Abstinence Educator Watch

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Reality Check, indeed.

Critical on October 5, 2009 at 11:37 AM

I won't hold my breath waiting for the ACORN-style public outcry

Deb on October 5, 2009 at 11:45 AM

Huh. I thought the guy from Blink182 had died.

Ziggity on October 5, 2009 at 11:50 AM

I don't think we should warn children about the consequences of any of their actions.

When they get into 6th grade, just hand them a list of the things that make Jesus cry:
Sex
Mixing random chemicals in chem lab
Drugs
Texting while driving
Not respecting their parents
Homosexuality (It's not just sex, it's an agenda.)
Credit card debt
Eating undercooked food
...

They'll all turn out great.

Normal Adjacent on October 5, 2009 at 11:56 AM

Oh wow, a Christian is a lying, piece-of-shit scumball. Like, who could have seen that coming?

Fifty-Two-Eighty on October 5, 2009 at 12:00 PM

It's like the Celibacy Club in "Glee" gone horribly wrong.

I rather doubt this fella will enjoy his first weeks in prison one little bit.

gloomy gus on October 5, 2009 at 12:01 PM

It was a pop quiz for abstinence class. Duh.

pox on October 5, 2009 at 12:01 PM

Those who value blind faith over critical thinking are easy pickings for predators of all stripes.

on October 5, 2009 at 12:05 PM

The assumption that one person is representative of the Abstinence movement is silly. This was a bad apple...treat it as such and move along.

on October 5, 2009 at 12:08 PM

@9- The abstinence movement IS in and of itself a bad apple. It does nothing to prevent teen sexual activity. It increases pregnancy, STD infection, and self-loathing. This guy isn't a bad apple, he's a poster child.

dwight moody on October 5, 2009 at 12:15 PM

for a moment i though that was ed grimley.

scary tyler moore on October 5, 2009 at 12:28 PM

Scumbag that he is, you got to give it up for a guy that smiles in his mug-shot.

Keekee on October 5, 2009 at 12:52 PM

@12: Unfortunately phrasing there.

on October 5, 2009 at 1:05 PM

Be suspicious of anyone sporting a 'faux-hawk'.

sirkowski on October 5, 2009 at 1:21 PM

Maybe Dan should switch from Youth Pastors to Abstinence Educators. Get a portfolio of AE pedophiles and use it to attack Abstinence funding like the pimp-and-ho attacked ACORN funding.

goshawk on October 5, 2009 at 1:24 PM

DAN'S BEARD IS OUTRAGEOUS!!!!

LaRiiiiM0RrrHAwtiiii696969 on October 5, 2009 at 1:31 PM

What, no comment from Slog's own Reality Check?

rob! on October 5, 2009 at 1:35 PM

Why is "separation of church and state" such a difficult concept for so many? Why would a school allow a christian-allied organizaton ("Tree of Life"?!?!?) in? I know schools need help and there are all sorts of organizations that want to do so - ad a lot of opposition to Planned Parenthood, but Tree of Life? Really? No confusion there as to their purpose, is there?

Allyn on October 5, 2009 at 2:19 PM

He should have tried saddlebacking them instead

Urgutha Forka on October 5, 2009 at 2:33 PM

If this kid had just directed some critically-acclaimed movies, I'm sure this would be fine. Right, Scorcese? Right, David Lynch?

catsnbanjos on October 5, 2009 at 2:36 PM

This guy taught abstinence at my school last year. He seemed pretty cool, but I guess I was wrong. That's just gross and wrong to do something like that.

on October 5, 2009 at 3:37 PM

Much as I'm a proponent of non-violence, the smirk on that grub's face is really testing my principles...

@20 - exactly, although at least Lyons asked the girl for sex. Polanski didn't ask.

Aussie Steve on October 5, 2009 at 3:40 PM

He's smirking because he knows God will protect him from the secular humanist justice system.

Chris in Vancouver WA on October 5, 2009 at 3:58 PM

Just me, or does he look like a cross between David Letterman and Bob Barker?

on October 5, 2009 at 4:21 PM

Smirk or not, I would totally knock the bottom outta that.

alanw on October 5, 2009 at 4:37 PM

Sick.

kim in portland on October 5, 2009 at 8:49 PM

Just because you don't agree with abstinence programs doesn't mean that this jerk is the "poster child" for them, any more than Pol Pot is the poster child for Cambodia. There are legitimate concerns about abstinence programs, but demonizing them ("anyone who thinks they work is stupid and just like that guy!") is ignorant and ends a discussion that could actually lead to positive change.

Keena on October 6, 2009 at 6:06 AM

@27 Please cite a source that shows abstinence programs work.

hartiepie on October 6, 2009 at 6:11 AM

@27 In addition to citing a source that shows abstinence programs work, maybe you can explain why organizations like "Tree of Life" should be given taxpayer dollars so scumbags like this guy can go and preach in public schools. Whether he's a poster child for abstinence programs or not, he was working for a religious organization. And religious organizations get enough taxpayer money by being tax-exempt without also getting money that should be going to real education programs.

