Comprehensive Sex Education

While there is no concise definition on what sex education is due to the varying degrees of how it is taught, comprehensive sex education is defined by the Advocates of Youth Organization as a course that “teaches about abstinence as the best method for avoiding STDs and unintended pregnancy, but also teaches about condoms and contraception to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy and of infection with STDs, including HIV, [and]…also teaches interpersonal and communication skills and helps young people explore their own values, goals, and options.” Likewise, contraceptives are defined as “a device or drug serving to prevent pregnancy” and come in a variety of forms, including oral/hormonal contraceptives such as birth control, barrier contraceptives such as condoms, and intrauterine contraceptives such as hormonal IUDs (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development). …show more content…
Public Health Service labeled it as an “urgent need” and, even then, it was not until 1953 when the American School Health Association started a nationwide program focused on family life education. Similarly, it was not until the mid-1980’s when the AIDS outbreak urged U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop to issue a report for comprehensive sex education to be taught within public schools as early as the third grade (Pardini). However, Koop’s report did not force or even issue a nationwide requirement for a comprehensive sex education course to be taught, and public schools within the United States can choose between comprehensive sex programs, abstinence-only programs such as WAIT, abstinence-centered programs, and abstinence-strong program and when these program can begin being