Sex Education in public schools across the nation is a continuous battle between school, the state, and parents. The argument is between Comprehensive and Abstinence-Only education, and as it stands, states can choose which they prefer for all of their public schools. Parents have the choice to sign a document stating that their child can “opt-out” of the lesson. These conflicts are why sexual education is important, why we should address the pros and cons of each (Abstinence-Only vs. Comprehensive), and forces us to face change in our current system.
To begin, the youth of America, although they may seem all too informed, most are not. In some states, adolescents are taught little about their bodies at all. That is, from their parents or schools. …show more content…
To find answers, they ask their friends or find inaccurate information on the internet (pornography). According to the ADA “…attorney Janis Wolak, psychologist Kimberly Mitchell, PhD, and Finkelhor, of the UNH center, found that 42 percent of a nationally representative sample of 1,500 Internet users ages 10 to 17 had been exposed to online porn in the last year, with two-thirds reporting only unwanted exposure.” Therefore, more than half were exposed to pornography possibly by their friends, and the remainder found it by themselves. Young people are being exposed to a manipulated visual sexual stimulus and are treating themselves and their future partners, based on what they are seeing. Because parents feel uncomfortable talking with their children about sex education and most public schools have no universally, medically correct curriculum, the youth of today are suffering in confusion that can result to dangerous situations. While there are the National Sexuality Education Standards which are standards that were updated to the Common Core Curriculum, many states have refused amendments to their current curriculum. States such as: …show more content…
By definition, Abstinence-Only sex education teaches young people to abstain from sexual activity until marriage. The concept is a morally correct one, but the program does not teach accurate information and provides a negative manipulation of sexual relationships. For example, in a 2004 report by Government Reform Committee staff, some of the information being taught consisted of “a 43-day-old fetus is a "thinking person"; HIV can be spread via sweat and tears; condoms fail to prevent HIV transmission as often as 31 percent of the time in heterosexual intercourse; women who have an abortion "are more prone to suicide"; and as many as 10 percent of women who have abortions become sterile.” These are completely inaccurate ‘facts’ being taught in public schools. On the other hand, Comprehensive Sex Education informs students of safe contraceptive use, healthy relationships with themselves and future partners, and most of all about the bodies they are living in. The American Medical Association “urges schools to implement comprehensive, developmentally appropriate sexuality education programs”. Therefore, a national institution that specializes in medical practices deems Comprehensive Sex Education as accurate and prefers it in public schooling rather than Abstinence-Only
To begin, the youth of America, although they may seem all too informed, most are not. In some states, adolescents are taught little about their bodies at all. That is, from their parents or schools. …show more content…
To find answers, they ask their friends or find inaccurate information on the internet (pornography). According to the ADA “…attorney Janis Wolak, psychologist Kimberly Mitchell, PhD, and Finkelhor, of the UNH center, found that 42 percent of a nationally representative sample of 1,500 Internet users ages 10 to 17 had been exposed to online porn in the last year, with two-thirds reporting only unwanted exposure.” Therefore, more than half were exposed to pornography possibly by their friends, and the remainder found it by themselves. Young people are being exposed to a manipulated visual sexual stimulus and are treating themselves and their future partners, based on what they are seeing. Because parents feel uncomfortable talking with their children about sex education and most public schools have no universally, medically correct curriculum, the youth of today are suffering in confusion that can result to dangerous situations. While there are the National Sexuality Education Standards which are standards that were updated to the Common Core Curriculum, many states have refused amendments to their current curriculum. States such as: …show more content…
By definition, Abstinence-Only sex education teaches young people to abstain from sexual activity until marriage. The concept is a morally correct one, but the program does not teach accurate information and provides a negative manipulation of sexual relationships. For example, in a 2004 report by Government Reform Committee staff, some of the information being taught consisted of “a 43-day-old fetus is a "thinking person"; HIV can be spread via sweat and tears; condoms fail to prevent HIV transmission as often as 31 percent of the time in heterosexual intercourse; women who have an abortion "are more prone to suicide"; and as many as 10 percent of women who have abortions become sterile.” These are completely inaccurate ‘facts’ being taught in public schools. On the other hand, Comprehensive Sex Education informs students of safe contraceptive use, healthy relationships with themselves and future partners, and most of all about the bodies they are living in. The American Medical Association “urges schools to implement comprehensive, developmentally appropriate sexuality education programs”. Therefore, a national institution that specializes in medical practices deems Comprehensive Sex Education as accurate and prefers it in public schooling rather than Abstinence-Only