Southern Gentleman on October 6, 2009 at 6:24 AM

@28 & @29 I said there are legitimate concerns . . . in other words, I don't believe they do work. My point was that by demonizing and labeling proponents of the opposing point of view, you sacrifice your opportunity to have them hear your point of view. The fact that you are right is meaningless if everyone tunes you out. Sorry about the tax dollar thing. I wasn't in charge of that.

Owner of 2 well-behaved and very cute dogs on October 6, 2009 at 6:29 AM

sorry . . . I found my old account and switched identities. it's still me.

Owner of 2 well-behaved and very cute dogs on October 6, 2009 at 6:38 AM

More on the tax dollar thing: Frankly, if abstinence programs saved kids from early pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and the emotional wear and tear of too-early sexual activity, I wouldn't care what organization ran them (within reason), as long as I knew that the content stayed on topic. Unfortunately, the programs don't work.

Owner of 2 well-behaved and very cute dogs on October 6, 2009 at 6:44 AM

I went to elementary school and junior high with Toby. I have been in complete shock since I heard this sad news. The organization that he worked for is a good one, with good intentions, but obviously the wrong person worked for them. It truly saddens me for the girls, the girls families, the employees for the organization, and those that know Toby. About this organization.....it works, it has worked and hopefully will be able to be revitalized after this horrific event. He needs prayer, so for those that do believe in Christ, please pray.

on October 6, 2009 at 9:04 AM

icame into shokc wen iheard about this .every year in my junior high school years he would go && teach us very important things .its hard to believe that he would do such a thing .he seemd lyk a realy kewl guy && he seemd above all of that .ikno alot of tha gurls at my skewl had crushes on him buh he neva leht that affect him or his job .he obvously doesn't care wah his students && past students feel about him now .we lookd up to this nice ,cool ,funny guy .buh now we jux look down on him && alls he kan do is have a big smirk on his face .it is very disturbing .

on October 6, 2009 at 2:57 PM

Italy . . . please tell me you were writing like that on purpose. Otherwise you have much larger problems in your school than lack of abstinence.

Owner of 2 well-behaved and very cute dogs on October 6, 2009 at 3:13 PM

Tobias Lyons is a contemporary incarnation of the Young Traveling Bible Salesman stereotype that plagued the deep south for generations, prey on (or being preyed upon) by countless farmer's daughters. Tar, feathers and shotgun weddings are all part of this trope.

Toby's latest 14 year-old conquest was most likely far from his first.

Keena aka Owner of 2 well-behaved and very cute dogs @32, amongst the notable faults of the Abstenance Only Sex Education programs out there is that they do not stay on topic going as far as outright evangelizing in public schools, though amongst their notorious trespasses is the perpetuation of gender stereotypes.

No wonder feminists lack humor these days.

Uriel-238 on October 6, 2009 at 4:58 PM

that is not his mug shot. its a photo chosen to make the man look even more stupid. Not commenting on what the guy did, just saying the photo was chosen to make you think that he is smirking at what he did. I am guessing that this is not the case. I am guessing that the guy knows exactly that he is in deep doo doo.
Oh, something else, there are two sides to every story. And I am guessing that you have no desire to hear the other side. Again, not defending the guy, just an honest comment on the comments here. Maybe we should let this guy have his day in court. But that isn't nearly as much fun then is it?

trudy on October 6, 2009 at 8:02 PM

I agree with you, trudy @37, but as I'm not arbitrating on his smirkiness' case, I'm content to be only half informed until new developments arise. Still, I'm not exactly sure how his propositioning at 14-year-old can prove to be innocent unless a) she's lying to intentionally incriminate him, or b) it's all a big misunderstanding. Both scenarios are possible, though less likely than what it appears to be.

The whole point of SLOG threads such as this remains the same: religion does not reduce crime nor is it an impartial source of ethics (i.e a graven image doesn't really constitute a crime against humanity or society). Converting someone to a religion doesn't make them more wholesome or less inclined towards criminal activity. These provide examples of the hoisted paragons of our society that have fallen from grace, and demonstrated this truth.

Uriel-238 on October 7, 2009 at 8:57 PM

i sure hope the girl who accused him didn't try to kill herself a week before and then came back to school laughing about it. i also hope she wasn't in a relationship with a nineteen year old last year. i mean, just saying.

on October 11, 2009 at 7:08 AM

I've just started reading up on this story and I think trudy has a very valid point. Has anyone commenting on this seen a 14 year old girl these days? They are having sex much earlier than that nowadays. You never know, this poor guy could have been seduced by this girl, and she's trying to cover it up because her daddy found out.

meplus3 on October 11, 2009 at 7:31 PM

@37 you are absolutely right. you never know both sides to the story. this is absolutely not his mugshot. it isn't even really recent. although i absolutely agree with @40- girls today are having sex very young, and they are absolutely inappropriate most of the time. i'm almost positive that this girl was no innocent in this, but the point is- she's 14 years old. if we don't look out for kids- and she is a kid- who will.

toby is a friend of mine, and what he did is wrong. i'm sure he knows how wrong he was. sadly, he's learning the hard way. even so, he is still my friend, and i will forgive him in time for what he's done. as should the rest of the world.

tiffanyterror on October 25, 2009 at 1:31 PM

Abstinence Educator Watch

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