Who Is Your Child Watching? A Football Player, an STD, and Abstinence Education
November 15, 2022 | Nick Jefson, SRAS
Who does your child watch? Do they enjoy watching sports or follow their favorite musicians or actors on social media? Have you considered the influence that those people have on young minds and lives? Role models might be hard to come by in our society and we hope that those men and women who make it to the top of their profession would be people marked by responsibility and good character. However, many of the people who are on our televisions and social media feeds set poor examples of behavior.
Recently, there has been a lawsuit and countersuit involving a star NFL player. A cornerback who plays for the Miami Dolphins was accused of knowingly infecting a woman with a viral STD. The document filed to the court outlines that the player had provided confirmation that he did not have an STD at the beginning of the relationship. However, at some point during the couple’s relationship he contracted herpes from another partner and failed to notify the woman. Herpes is a viral STD and therefore has no cure. He has since motioned to have the lawsuit dropped, claiming the woman is a “scorned ex-lover” and is simply seeking to cash in on his success. This issue is still evolving and seemingly will continue until a settlement is reached.
But why bring this up? Why are the actions of a football player important to our work as abstinence educators and your work as parents/guardians? Because our students are watching! They see what athletes and musicians and influencers do and will decide whether certain actions are acceptable and healthy. SRA (Sexual Risk Avoidance) education provides tools for students to navigate difficult circumstances. For instance, our curriculum addresses how to develop character traits like honesty, self-respect, and respect for others. We discuss the reality of STDs and the importance of abstaining from sex to avoid the possibility of contracting one. We strive to have a wholistic approach to health and engage students in conversations that push them to think critically about what they consume in the media.
This story involving a star NFL player exposes the reason why SRA education is so vital for our students. We need to equip them with the skills necessary to grapple with the world around them and make healthy decisions regarding themselves and the ones with whom they interact. Additionally, SRA education provides them with the ability to encounter things like this story and make good judgments regarding what is healthy. By giving students scientifically accurate information regarding STDs and engaging them in conversations about how to lead healthy, satisfying lives, we seek to challenge the common notions of sexuality and romantic relationships found in social media and popular headlines. We hope that the students we teach and interact with gain skills that not only help them avoid the risks of teen sex, but also help them reject negative narratives from our culture and lead healthy lives. We desire to see our students grow into healthy young adults who treat others with respect, honor, and dignity.