Moral panic

I live in a small town. Basically the only interaction I have with Facebook is our residents' group, because that's the only way to get news about the town and local area. We all know what's happened to small town newspapers, i.e. they have disappeared. In addition to news from the town government, stray animals, petty crimes, community events, ads for local businesses, and that sort of thing, we get the occasional opinion, which seems generally speaking to be someone channeling Fox News or a wingnut politician.

Yesterday a post appeared with this graphic:

 

I expect that what they are talking about is the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, which as far as I know is the only in-class survey that is routinely administered. It is conducted by the states in collaboration with CDC, it only asks questions, it's completely anonymous, and obviously asking questions doesn't indoctrinate anybody. As CDC tells us:

 The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors six categories of health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults, including—

• Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence
• Sexual behaviors related to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection
• Alcohol and other drug use
• Tobacco use
• Unhealthy dietary behaviors
• Inadequate physical activity

 

I expect the "indoctrination" part comes from daring to ask high school students, anonymously, to report on whether they have unprotected sex, and their sexual orientation.  Just asking the question implies that there is more than one possible answer. The YRBSS is the only source of information we have nationwide and statewide about the health-related behaviors of young people. It's essential to planning and evaluating programs to promote their safety and health. But conservatives don't want to know the truth, they want to live in an imaginary universe.

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