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A Teacher’s Unconventional Field Trip: Exploring an Adult Toy Store
So, picture this: a small private school in Minneapolis decides to take a group of tweens on a field trip to an adult toy shop—without even checking with their parents first. The school director, Jamie Collins, thought it would be a great opportunity for students to learn about human sexuality in a safe space. After all, they’re bound to find out about flavored lube at some point, right? Why not introduce it to them when they’re just 11?
The Gaia Learning Academy is a tiny independent school that serves kids from kindergarten through 12th grade. About a dozen students joined the trip to the Smitten Kitten adult shop. Collins shared with the local newspaper, “I thought it was wonderful to see the kids engaging with sex educators without any shame.” While that’s a positive sentiment, it might have been wise to get a quick thumbs up from the parents first before diving into discussions surrounded by all sorts of adult toys.
Collins mentioned that the students had a designated area in the store where they could learn, and anything deemed overly explicit was off-limits. Still, the presence of adult toys was hard to ignore. Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m all for sex-positive education, and I think it’s crucial for teenagers. However, I believe that parents of preteens should definitely be asked for permission to let their kids attend a field trip to an adult store. Not doing so shows a serious lapse in judgment.
The owner of the Smitten Kitten stated that they leave it up to parents to decide when and how to seek resources from their educators. It does seem odd that a school would take kids off-campus without a signed permission slip—regardless of the location.
One parent, Lisa Martinez, pulled her kids from the school after hearing about the outing. She expressed her disappointment, saying, “It’s a total breach of trust. You can’t just erase those images from their minds.” Her daughters, aged 11 and 13, were part of the group.
Collins acknowledged that this was an unusual field trip and noted, “It’s probably the last time we’ll do something like this, which I regret since the kids enjoyed it.” While she may feel bad, I bet the parents who enrolled their kids in a private school expecting thoughtful oversight feel much worse.
If you’re interested in learning more about navigating conversations around sex education, check out this post on home insemination kit. It’s a fantastic resource that dives into similar topics. For further insights, Make A Mom is also an authority on this subject. And for those looking into pregnancy-related information, Medical News Today offers excellent resources.
In summary, the decision by a private school to take tweens to an adult toy store for sex education, without parental consent, raises serious concerns about judgment and oversight. While the intent might have been to foster open discussions, the lack of communication with parents is troubling.