The Abstinence Teacher Gets An 'A' In My Grade Book

Tom Perrotta and I have two things in common: NewChronicles, I was guided by the history and politics of
Jersey roots and novels about sex education; his latestthe late 1970's. Teacher devotes more attention to the
work, The Abstinence Teacher is the only other novel,culture of fundamentalist Christianity than the art,
besides my own, The Sex Ed Chronicles, that I havescience and politics of teaching sex education in public
read which covers a subject that is still consideredschools. In Teacher, sex education is a regular part of
taboo in some social circles. The Abstinence Teacherthe school day. In reading Teacher and Chronicles
has two main characters: Ruth Ramsey, a divorcee'back to back, I noticed similarities. Both novels position
and high school sex educator who makes onesex educators under the belief that knowledge is
inappropriate comment too many, drawing the ire ofpower and show that sex education is too important
the evangelical Tabernacle church and its hell forand too difficult a subject to teach poorly in the
leather Pastor Dennis, and Tim Mason, a former stonerclassroom. I made the same point as an observing
and rock n' roller, also divorced, turned born-againnews reporter as Perrotta makes by getting inside
Christian and doting soccer dad. Tim is struggling toRuth Ramsey's head. In Teacher and Chronicles, the
stay along the straight and narrow path, as defined forteachers are also asked to swallow some pride. I will
him by the very same evangelical leader whoonly say that Ruth is asked to swallow harder.
torments Ruth. The descriptions of Ruth and Tim'sChronicles and Teacher share concerns about
mental conflicts are fascinating. They are bothabstinence-only sex education being something that is
searching for self-worth through someone else. Sincewatered down and therefore, not taking too
their divorces, Ruth and Tim's lives have takenseriously-unless it is consistent with the teachings of
divergent paths, but each believes that they have losttheir family or place of worship. However, sex
something that one might call faith. They are botheducation outside of the public schools is less
close-minded, though Tim's close-mindedness isconsistent from student to student, than inside the
manufactured from his relationship with the Tabernacle.classroom-and both sides of the culture wars
It was interesting that Tim likened the fellowship of theacknowledge this point. Then the academic questions
Tabernacle to the camaraderie of the rock bands ofthat come from reading Teacher and Chronicles are
his youth; both are closed circles that welcome lonerswho provides the views that will dominate, and not
who are taught to pity or look down on others whodemonize, public school sex education? Which minority
don't fit in. Tim has tried to embrace a Christian life,view will take center stage in a theatre where parents
though his sexual desires for his ex-wife andand students are a silent majority? Will it be activist
unhappiness in his second marriage lead him to doubtconservatives (they are not all Christians; Orthodox
his piety. Tim repeatedly returns to Pastor Dennis toJews and Muslims share deep-seated objections to
reconcile his adopted faith. Tim and Carrie, his secondcomprehensive sex education) or activist educators
wife, try to find sexual bliss under a church-defined setperceived to be liberal, or is it more appropriate to say,
of rules; the rules for shopping, for instance, try to drawsexually liberated? And, do students and school
a fine line between naughty and nice. Ruth has livedadministrators really care about the material taught in
professionally by the mantra that "pleasure is good,those classes? There is evidence in Teacher and
shame is bad and knowledge is power," however sheChronicles that administrators care mainly about
doubts that her students are listening to her morestaying out of trouble that comes in the forms of
medically accurate, age appropriate messages. In hernegative press and parental pressures and, that most
private moments, she doubts her own sexuality,students will "learn" whatever their school system
wondering if love, or just plain good sex, will elude herdecides to put in front of them. The Abstinence
for the rest of her life. Her desperation reaches newTeacher made me more concerned for the
heights as she seeks an old high school flame throughprofessional well-being and skin thickness of sex
the 'Net. Ruth and Tim's paths cross at a soccer gameeducators who work in settings similar to Ruth. A
where Tim has asked his team, including Ruth'steacher cannot teach well when forced to suppress
daughter Maggie, to join in prayer after a victory. Ruththeir own values to protect faculty colleagues from
objects, drawing further wrath from the Tabernacleembarrassment. I likened Ruth Ramsey's job to
faithful. Her first clash led her principal andmanaging the late shift at the 24-hour convenience
superintendent to institute an abstinence-only sexmart, a no-win scenario whenever you lose your cool
education course that she lacks the heart to teach.in head-to-head or eye-to-eye combat. For this reason,
Her second compromises her relationships with heras well as Perrotta's humorous and insightful scenes
two daughters: Maggie, who wants to continue to playof sex re-education in our times, The Abstinence
soccer for Tim, and Eliza who uses her mother'sTeacher gets high marks in my grade book.
objections to public prayer as a means to considerStuart Nachbar has been involved with education
evangelical fellowship for herself. Unlike my work, Thepolitics, policy and technology as a student, urban
Sex Ed Chronicles, which takes place in 1980, a timeplanner, government affairs manager, software
before sex education had been adopted in manyexecutive, and now as author of The Sex Ed
public schools; Teacher is based in our times. InChronicles.