In 2013, about 273,105 babies were born to teens aging 15-19 years old in the United States.The number may seem high but this is a 10% decrease from the year of 2012 (cdc.gov). We hear about teen pregnancy in the media all the time, but the question is why does it happen? Many people say that the media glorifies teen pregnancy with shows such as MTV’s famous “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom”. Although this may be true, research from the University of Maryland suggests that these shows act as “birth control” to young viewers; promoting the use of contraceptives (Washington Post). So the question still remains, if shows like “Teen Mom” can drop conception rate by 5.7% in the first 18 months (CNN.com) what could sexual education in public schools
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When a school in the United Kingdom added sex ed into their curriculum they thought what they were doing could be used to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unsafe sex. While their intentions were good, their outcome was not what they had anticipated. Between the years of 2001 and 2002, the county of Cornwall saw a 17 percent rise in teen pregnancies (The Telegraph). Parents biggest fears were brought to life and it seemed that a good thing took a terrible turn for the worst. It is understandable why some parents would fear the worst - after all, the idea of their babies making babies is terrifying. But as it turns out, research done by the National Survey of Family Growth suggests that sex education actually prevents sexual escapades from occurring. Teens ages 15-19 experienced a 50% reduction in pregnancy than those who received abstinence only sex education. They had a 60% decrease in the amount of students having unprotected sex and a 40% decline in sexual initiation ( Advocates of Youth). This means that teens are having less sex, safer sex, and increased self-awareness surrounding this topic. They are becoming more understanding of their bodies and it is becoming less of a dramatic topic. Where abstinence only programs provide one sided information to portray a message of “no sex is the safest sex”, controversial sexual education gives information on all spectrums. Our students are becoming more influenced to take a stand in their own sexual needs. Who are we to deny them their right to learn about their own bodies? (Rhetorical
When a school in the United Kingdom added sex ed into their curriculum they thought what they were doing could be used to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unsafe sex. While their intentions were good, their outcome was not what they had anticipated. Between the years of 2001 and 2002, the county of Cornwall saw a 17 percent rise in teen pregnancies (The Telegraph). Parents biggest fears were brought to life and it seemed that a good thing took a terrible turn for the worst. It is understandable why some parents would fear the worst - after all, the idea of their babies making babies is terrifying. But as it turns out, research done by the National Survey of Family Growth suggests that sex education actually prevents sexual escapades from occurring. Teens ages 15-19 experienced a 50% reduction in pregnancy than those who received abstinence only sex education. They had a 60% decrease in the amount of students having unprotected sex and a 40% decline in sexual initiation ( Advocates of Youth). This means that teens are having less sex, safer sex, and increased self-awareness surrounding this topic. They are becoming more understanding of their bodies and it is becoming less of a dramatic topic. Where abstinence only programs provide one sided information to portray a message of “no sex is the safest sex”, controversial sexual education gives information on all spectrums. Our students are becoming more influenced to take a stand in their own sexual needs. Who are we to deny them their right to learn about their own bodies? (Rhetorical