You intercept a note from a middle school student in which she is discussing having sex with her boyfriend. What do you do as a teacher? Do you ignore it hoping she makes the right decision or do you confront her? Now imagine your a male teacher. (This really happened to my husband) What would you do?

interesting...

first of all, i'd like to know about the legalities of this...what are teachers allowed to say or not? i.e. if there's an abstinence policy, condoms can't be encouraged.

but, i think i would talk to her about it...maybe i would make this a teachable moment and talk to the class about it...(not letting them know it was her, of course). I would somehow discuss consequences. I think everyone should be aware that every choice has consequences; some choices only affect the one who makes them, while some affect others. Doing or not doing homework affects the one student and his or her grade...possibly allowing for an award or not receiving one. Having sex, however, is more complicated--both involved are affected, the possible chilld, parents, futures, diseases, upcoming heartbreaks, etc.

Education is about life...life is about choices...therefore, educate students about choices...

I had this happen to a close friend of mine recently. Hes doing his student teaching and a lot of the girls in his class were talking before class started one day and one of the girls, who is 12, was talking about how she was going to have sex with an much older man later that day. He wasnt sure he heard her right and tried to ignore the issue. Then a few seconds later another girl in that group started telling her sexual history in detail. He said that he was mortified and didnt know what to say. He finally told the girls that his classroom was not the time to be having a conversation like that and that they should really think about their actions before they do them. He asked me what i would do on friday and i still have no idea what to tell him so any help would be appreciated. If you were him would you have handled the situation differently?

I took up a note once explaining sexual activities that my 6th grade student was involved in. I immediately made a copy, gave the original to the principle and let him handle it. He contacted the parents. Honestly, I do not go there. You can teach about the appropriate issues concerning health according to the curriculum. With young students, abstenence (spelling) is taught. It is high school when they start hearing of birth control etc. I definately let the principle and parents handle it.