. There are gun clubs and the rest of the traditional clubs. My only concern is that this gives tacit approval to students challenging the sex ed curriculae in the curriculum. I hope it is made clear to tehs tudents and their advisor that they are not granter permission to promote proseltyze or in any way pressure other students. Tax payers support the free exchange of ideas and expanding the views of students. This is not always in concert with my personal philosophy, but I have to accept that. For every Young Democrat, there is a Young Republican. The only hope for the wporld is that many schools also have Clown Clubs and Cartooning Clubs. In our town we even have a student circus. Now THAT gets you ready for the political world!

When the bell rang and class was dismissed for the day, the first thing on my mind was to get the H-E-L-L out of school and home (you know, right in front of the t.v.). I have never understood ALL of these groups’ desire to hang out at school after class is done for the day. Has afternoon television gotten that bad???

Just few things to think about. Every day in the USA 3500 women will have an abortion. The increase in STDs is well documented. These are issues that don’t just affect a few women. Abstaining from sexual behavior outside of marriage is not “dysfunctional sexual misconduct.” Up until forty years ago or so (remember the 60s?) virginity before marriage was the societal norm. It still is in many places. Logically, the only 100% foolproof way of avoiding pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases is to not have sex. Human nature being what it is and teenage hormones being what they are, that is probably never going to happen. If teens are to make an informed decision about their sexual behavior and the possible (dare I say probable)consequences they need to have all the facts. Because the school already allows after school clubs, the court had no choice but to allow this one as well. the only alternative would be for the school to ban all after school clubs. Why are we so willing to allow clubs that promote moral relativism, but balk at letting students who are more traditionaly minded gather together?

“Yes it is o.k. to support children who have been born Homosexual. It hasn’t one thing to do with religion. ”
I agree homosexual youth need support (although I don’t agree on the kind of support in schools). However, IMO I DOES have to do with religion, as the schools are increasingly teaching our youth that homosexuality is just one of several options and there is nothing wrong with it. In the eyes of many parents this is immoral. Some states have recently passed laws that could prohibit saying that marriage (traditional marriage) is the preferred or even just predominate family style. In other areas these laws have resulted in the removal of words like “marriage”, “parent”, and “husband and wife” from the classroom.
(And please don’t spout the ‘homophobic’ response. I have no phobia of anyone, just of immoral actions. I’m just saying let’s not promote what used to be immoral over what at least used to be the norm.)

I admire their objective, but religious-based clubs need to meet in a religious millieu. When I was in high school, classes were suspended on Tuesday afternoons an hour and a half early so that children could go to their place of worship and receive religious instructions or related classes. Those who did not wish to take part remained in school for study hall or library privileges. With today’s busing regulations, parents would have to provide transportation for this to work now, but this is the only acceptable way to provide such clubs the space they need for meetings. The only reason why these youth want to meet on school property is to force their religion and beliefs on others though visible assembly. Public school after-class activities must be limited to school and extracurricular activities (like sports and academic clubs).

Michael,
I like you. We think / thought alike. I was all about getting out as fast and as far as possible. However, we also had one period a week set aside for clubs or study hall. So I opted for a couple clubs (study hall was useless). Now many kids want to include clubs on the collegel applications. Some colleges will find a club like this appealing. Some other colleges may be impressed by a Gay/Straight Alliance reference. As long as the wide range and variety of options is available, all with equal official (and unoffical) support, it is simply part of the educational experience.
Now as to afternoon TV – Do you miss those amazing(cheesy)”Afterschool Specials”? We were not allowed ot watch TV in the afternoon, so it was no temptation. My kids were watching old and ancient reruns, or the Disney channel, even through High School. If I NEVER hear the theme to “Saved By the Bell” again, I will know some contentment.

“Up until forty years ago or so (remember the 60s?) virginity before marriage was the societal norm.”
It was the social norm but hardly the actual norm; lots of girls dropped out of school because they were pregnant, lots got abortions, often dangerous ones. There are a lot of starry-eyed misconceptions of the 1950′s. Those were in fact bad times for a lot of people.

Why is it assumed that everyone who “opposes abortion and promotes sexual abstinence” is trying to push religion? Religious purposes are not the only reason not to have extramarital sex.

Interesting comments. Is promiscuity more prevalent in certain parts of the country? I grew up in the 40′s, and I don’t know one girl who ever got pregnant in the H.S. in NJ I attended and graduated from. Our children graduated from H.S. in CA in the 70′s, don’t know of one of their friends that ever became pregnant. My cousins went to another Twp. H.S. in NJ, and none of their friends became pregnant. We all were of the same understanding that pregnancy was a serious decision and sexual fooling around was only for marriage. I knew of one girl in the area who had a baby, it was born dead, and she wrapped it in a blanket and put it in a city garbage can. This was in the 30′s. We didn’t have sex ed. until my Junior year of H.S., and it was a waste of time, we had all been taught by our families.

