Abstinence In Schools

In 1913, sex education became a topic that was found to be an important education tool. Since then, this form of education has been a hot and debatable topic among many Americans. The original reason for sex education classes was to reduce problems such as sexually transmitted illnesses and prostitution. In recent years, abstinence has become the focus of sex education curriculum. Abstinence means refraining from sex completely. Although, it is the only one-hundred percent way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, abstinence-only instruction should not be the only form of sex education taught. Our youth need to know about all aspects of sex. This intails how to protect them if they choose to become sexually

Sex education should be implemented at an early age beginning at the middle school level. A discussion of contraception, the risks of diseases, the risk of becoming an unwed teen parent and the disadvantages of not having an education will help decrease the number of teen pregnancies with future generations. Parents should not feel threatened of having their children learning about sex in class. Parents should feel empowered; it will allow their children opportunities to feel they are able to discuss future topics of sex at home to help promote

Every person has the right of balanced sex education, if they want. Abstinence-only education is not the correct approach in Texas, because the programs ignore youth’s basic human right and the fundamental public health principle of accurate information, they advocate contraceptive use and does not emphasize their failure rates, and virginity pledges do not delay the beginning of sexual activity.

The philosophy behind abstinence-only policy implies that the greatest risk of informing students about their options for contraception would be that educators are condoning premarital sex. The risks that our students are already taking, however, are greater then policymakers are considering. It is generally accepted that the majority of sexual intercourse among young people remains unprotected (Westwood, 2006). Abstinence-only curriculum is not preventing adolescents from having sex; it is just making them naïve to the risks they are taking with their lifestyle choices.

While the department of education does include a recommendation for school districts to develop and implement age-appropriate sex education, it’s not mandated in many states. There is confusion among teenagers about the different methods they can use to protect themselves; for example, contraceptives (such as birth control) do not prevent STI’s, but do prevent pregnancies. In fact, almost 37% of "18-25 year olds incorrectly believe at least one of the following: transmission of HIV is possible by sharing a glass, kissing, or touching a toilet seat" (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation 2006). Without the proper knowledge, teens simply cannot be expected to act accordingly. Abstinence-only education gives students an incomplete education, and expects students to disregard the gaps in teachings. This isn't just unfair; it is dangerous. In a study performed by the American Journal of Public Health involving 4,000 teens over a period of seven years, they found that adolescents who used condoms during their first intercourse had on average the same number of partners as those who did not use a condom. However, the former group was 30 percent more likely to have used condoms in their most recent sexual encounter,

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.

The “talk”. When I was in the fifth and eighth grade. I took a sex-ed course. Within this course I learned about the male and female reproductive system, the different forms of protection, transmitted diseases, the emotional and physical effects of sex, and the choice to become abstinent and also about pregnancy. After this course I was well aware of the human body and the effects of sex. Abstinence-only courses does not talk about half the information sex-ed courses talk about. States should establish a law for schools to teach sex-ed courses instead of abstinence only courses because it is more effective.

If you do not want to get burnt by the sun, you do not go in the sun. But the Abstinence-only education platform is not working, teens are in their peak hormonally and will eventually experiment. It is up to education and also the community to help them to understand the good and the bad that comes with sex. Most people in this world will experience an act of sex in their lifetime, it is important for students to understand that eating hot peppers after participating in a sexual act will only lead to a burning sensation in your mouth, and a sore tummy. But not as sore as it will be in 9 months if you believe this uneducated

Studies show that teenagers who’ve had sex later regret it. Abstinence only education should be the only education taught in schools instead of comprehensive education. The most popular ways of teaching about sex are abstinence teachings and comprehensive education. Abstinence education is a better option than comprehensive because it is the only effective way to avoid pregnancy, protects against sexually transmitted diseases, and proves the partner is interested for more than sex; comprehensive education teaches that there is a way for safe sex if students choose that path but teenage sex should not be an option. “…encouraging teens to just say no to sex may be the most effective at delaying early sexual activity”

