Epic fail: Sex ed edition.

I'm not a fan of recycling memes, but the phrase has been quite fitting for my latest string of posts. Today's serving of failure is brought to you by the teenagers of the Sunshine State, who believe that drinking bleach will prevent HIV, while drinking Mountain Dew and smoking marijuana will prevent pregnancy.

According to the article, these findings have prompted Florida lawmakers to "push for an overhaul of sex education in the state."

Forgive me for not being surprised to learn that the strategy that the St. Petersberg Times bluntly describes as a message to abstain from sex, being repeated over and over again is failing. After all, the ineffectiveness of abstinence-only sex education has already been proven by a study mandated by Congress.

This approach to the topic is the epitome of the "ignorance is bliss" mindset. I struggle to understand how this is even a viable policy in this day and age. How have we come to the point that we willfully withhold vital information from the nation's children?

Are we really so afraid of knowledge in this country? I don't mind informing them about the benefits and pitfalls of abstinence, but they should also be made aware of how to practice safe sex -- for the sake of their health, if nothing else.

And that's the irony of the situation. As the "family values" crowd preaches from their high horse about how today's youth must abstain from sex or face damnation, they demonstrate a distinct disregard for how their actions impact the health of the youth.

Keep "thinking of the children," you dolts.