The New York State Department of Education syllabus says that a teacher instructing students about STDs and sex should encourage children to use words they understand. "If students use different terms," the syllabus says, "make sure they understand the relationship between both sets of terms." So during a class on HIV one day in 2008, Staten Island health teacher Faith Kramer did just that, writing down the clinical words for sexual organs, sexual acts and bodily fluids on the chalkboard, then asking the eighth grade students what language they used to talk about such matters. That's when the trouble started. more ›

Free love lives! This sign was spotted at Brandeis High School on the Upper West Side (just before their prom which is taking place tonight). It's like a little history lesson on how things were in the carefree '60s, when that stinging feeling as you urinated was no cause for concern. No mention of abstinence or condoms, just a friendly reminder that if you're going to have sex, you might wanna keep it clean. Men: wash thoroughly before and after (with soap and water) because the ladies probably already have a V.D. and don't even know it! Time to stock up on douche and go to the doctor, tramps. Then it's straight back to studying up on the USSR. more ›

A middle school in Chelsea sent out an apology email to parents after some its students accidentally received condoms at a health fair this week. One seventh grader at Clington Middle School said that students were yelling in the halls after 25 out of 250 of them found a golden ticket (of STD prevention) in the goodie bags given out by The Ryan Medical Center. The health care provider said that it was the first time an error like this—against DOE policy—had occurred. One student said, "I kind of freaked out. "I turned to my friend and said, 'What do I do with this?' and I gave it to someone. I wasn't going to keep it." After receiving the email, one parent, who said that she is teaching abstinence only, checked in with her 13-year-old. The mom told CBS 2, "I said, 'Did you receive a condom?' And he said 'No, I got a lollipop,' so it was like oh, OK." more ›