Back in 1945, an enterprising independent producer named Kroger Babb released a film that took the nation by storm.
Called "Mom and Dad," it was the story of a young girl shielded from any discussion of sex by her parents. Her mother also opposed sex education in the local schools and led a campaign to have it abolished.
At a dance the girl meets a boy, they go parking in the moonlight and well, you can guess what happens next.
Yes, she's a girl in trouble. Eventually the parents see the error of their ways and sex education is once again taught in the local high school.
Of course, this was an exploitation film so the actual birth of a baby was shown on screen, as well as some medical venereal disease footage. And an "expert" sold sex education books from the stage.
The film cost a touch over $60,000 to make and by the 1970s-it was still playing the drive-in circuit-it has grossed around $100 million. Several copycat films were made to cash in on the success. They played all over the country. They played in Texarkana, Hope and other area communities. Such was the attraction of a subject that was largely taboo.
We are a much more open society these days, for better or worse. But the battle over sex education in schools continues. Nowhere more so than Texas.
According to a study released this week by the Texas Freedom Network, more than four-fifths of all school districts in the state either do not teach sex education or promote an abstinence-only program.
We can imagine some readers are thinking that's a good thing. We must disagree.
We have often heard that sex education is a subject to be taught at home by parents. We have no problem with that. But the fact is most parents never do so, leaving children without the facts in a world filled with misinformation.
Texas needs to do a better job of presenting sex education and focus on medical and scientific facts, not one particular religious or moral viewpoint. Yes, teach abstinence. It is the one sure way to avoid the pitfalls that can come from sex. But teach birth control as well. Teach about sexually transmitted diseases, not only how to avoid them but also how to recognize the symptoms and what treatment is available. Teach the facts.
That's not encouraging sex. That's simply arming kids with the facts of life they will need in life. We know this is an uncomfortable subject for many, but we do teens no favors by shielding them from reality. They will get the information one way or another, from friends or off the Internet. But there is a lot of bad information floating around.
Ignorance is bad. Misinformation is even worse. Our young people deserve better from us.