KOIN 6 stunning report shows that Oregonians are not only paying for a conference that includes interactive workshops, keynote speakers, demonstrations, and pornography that students under 18 are attending, but that school leaders and teachers were not made fully aware of the graphic nature of the conference.
At the 2014 conference held in Seaside, students and attendees were given free attendee gifts that included lubricants, condoms and sexually suggestive buttons to wear.
One example of the workshops presented at the 2014 conference was entitled “No Glove, No Love: Condomology 411”. The workshop included instruction on how to make an economical dental dam from a female condom.
Other activities at the conference included the "Condom Line Up Game", condom demonstration, role playing for negotiation, and "condomology".
One may watch the KOIN 6 interview with Brad Victor, organizer of the conference, employee of the Department of Education, member of the Oregon Teen Pregnancy Task Force, and Sexuality Expert and wonder why he won't answer basic questions about the conference. Mr. Victor's stance on the conference is that the conference is to "provide educational resources to teachers and knowledge to young people so they can make healthy choices."
As viewers witnessed in the KOIN 6 interview, Mr. Victor won't answer any more questions beyond that saying direct questions are "inappropriate".
*Readers please note--the following links for Mr. Silverburg are not appropriate for young children.
Other leaders and decision makers at the conference are in need of scrutiny as well. Cory Silverburg, 2014 Seaside conference keynote speaker, is a world known sexologist and founder of the Toronto, Canada based "Come As You Are" sex co-op that provides products and workshops. His topic was on how to use internet porn effectively, creating interactive avatars, and phone sex. This also included an enlightening lesson on “teledildonics". Teledildonics is the use of "sex toys over the Internet; the remote use of sex toys,” Silverburg explained at the conference.
Oregon Capitol Watch Foundation asks, how much did this conference cost Oregonians? In asking the Parents' In Education representatives this question, representatives wanted to know the same thing. How much did it cost to fly in and pay for Mr. Silverburg's fees and accomodations? How much did it cost to bus in students using public school busses? How much of the registration fees that attendees, educators and students paid go toward the conference? How much of those fees came out of local school budgets? School budgets are taxpayer dollars. Taxpayers want to know.
Additional questions one might ask. Since Mr. Silverburg utilizes pornographic sites, wouldn't school computers be blocked from accessing them? Could teachers and students face criminal charges for accessing and sharing those kinds of sites? What are the school policies surrounding this issue and have parents been invited to be part of that discussion?
These questions are timely since the 2015 conference is being planned. Organizers announced this year's keynote speaker is Al Vernacchio. Organizers have already begun promoting 2015's topics.
Sources: Parents' Rights in Education
Pacific University Professor, David Scholnick, will be remembered as the marine biologist who fashioned a shrimp treadmill all in the name of science. While the treadmill was a very small part of his research, no one can claim the research he conducted cost a small amount.
At one point in the timeline of the controversial story that began in 2009, Scholnick claimed his research cost up to $3 million dollars. In his recent sarcastic blasts against his naysayers, he calls his critics "disingenuous." He also says politicians would not have to be "mental giants" to figure out they were wrong and accuses them of thwarting the safety of food raised in "the largest ecosystem on the planet," oceans. What he doesn't seem to provide in his rant is an actual accounting of what he spent on this research of great import.
In fact, one might even question his claim that he spent $3 million since his research was actually a segment of a a larger project funded by The National Science Foundation for $426,000.
It can be argued most average taxpayers appreciate science and the creativity needed to conduct experiments to achieve accurate results. Those same taxpayers appreciate honesty and fiscal responsibility in conducting science.
A recent report from a CBS affiliate in Denver demonstrated how the government program to give those in need a free cell phone accomplished just the opposite. Those who could afford phones, received them. Food stamp cards were used fraudulently to get those who don't qualify for the program a phone. Vendors for the program were subsidized and incentivized to sign up citizens.
"The $2 billion a year Lifeline program has handed out more than 13 million free cellphone plans across the country in the first six months of this year. In Colorado, the program handed out more than 117,000 free cellphone plans in the first half of this year, or about 20,000 cellphones every month."
The report is an eyeopener as it shows a combination of vendor brazenness, recipients who don't qualify and the program that was promised to be regulated but appears not to be.
At taxpayers expense.