But, on the contrary I support safe-sex programs and believe that abstinent-only programs should be taken out of schools. Some parents truly believe that abstinent-only programs can lead their children into practicing sex only until after marriage. But the fact is that this is an irrational and in some instances even naïve way of thinking. Most Americans have premarital sex as shown by data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth which indicates that “by age 20, 77% of respondents had had sex, 75% had had premarital sex” (Finer). This shows that teenagers will more than likely have sex at some point. Parents who truly care for the future of their child and their well-being should then support a safe-sex program. Safe-sex programs teach children how to properly use contraceptives and are much more open to discussing questions or misguided myths teenagers have about sex all which leads them to have the tools to make the right choices for when they choose to engage in sex. Instead of uncomfortable experiences involving vagina pancakes teenagers can learn the truth about sex and contraceptives which can lead to far fewer unwanted teenage pregnancies which is what any parent should want. As for morality- having correct information, the right materials, and being able to make informed decisions for yourself are all essential tools that teenagers can use to make moral decisions for themselves.

First of all, in 1996, the government of the United States of America approved a law giving money to states that offered abstinence-only courses in community or public schools. Since this period, more than a million dollars has been provided to states to indorse abstinence-only curriculums and to receive the funding, schools have to reach an agreement to adhere to a strict set of rules. For example, the students attending the class must be told that there is a likelihood that they will likely catch some type of disease if they have sexual intercourse before marriage.

After addressing that abstinence-only education alienates students of various sexualities and genders, I will point out some of the possible consequences that could occur because of this to promote the importance of incorporating comprehensive sex education in middle/high schools. Specifically, I note that during “puberty is when a majority of adolescents participate in sexual encounters”. Therefore, teenaged students who do not conform into traditional heteronormative identities that learn about their reproductive health from an exclusive, heterosexual point of view, are more likely to contract STIs, HIV, and have unintended pregnancies. To prevent teens from these minority populations from facing harmful health consequences, it’s important to spread awareness on treatments, medication, contraception, and places to receive medical attention on all sexual matters.

Sexual education and the methods we should use to get the point across has been debated heavily in the past few years. There are many issues within this broad topic, such as the fact that only 13 states mandate that the information given be medically accurate, and 4 states require that within a sexual education course, sexual orientation be spoken about in a negative manner. However, the overlying problem is abstinence-only (also known as level 3) sexual education. Abstinence-only sexual education is not substantial enough as a system because it fails to inform young people of the real risks that can be taken, and how to counteract these risks.

Abstinence only education consists of teaching students that not having sex prevents pregnancy, STDs, and HIV. That adolescences should resist the compulsion to have sex until the person is capable to handle the responsibility of having sex. Studies have taken place to see the effectiveness of abstinence only sex education. This study was conducted on 662 African American students that were in 6th and 7th grade. They researchers chose African American students because in the United States HIV is most prevalent in black adolescences. These African American students are from low income communities in the northeastern part of America. This experiment was extremely organized on how the instructors were supposed to teach the students, all the way down to the games that were played with the students. However, the study did not expose sex in a disapproving way. Instead the information on sex was merely untouched. Students could make up their own beliefs on sex, they were only taught that abstinence was the best policy to live by. Before the classes started the students took a survey so that the researchers would have a baseline for their data. Procedures were taken to ensure that the students answered all questions honestly. After the classes were given to the students, two years later there was a follow up survey given to the students. The results of the survey were very

First, schools should have a sexual educational program that teaches children about sex because I believe that a professional in the subject is more likely to orientate a child to make responsible decisions. A professional in the subject can teach our children about the dangers of STD’s and how girls get pregnant. There are many STD’s out there that many parents are not aware of. Sex educational programs will not only help children practice abstinence but it will also teach them how to practice safe sex, for those who do not want to wait. In this era sex can be seen everywhere, from media to magazines. A lot of parents do not know about social media and how dangers it could be. There are a lot of perverts out there that can be introduced our children to sex in a malicious way. Showing children the dangers of having sex will help encourage them to abstain from it.