Pediatricians caution educators on dealing with sexual orientation and gender confusion among students
News release from American College of Pediatricians
News release from American College of Pediatricians
The American College of Pediatricians cautions educators about the management of students experiencing same-sex attraction or exhibiting symptoms of gender confusion. These concerns are outlined in a letter and fact sheet sent by College president Thomas Benton, MD, to all 14,800 school district superintendents in the U.S.
Dr. Benton also alerts them to a new Web resource, FactsAboutYouth.com, which was created by a coalition of health professionals to provide factual information to educators, parents, and students about sexual development.
"As pediatricians, our primary interest is in the health and well-being of children and youth," Dr. Den Trumbull, vice president of the College explains. "We are increasingly concerned that in too many instances, misinformation or incorrect assumptions are guiding well-intentioned educators to adopt policies that are actually harmful to those youth dealing with sexual confusion."
The College reminds school superintendents that it is not uncommon for adolescents to experience transient confusion about their sexual orientation and that most students will ultimately adopt a heterosexual orientation if not otherwise encouraged. For this reason, schools should not seek to develop policy which "affirms" or encourages these non-heterosexual attractions among students who may merely be experimenting or experiencing temporary sexual confusion. Such premature labeling can lead some adolescents to engage in homosexual behaviors that carry serious physical and mental health risks.
There is no scientific evidence that anyone is born gay or transgendered. Therefore, the College further advises that schools should not teach or imply to students that homosexual attraction is innate, always life-long and unchangeable. Research has shown that therapy to restore heterosexual attraction can be effective for many people.
Optimal health and respect for all students can only be achieved within a school by first respecting the rights of students and parents to accurate information and to self-determination. It is the school's legitimate role to provide a safe environment for respectful self-expression for all students. It is not the school's role to diagnose or attempt to treat any student's medical condition, and certainly not the school's role to "affirm" a student's perceived personal sexual orientation.
The American College of Pediatricians is a national organization of pediatricians and other healthcare professionals dedicated to the health and well-being of children. The College produces sound policy, based upon the best available research, to assist parents and to influence society in the endeavor of childrearing.
To read the letter to school superintendents, Click Here. http://factsaboutyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/Superintendent-LetterC_3.311.pdf
To read the fact sheet provided to superintendents, Click Here. http://factsaboutyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/Facts-on-full-sheet-Apr-1.pdf
To go to the homepage of the American College of Pediatricians, Click Here.http://americancollegeofpediatricians.org/
Dr. Benton also alerts them to a new Web resource, FactsAboutYouth.com, which was created by a coalition of health professionals to provide factual information to educators, parents, and students about sexual development.
"As pediatricians, our primary interest is in the health and well-being of children and youth," Dr. Den Trumbull, vice president of the College explains. "We are increasingly concerned that in too many instances, misinformation or incorrect assumptions are guiding well-intentioned educators to adopt policies that are actually harmful to those youth dealing with sexual confusion."
The College reminds school superintendents that it is not uncommon for adolescents to experience transient confusion about their sexual orientation and that most students will ultimately adopt a heterosexual orientation if not otherwise encouraged. For this reason, schools should not seek to develop policy which "affirms" or encourages these non-heterosexual attractions among students who may merely be experimenting or experiencing temporary sexual confusion. Such premature labeling can lead some adolescents to engage in homosexual behaviors that carry serious physical and mental health risks.
There is no scientific evidence that anyone is born gay or transgendered. Therefore, the College further advises that schools should not teach or imply to students that homosexual attraction is innate, always life-long and unchangeable. Research has shown that therapy to restore heterosexual attraction can be effective for many people.
Optimal health and respect for all students can only be achieved within a school by first respecting the rights of students and parents to accurate information and to self-determination. It is the school's legitimate role to provide a safe environment for respectful self-expression for all students. It is not the school's role to diagnose or attempt to treat any student's medical condition, and certainly not the school's role to "affirm" a student's perceived personal sexual orientation.
The American College of Pediatricians is a national organization of pediatricians and other healthcare professionals dedicated to the health and well-being of children. The College produces sound policy, based upon the best available research, to assist parents and to influence society in the endeavor of childrearing.
To read the letter to school superintendents, Click Here. http://factsaboutyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/Superintendent-LetterC_3.311.pdf
To read the fact sheet provided to superintendents, Click Here. http://factsaboutyouth.com/wp-content/uploads/Facts-on-full-sheet-Apr-1.pdf
To go to the homepage of the American College of Pediatricians, Click Here.http://americancollegeofpediatricians.org/
Sadly, the American College of Pediatricians appears to be more of a pressure group than a group that relies on high quality science. I fear that relying on the weak evidence that these people do actually damages the Kingdom of God in the long term.
ReplyDeleteI must disagree. The homosexual movement has simply discarded the work of many doctors and psychologists when it does not suit their agenda. They do not provide any proofs. The American College of Pediatricians and similar organizatins (like BARTH) have doctors in good standing. You look at their sites and you see serious studies and professionals with high qualifications. If there is a problem, I would like to see specific charges and not the "weak evidence" presented by the homosexual movement which does not like their conclusions.
ReplyDeleteI cannot find serious, peer reviewed studies that are published in a medical journal in good standing on these websites. That is the issue - if these individuals wish to be taken seriously they need to rectify this.
ReplyDeleteLogically you will not find these studies in a medical journal since the College of Pediatricians is not a medical journal, it is a resource page. But even a superficial search of their web sites and those which they recommend will show that this is not a pressure group. There are all sorts of doctors with qualifications who write for these sites and many have published in peer-reviewed publications. There are also all sorts of papers they have written that cite peer-related studies.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I do not expect many of the more liberal establishment journal to like their things. The reality is that these ostensibly professional associations have too
often elevated political correctness over solid science. In fact, I think the College and other such web sites has been created largely to cut through this confusion.
Finally, if you are still not convinced at least have the patience to read the story of one these highly qualified people. I was impressed with his story. The story is called,When Dissent is Stifled: The Same-Sex Marriage and Right-to-Treatment Debates
It can be found at this link:
http://www.narth.com/docs/wardle.html
His experience mirrors the experience I have had in trying to "debate" the homosexual "marriage" issue with rabid advcoates.