TASH recognized for ‘Protecting the Future’
By Kenya Vaughn Of the St. Louis American
“The people who agreed to the bill don’t have our best interest at all,” said Erica Simpson, a junior at Metro High School and member of Teens Advocating Sexual Health (TASH).
“They are not thinking about us. And they are a not being realistic.”
The bill to which Simpson is referring is House Bill 1055, which prohibits public school districts from working with groups that provide abortion services or referrals. With the passing of 1055 by the Republican-dominated state Legislature, school districts are to continue to teach abstinence-based sex education.
“It’s like they are just setting us up for failure right now,” Simpson said. “They are teaching sex by using fear, and that’s not how you should teach it.”
But through TASH, a program of Planned Parenthood, Simpson feels she is receiving comprehensive sex education that teaches responsibility and how to protect herself.
“We need black girls from the city to learn what TASH is teaching,” Simpson said. “Even though there are only a few of us in the class, the good thing is that they can go out and talk to their friends.”
The diligence and persistence of TASH to keep other teens informed and aware of sexual health concerns earned them a national award from Choice-USA, a national organization co-founded by legendary women’s activist Gloria Steinam 15 years ago. The students of TASH received the Protecting the Future: Sex and Health Education Award given to individuals who are ensuring that future generations have the know-how to ensure their health and well being.
“It’s great to get recognition,” said Metro Student Lucy Smith.
“The award proves that we are for real and legit and are actually working for what we believe in. And it proves that we mean business.”
TASH is a group of 37 teens (grades 9-12) representing diverse backgrounds from the greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area. TASH creates, develops, plans and implements sexual health education programs to share with other teens.
At their most recent meeting, the passion of the students and their mutual disappointment regarding the bill’s passing was evident. They worked diligently against the legislation even paid a visit to Jefferson City to make sure that elected officials were aware of the potential danger of passing this bill.
“Giving education should not be politicized,” Smith said.
“Every study done recently shows that comprehensive, age-appropriate and medically accurate sex health helps them make healthy decisions for the rest of their lives.”
It was obvious that the students of TASH are well versed by Planned Parenthood to provide their peers with pertinent information about sexual health.
“Fifty percent of teens are sexual active, and 24 percent of freshman girls are sexually active,” said Smith, who continued to spew statistics as if she were reciting her alphabet.
“These teens are being taught abstinence-only, but it doesn’t really help them if they have already become sexually active.”
Smith said that a popular misconception regarding sexual education is that if students are taught about sexual health they are going to go out and have sex.
“Teens are just as likely to have sex, whether they have the information or not,” Smith said.
“What we try to do is to say, ‘Yes, teens are sexually active, so we want to give them the information that they need to protect them from unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.’”
For more information about TASH, call program director Judy Lipsitz at (314) 531-7526 x 339.