Should sex education be taught comprehensively in public schools? The idea of teaching sex education as a whole has been a continuous debate since the 1960’s. “But, as early as 1912, the National Education Association required teachers to be trained in sexuality education” (Pardini 1). Some argue it should not be taught in schools at all or it should only be taught in the privacy of a parent’s home. Well, explain why “nearly 10,000 young people (aged 13-24) were diagnosed with HIV infection in the United States in 2013 and approximately 273,000 babies were born to teen girls aged 15–19 years in 2013” (CDC 1)? So, are parents not enforcing safe sex in their homes as much as they should? Some parents neglect the responsibility of teaching their
…show more content…
More than fifty percent of teens have sex during those years (CDC 1). “Forty-one percent of those [teens] did not use a condom the last time they had sex” (CDC 1). These statistics are enough to make parents question what their teens are learning. They also make parents wonder why they are not receiving the proper education on safe sex. Well, this is because most schools teach abstinence-only sex education. Abstinence sex means not participating in sexual activity before marriage. School districts feel that abstinent-only programs will be effective and make teens not want to have sex until marriage. However, these programs are doing the …show more content…
Comprehensive sex education is a more positive view on sexuality. It provides teens more information and skills about their sexual health (Healthy Teens 1). Even though this program practices safe sex, it does not encourage teens to do away with abstinence sex. It explains to them that if they do choose to have sex then they would be more educated. Studies show that teenagers who receive comprehensive sex education are more likely to delay sex than those teenagers who receive abstinence-only sex education (Kirby 17). Why is that? Well, because teenagers who are taught abstinence-only sex are more subject to be curious and experiment with having sex. Abstinence-only programs admit a lot of very important information when it comes to sex. This is information that teenagers need to know. Comprehensive sex programs include a wide variety of topics like: HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, safer sex, relationships, and pregnancy (Advocates for Youth 1). These are most of the topics that abstinence sex education ignore or, more dangerously, exaggerate. By exaggerate I mean, “If you have oral sex with someone you can get pregnant” as said by some adults. I know some time in our younger days we have head that saying. Instead of exaggerating, why not tell student that if you participate in oral sex then you can get a sexually transmitted disease? This is a more accurate account that abstinence-only
More than fifty percent of teens have sex during those years (CDC 1). “Forty-one percent of those [teens] did not use a condom the last time they had sex” (CDC 1). These statistics are enough to make parents question what their teens are learning. They also make parents wonder why they are not receiving the proper education on safe sex. Well, this is because most schools teach abstinence-only sex education. Abstinence sex means not participating in sexual activity before marriage. School districts feel that abstinent-only programs will be effective and make teens not want to have sex until marriage. However, these programs are doing the …show more content…
Comprehensive sex education is a more positive view on sexuality. It provides teens more information and skills about their sexual health (Healthy Teens 1). Even though this program practices safe sex, it does not encourage teens to do away with abstinence sex. It explains to them that if they do choose to have sex then they would be more educated. Studies show that teenagers who receive comprehensive sex education are more likely to delay sex than those teenagers who receive abstinence-only sex education (Kirby 17). Why is that? Well, because teenagers who are taught abstinence-only sex are more subject to be curious and experiment with having sex. Abstinence-only programs admit a lot of very important information when it comes to sex. This is information that teenagers need to know. Comprehensive sex programs include a wide variety of topics like: HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, safer sex, relationships, and pregnancy (Advocates for Youth 1). These are most of the topics that abstinence sex education ignore or, more dangerously, exaggerate. By exaggerate I mean, “If you have oral sex with someone you can get pregnant” as said by some adults. I know some time in our younger days we have head that saying. Instead of exaggerating, why not tell student that if you participate in oral sex then you can get a sexually transmitted disease? This is a more accurate account that abstinence-only