Henrietta, maybe the girls in your high schools were lucky or smart, or their boyfriends were. Or maybe they were quiet. I went to small schools in the country in the midwest and girls definitely dropped out because they got pregnant.

“It was the social norm but hardly the actual norm; lots of girls dropped out of school because they were pregnant, lots got abortions, often dangerous ones.”
I am not disputing that there were instances of girls dropping out or getting abortions, however I would need to see some documentation defining what “lots of girls” means.
While the 40s and 50s were not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, the majority of folks around during those decades would have agreed that chastity in singleness was the ideal. Nowadays that is hardly the case. Masters & Johnson and others claimed that sexual promiscuity was “normal” and therefore should be socially acceptible. Our school system swallowed up that lie hook, line, and sinker and now the students of that system are teaching a new generation who will in turn defend it because it is what they were taught to believe.
My original point, however poorly made, was that neither voluntary virginity nor marital fidelity is an aberation. Redefining lax morality as the norm and “traditional” values as marginal is a poor argument. The validity of any argument should stand or fall on its own merits. Redefining terms proves nothing.

I think the biggest change in our society started happening in the middle to late 70′s. The music and lyrics were crazy, TV and Hollywood became crazier, kids started copying their peers, and their parents, who by then were changing partners, and mini skirts so fast they couldn’t keep up with teaching and guiding their children. The 80′s were increasingly nutty in human behavior, drugs were being used by many parents, and the children got into their parents stash, etc., etc., Magazines, and advertising dripped sexual insinuations. They still do in the fashion mags. Divorce, divorce, arguments, this is what children were and are growing up with. Responsible adults don’t behave in this manner. I don’t know what the answer is, because I knew many people who behaved this way, and they were religious, and many who didn’t and they were also religious. Also many who weren’t religious and lived a gracious, kind and normal life. You can’t spank them, you can’t keep them from having more children they don’t take care of, and unless they are abusers of the children you can’t really do anything legally.

Jimmy Buffett sings, “We are the people/ Your parents warned you about”. I propose an alternative, “We are the parents/ the people warned you about”. That is the generation for which we so sadly lament is the product of our own making. Times are different, but life is very much the same. I think the incidences of teen pregnancy are more remarkable because it is not long since teen pregnancy was the norm for many people. It is our sense of “teen-ing” that has expanded. Also divorce may not have been quite so common, but people died earlier or suffered longer – they were not necessarily happier, more content, or easier to deal with. Look at some of the sexuality of the 1920′s the 1890′s and other generations and you will not be quite so surprised. Ou r modern media makes it easier to witness more of the dark side that was so carefully hidden. Now we are lifting the stones of our culture and seeing all the squirmy, slimy stuff that was otherwise ignored or stepped around. The world was not all Mayberry (to be hionest I really wonder just why Sherrif Andy’s girlfriend – and Opie’s teacher – always had the curious smile, and whether Barney was not actually gay and involved with Gomer).
There are not more worms – there are simply more sidewalks on which we see them.

Personally, I would love to see the antisocial kids at that high school start a pro-abortion (not just pro-life, but actually encouraging women to get abortions) & pro-teen sex club just to stir things up. It would have just as much to do with school activity as the pro-life club, and should have just as much right to exist(whether or not you believe that means “no right” is the real question).
People pushing these issues in schools would rarely agree someone representing the exact opposite of their beliefs should have the same rights (ie. after-school Black Masses in the cafeteria, Muslim/Jewish/Christian hate group meetings, Buddhist meditation time during class, etc.).

Will they approve a “pro-choice” club also? Talk the same ways of how NOT to get a disease if one is sexually active, how to use a condom, could be taught in that club also as well as teaching the sure way NOT to get pregnant or an STD is to abstain. The facts and truth about an abortion, discussed WITHOUT a religious slant (i.e. “sinful or wrong”). The emphasis would be on talking about how a girl/woman has control of her own body and no religion or law should get in the way if she should decide that a termaination is necessary. I can just imagine what the discussions might be like in the anti-abortion club.
I agree with a couple of other posters, I just wanted to get the heck out of H.S. and go home. Staying for any reason after school? NO.
The past years, the long ago etc. had all the same activities that go on today…just that no one discussed it in the open. Unmarried women got pregnant, abortions were done, marriages were not ALWAYS happy, children were mistreated, wives also, and there were even homosexuals! Now things are discussed or talked about….not hidden. Human nature hasn’t changed…and probably won’t.
What will be interesting to see is if this antiabortion club stays a group. How many ways can one say” abortion is wrong and a sin”. Hope they don’t go about the school with the idea of butting into the lives of the girls by spouting off about the “badness” of the right to have or not have a termination…