79-08-A3

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Sex Education

Transcript Not too long ago in talking about sex education in our schools I mentioned (if I remember correctly) that someone had recommended lowering the age of consent to 13 years. Let me correct that statement. Someone didn't just suggest it. It's a part of the 212 page criminal code signed into law last August in the state of New Jersey. It has just been discovered by a New Jersey police officer who sounded the alarm. The new law reads that age of consent for sexual intercourse is lowered to 13 and even lower if there is less than 4 years difference in age between children having sex. The purpose of the change was to exempt consenting youngsters from statutory rape charges while strengthening protections for actual rape victims according to the two feminist groups who drafted the legislation. Spokespersons for the groups said, "A rape prosecution is too high a price to pay for adolescent sexuality." They also said this brought the law up to date with the sexual habits of teenagers; that "many parents don't know or want to admit it, but the number of sexually active teenagers is increasing rapidly." In fairness let me say these spokepersons evidently were not representative of many in the feminist groups who were not aware they were sponsoring such a law. Remember it was in a 212 page bill -- Chapter 14 section 2C: 14-2. In fact it had slipped by many of the legislators who had voted yes and who now have introduced a bill to repeal the provision. But it was the parents, the clergy, the NAACP and other groups who manned the ramparts. One father said, "I look at my 13 year old and other youngsters and I just can't see that they can handle sex emotionally." Ironically this slipped through a legislature that is considering raising the drinking age from 18 to 19 or 20. But in all of the furor and understandable distress of parents one thing should warm the hearts of all of us. God bless the wisdom that often goes with youth. An 8th grader said, "I'm against the law. A lot of kids who didn't do it before are going to try it now -- it's like giving them permission. And if they get pregnant, who's going to marry a 13 year old?" A teacher held a discussion of the law in her class when the publicity about it had made it a subject of general conversation. "The kids said they weren't ready for that kind of responsibility," she reported and then added this wonderful line. "And they were surprised there were adults who thought they were." Well, as someone once said, "some people grow up and some people just grow older." This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 79-08-A3 Production Date 05/29/1979 Book/Page RPtV-446 Audio No Youtube? No
		Added Notes