Abstinence In Schools

The issue of the paper Misinformed and Unprotected is that Abstinence-only programs lack to inform teens about sexual contact because the system is current set up as only teaching teens to not have sexual contact till marriage, leaving out important information for teens who what to learn how to be safe with sexual contact. The writer’s position on the paper is that the education system should be changed to inform teens more than just wait till marriage to have sex. The evidence list is that Abstinence-only education advocates claim that abstinence-only programs prevent premarital sex, but that the programs need to stop being publicly funded because these programs may make those who have suffered from sexual abuse feel ashamed and unwilling

The teenagers and children of today read about, listen to and watch all sorts of information about sex. While most adults have had some form of sex education, we must ask if this new generation is learning anything new or helpful from their sex education classes. The American culture and way of living is so absorbed in sex that children should be taught about it, people just can not agree on how to teach them. In her article New Sex ed Funding Ends Decade of Abstinence-Only, Kelli Kennedy proves that abstinence-only sex education classes and programs are not as good as regular sex education classes better than Shari Roan does in her article Teen pregnancy rates rises. Are abstinent-only programs to blame?

Since the HIV/AIDS epidemic began in the U.S. in the early 1980s the issue of sex education for American youth has had the attention of the nation. There are about 400,000 teen births every year in the U.S, with about 9 billion in associated public costs. STI contraction in general, as well as teen pregnancy, have put the subject even more so on the forefront of the nation’s leading issues. The approach and method for proper and effective sex education has been hotly debated. Some believe that teaching abstinence-only until marriage is the best method while others believe that a more comprehensive approach, which includes abstinence promotion as well as contraceptive information, is necessary. Abstinence-only program curriculums disregard

The Texas abstinence-only approach in school systems has failed to give information required to educate teenagers to what can happen to their life and future by engaging in sexual activity.

Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education follow vary different outlines in methods of teaching and the goals they hope to achieve. Controversy surrounding this topic focuses on what is being taught and how this relates to values favoring abstinence, with the belief that education on birth control encourages sexual activity (Abstinence Only Education, 2005). Planned Parenthood states the following: “Abstinence-only programs (also called abstinence-only until marriage programs) promote abstinence from sexual behavior” (Planned Parenthood: Implementing Sex Education, n.d.) Abstinence-only programs only teach abstinence, as per their name, and in fact, they purposely exclude information on “birth control, safer sex and sex orientation” (Planned

Five seventh grade students in a New Orleans middle school were asked how to prevent HIV/AIDS and pregnancy. They believe, eating a hot pepper after sex will prevent STD's and unwanted pregnancy. These students attended an abstinence-only education school where they are prohibited to discuss condoms and other contraceptives to prevent STD and pregnancy (Woebse, 709-710). Since 2014 the U.S teen pregnancy birth rate dropped to 24.2 per 1000 women, 9% lower than 2013(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). With abstinence-only education being taught, could abstinence-only education be credited for the decline? Does the thought of eating hot peppers after engaging in a sexual act scare teens enough to be abstinent? Or are teens learning

If you have lived through the experience of being a teenager in the United States then you have probably been subjected to a sex education course at some point in your life. I, like the majority, attended an abstinence-only program in high school and most of what I remember from that experience is being uncomfortable. In fact, the clearest memories I have of the program taught at my school, or Worth the Wait, is of a video of a woman who creates a pancake in the shape of a vagina for her daughter and a montage of dozens of girls saying “No!” to emphasize what my response should be to sex. But, now that I am an adult woman and am close to the age where I might start thinking about motherhood I can see why these abstinence-only programs

Imagine you’re sitting in your OBGYN office and they recommend putting you on birth control due to your periods being bad and you panic because you have little idea as to what they are putting you on because no one has talked to you about it. You understand that it will help with your periods and from what you can infer you also know that it will help preventing unwanted pregnancies, however you still sit there and wonder how it prevents pregnancy, how it will help with your periods, and all the side effects that could go along with it. This is what happens when there is only abstinence only education offered. Abstinence only sex education does not lower teen pregnancy, it highers the practice of unsafe sex, and it changes the way women view

For my whole life I've been a devout Christian and I believed that the bible was the word of God and used it to form my opinions. So naturally I was against sex before marriage and pro abstinence only education and thought it was the best way to lower the teen birth rate,STD, discourage sex before marriage and promote Christian values.

