Note Book

Chapter-18

"It is important. Are not you hearing about girls at tenth class becoming pregnant? Boys and girls running away to marry? What is that love at teenage? In fact the main and strong reason for that is the uncontrollable sexual urge inside."

"I agree with you in no uncertain terms on this." Mrudanga Rao nodded his head. "But teaching something about sex in the high school may not be that easy. I am afraid parents don't agree with this."

"If we can make them understand the importance of it they sure agree." Niranjan said. "But sex education at the earliest possible age is more important than a meditation class. The children at teenage must know what type of changes their bodies go through and what type of feelings they do have. Then they shall be in guard and then can protect themselves from being taken advantage by others."

Silence had fallen like a blanket over all of them. However much reasonable what Niranjan had said, Mrudanga Rao could not agree with it completely. 'How they can say about sex to high school students? It may create quite an unnecessary interest also in them tempting them to do experiments.' He was thinking.

After talking some more time with the teachers and principal, Niranjan left that place.

"Sir, what you are thinking about Niranjan's suggestion with regard to sex education to high school students?" physical teacher asked Mrudanga Rao.

"Whatever he said is true and reasonable. But I cannot agree with it instantly. Are there any schools around providing sex education to children?" Mrudanga Rao said.

"No" Hindi teacher Vasanth said. "So far I don't hear that there are schools providing sex education."

"But I heard about stories that tenth and ninth class girls also are becoming pregnant." Pradhan said.

"I also heard and read those stories." Mrudanga Rao nodded his head. "Are you thinking providing sex education stops such type of incidents? Just by knowing about the changes the body and mind undergoes and knowing about the urges at that age, stop children feeling them? Our providing sex education, I fear, may work in reverse also. They may not think, in the way we want them to think after having that sex education. They may be even more tempted to do the experiments after knowing about it in full."

"You are absolutely right." English teacher Manorama agreed with him.

"But knowledge is power." Science teacher Praveen said. "Is it is not important that they do know about the changes take place in their body and the urges and feelings they have?"

"It may be, I cannot say. But I cannot hastily agree to such type of classes until we have even more thorough discussion between us and until we have a discussion with parents also." Mrudanga Rao said.

All the teachers nodded their heads and said 'yes'.

***

'There must be a strong reason for my parents hating each other like that, for their desperation to take divorce like that' Mounika was thinking. 'Jasmine is right. I have to find out that reason, but how?'

Mounika started searching the home carefully. First she started going through the belongings of her mother. Both of her parents were out on their jobs. Mounika said that she had a headache, took permission in the school and came to home.

The cupboards and suit cases in her mother's room were unlocked. She had to search carefully. Her mother should not get doubt that she went through her effects like this. Mounika was getting irritation as she could not have anything worth her searching. After finishing with her mother she had to go into her dad's room and search his.