The failure of the abstinence-only education courses is not providing students throughout the United States with sufficient sexual education to prevent this nation’s youth from being unprotected in their own sexual lives. Abstinence-only classes teach students that they should keep away from sexual encounters until they are married but it is clear that teenagers are having sexual intercourse anyway and abstinence-only education is not teaching them the content to protect themselves. Out of all fifty states in the United States only twenty states mandate sexual education to be taught in schools. An alternative to abstinence-only education is one that provides students with medically accurate information about multiple forms of STD’s and pregnancy
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A study in 2013 showed that 47% of high school age students have reported being sexually active (McGee). The fact that educators and parents know their students/children are participating in sexual activities and yet find it unnecessary to teach them to protect themselves is unethical. The CDC have several reports proving that abstinence-only education is not working for today's youth and almost 70% of teens report that they had sex by 19 (Hauser), and without sexual education the students who have sex are left exposed to the risks of unprotected sex, like HIV, STDs, and pregnancy. In states like Texas, Alabama, and South Carolina that do not teach comprehensive sexual education, the birth rates are 66 out of 1,000, while states that teach sexual education like Connecticut have 44 out of 1,000. Major professional organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health Association have announced their support of abstinence but also want to emphasize the fact that students need comprehensive sexual education to prepare themselves for important decision making. Without being provided with the facts they need to be educated on their sexual lives they make decisions
A study in 2013 showed that 47% of high school age students have reported being sexually active (McGee). The fact that educators and parents know their students/children are participating in sexual activities and yet find it unnecessary to teach them to protect themselves is unethical. The CDC have several reports proving that abstinence-only education is not working for today's youth and almost 70% of teens report that they had sex by 19 (Hauser), and without sexual education the students who have sex are left exposed to the risks of unprotected sex, like HIV, STDs, and pregnancy. In states like Texas, Alabama, and South Carolina that do not teach comprehensive sexual education, the birth rates are 66 out of 1,000, while states that teach sexual education like Connecticut have 44 out of 1,000. Major professional organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Public Health Association have announced their support of abstinence but also want to emphasize the fact that students need comprehensive sexual education to prepare themselves for important decision making. Without being provided with the facts they need to be educated on their sexual lives they make decisions