I’ve never heard of the abstinence-only before marriage programs. I graduated high school in 1990 and there was no sex education at my school. There was a small section of the health class that talked about sexual reproduction and it was extremely brief. STD’s was never mentioned however teen pregnancy was a topic that was ok to discuss openly. It seems odd to have people sign a vow of abstinence during school. When people get into trouble they have nowhere to turn for help or support. I’m not for promoting sex is school, but it seems the better educated they are about negative aspects the more effective they would be at promoting abstinence. The military has mandatory STD training, which was nothing, but gross pictures and it worked

Abstinence prevents pregnancy. Why are tax payers always expected to pay for other people's habits and mistakes? Maybe instead of the indigent expecting a handout from me, they should take some responsibility. The government does not have the authority to use my tax dollars for birth control. Or abortions. Or employment education. Or job placement programs. Or welfare. There are hundreds to thousands of businesses hiring in every city of this country. Go get a damned job. All this is is a self feeding system of creating dependent classes of people who will faithfully vote for the politicians responsible for the creation of these programs. What happens when you run out of other people's money or the system becomes so bloated it collapses under

Self control is a very important skill in life. This skill is especially important in face to face interaction. It is important to teach responsibility not abstinence because abstinence is only attained through successful responsibility. The cell phones being taken away in the classroom does not teach responsibility with technology, or how to use it wisely and have self control with it. “We didn’t ban pens in our schools because students can pass notes during class. The pencils have also survived even though you could poke someone in the eye” (Ormiston 5). The classroom is a great place for young students to learn about cell phone etiquette and how to learn to not only stay safe, but also how to use the cell phones when you can easily be distracted

Sex education and abstinence needs to be taken more seriously in the educational system and in the homes of young adolescents. This subject is extremely important to me and is prevalent today because sex ed is an issue that many men and women fail to comprehend, whether it is sex education or abstinence. Throughout many middle schools , high schools and adulthood sex education is “sugar-coated.” When you don’t call it what it is, it seems unimportant an example is “The birds and the bees” when the bee’s get the pollen and puts it in flowers and how birds lay eggs which is pretty explanatory but not enough seriousness is being put into account. An issue that still prevails is that the school system wants students to know about it in as early as the sixth grade for preventative measures; avoidance of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. In my experience the sixth grade is a bit too young. I was only twelve years old learning about sex education and I had no idea what was happening since they just “dropped” the subject on us all at once and did not really ease it on too us bit by bit.

Controversy is rampant regarding the sexual education of grade school children. Some insist that it is prudent to educate children on this subject beginning as early as kindergarten. Others strongly disagree that earlier education has any effect at all on teen sex and pregnancy and, therefore, abstinence should be the focus. Lastly, we have those who believe advocating abstinence is appropriate, but agree that a more in depth sexual education is also necessary for those who are going to have sex anyway despite our best efforts to teach them otherwise.

Today's teens are exposed to sexual content and behavior regularly that affect their behavior. Many schools teach abstinence as a full proof way to stop the promiscuous behavior and potential diseases. Despite these teachings, teens don’t care and practice unprotected sex anyway and risk getting sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancies. By providing teens with free condoms on campus these risks will greatly decrease. For this to happen school administrations and parents must stop being so gullible and realize teens are having sex. If teens are positively informed about the use of condoms, given confidentiality agreements by a staff member and trusted to make positive decisions teens will be more comfortable engaging in sexual activities. The time has come for change schools need to implement policies now to help teens and stop avoiding real issues that are affecting them.