A Story of Abstinence

[This is supposedly a true story.]

A man was holding a notice from his 13-year-old son's school announcing a meeting to preview the new course in sexuality. Parents could examine the curriculum and take part in an actual lesson presented exactly as it would be given to the students. When he arrived at the school, he was surprised to discover only about a dozen parents there.

As they waited for the presentation, he thumbed through page after page of instructions in the prevention of pregnancy or disease. He found abstinence mentioned only in passing. When the teacher arrived with the school nurse, she asked if there were any questions. The man asked why abstinence did not play a noticeable part in the material.

What happened next was shocking. There was a great deal of laughter, and someone suggested that if he thought abstinence had any merit, he should go back to burying his head in the sand. The teacher and the nurse said nothing as he drowned in a sea of embarrassment. His mind had gone blank,

and he could think of nothing to say.

The teacher explained that the job of the school was to teach "facts," and the home was responsible for moral training. The man sat in silence for the

next 20 minutes as the course was explained. The other parents seemed to give their unqualified support to the materials.

"Donuts, at the back," announced the teacher during the break. "I'd like you to put on the name tags we have prepared--they're right by the donuts--and mingle with the other parents." Everyone moved to the back of the room.

As he watched them affixing their name tags and shaking hands, the man sat deep in thought. He was ashamed that he had not been able to convince them to include a serious discussion of abstinence in the materials. He uttered a silent prayer for guidance. His thoughts were interrupted by the teacher's hand on his shoulder.

"Won't you join the others, Mr. Layton?" The nurse smiled sweetly at him. "The donuts are good."

"Thank you, no," he replied.

"Well, then, how about a name tag? I'm sure the others would like to meet you."

"Somehow I doubt that," he replied.

"Won't you please join them?" she coaxed.

Then he heard a still, small voice whisper, "Don't go." The instruction was unmistakable. "Don't go!"

"I'll just wait here," he said.

When the class was called back to order, the teacher looked around the long table and thanked everyone for putting on nametags. She ignored the man who hadn’t joined the others. Then she said, "Now we're going to give you the same lesson we'll be giving

your children. Everyone please peel off your name tags." Mr. Layton watched in silence as the tags came off.

"Now, then, on the back of one of the tags, I drew a tiny flower. Who has it, please?"

The gentleman across from him held it up.

"There it is! All right," she said. "The flower represents disease. Do you recall with whom you shook hands?"

He pointed to a couple of people.

"Very good," she replied. "The handshake in this case represents intimacy.

So the two people with whom you had contact now have the disease."

There was laughter and joking among the parents. The teacher continued, "And with whom did the two of you shake hands?" The point was well taken, and she explained how this lesson would show students how quickly disease is spread.

"Since we all shook hands, we all have the disease."

It was then that Mr. Layton heard the still, small voice again. "Speak now," it said, "but be humble."

He noted wryly the latter admonition, then rose from his chair. He apologized for any upset he might have caused earlier, congratulated the teacher on an excellent lesson that would impress the youth, and concluded by saying he had only one small point he wished to make.

"Not ALL of us were infected," he said.