About this Column COLLEEN STONE is a producer at MaineToday and guest columnist for our blog in print — a "plog" — that combines comments people make on MaineToday.com with her thoughts about issues. Because many people post to online anonymously, or through the use of monikers, Stone may have to limit her source attributions to first name or screen name. In general, the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram prohibits the use of anonymous sources in its stories. We are making an exception for this unique edited column that links the online world to the print world. If you would like to suggest a story, let us know your idea or question. To top of story

As sure as students will doodle in their notebooks during class, adults will react strongly to teaching them about sex. And react they did to a Portland Press Herald story about a new health curriculum for Westbrook schools that involves teaching eighth-graders about contraception.

There was no middle ground in the 60-plus responses; you were either strongly for it or adamantly against it.

Many who spoke out against the curriculum thought that students should be taught abstinence and abstinence only — and that mentioning contraception in schools was a sign of moral collapse and evidence of the Liberal Agenda.

A user named Rich thought the curriculum should be as simple as "not so fast":

"How about this as a suggested method of reducing unwanted pregnancies — teach children not to have sex until they are married and follow up with instructions of how to live pure lives. Wouldn't that be refreshing?"

Abstinence is the ideal. It's the only guaranteed way to avoid unwanted pregnancies and disease. But the reality, as many of you pointed out, is that some kids will experiment with sex no matter how much you hit them over the head with the morals mallet.

Better that they be informed about the risks of pregnancy and disease and how to lessen their risks if they do become sexually active so that they might take the proper precautions. Keeping such information from them only increases the risk of negative consequences should they have sex.

Bruce Wescott put it simply: "If you are not open about sexual matters with them, then you will be a grandparent. . ."

Still others opposed to the curriculum thought that even mentioning contraception was giving students a green light to, well, you know.

Arlene was one such respondent, saying, "Schools can't seem to do even the most BASIC teaching and kids are kept in ignorance for 12 years. Yes — sex will get their 'attention' — then they'll have to go on out there & DO IT because it must be 'cool.' "

If only the same applied to math. Students would be running home and doing linear equations like nobody's business and parents would have to confiscate protractors.

Many of you were quick to point out that information does not equal permission to act — and that providing information about sex and contraception does not amount to advocating sexual activity.

As a user named Jim put it, "A health program to show how the reproductive system works, that also includes how to use a condom does not mean this is a 'Joy of Sex' class."

A writer named Tim illustrated the importance of making sure kids get information about sex from adults, because they'll often get the wrong information from kids:

"You have to be realistic. Every child will learn about sex in school. Isn't it better to learn it through a structured curriculum than the way most of us did: from some big-mouthed misinformed know-it-all kid in the playground?"

For some, the risk of kids getting bad information from other kids still didn't justify schools teaching things that some parents find objectionable. A lot of parents would prefer to control the message at home and not muddy the waters with multiple messages.

A user named Bob put it this way: "Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't take a village to raise children. It takes responsible parents who take an interest in their kids rather than putting their own self-interests at the top of the priority list. And society is not obligated to pick up the slack for irresponsible parenting."

Except that all parents don't take the interest in educating their kids about sex that some do. Should it be up to kids to educate themselves when that's the case? And what about the costs — fiscal and otherwise — related to unwanted pregnancies and disease that society is picking up?

Here's a crazy idea: Maybe there's room for messages from home and messages at school. Maybe the world won't implode if abstinence is stressed at home and contraception is taught at school. Haley Jo is a walking example:

"I was raised in a Christian home where abstinence was taught. I also went to a secular school where comprehensive sexual education was taught, including how to put on a condom. Guess what? The first person I had sex with was my husband. Please stop freaking out."

Stop freaking out.

Somewhere, an eighth-grader is surely scribbling that on a notebook.

Colleen Stone can be reached by e-mail, but if you have a comment about this piece, please post it below.