Argumentative Essay On Sex Education

While sexual education is mandatory in almost all secondary schools across Australia, the level of depth at which it is taught varies throughout every school. Many highly important areas of sex ed, such as learning about consent, contraceptive options and violence in relationships, are less commonly taught in high school, with puberty typically being the prime topic taught in PDHPE lessons instead. But when we look at the increase in things such as sexual assault, sexual violence, Sexually Transmitted Infections and teenage pregnancy among today’s youth, we must wonder why such imperative subjects to educate teenagers on are discussed so minimally.

Sexual education is a highly debatable topic, but many believe the information taught to students should be abstinence-only. Abstinence-only education has been put in place in order to educate students about the social, mental, and physical benefits of resisting from all sexual activity. It emphasizes the unsafe impacts of participating in sexual activity before marriage and having casual sex. It also promotes the idea that sexual abstinence is the only way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. Abstinence education only permits the discussion of contraception and condoms in terms of failure in order to utterly discourage casual sex (Wilgoren, 1). Along with teaching the physical dangers of sex, abstinence education also teaches the mental dangers of sex (Abstinence-Only Education, 1). Sex has many risks and dangers that are not

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

I think it is safe to say that no two words elicit more feelings of concern, anxiety, and anger in parents, and stirs up more controversy and debate than the words “sexual education”. This especially true with the implementation of the new, revised sexual education curriculum in Ontario schools. Consequently, this controversy has strongly divided individuals, families, and organizations between those who approved of and those who opposed and protested against school-based programs that providee sexual health education to children. But why so much opposition? This is due to the significant changes made to the sexual education curriculum and the sensitive nature of the topics being taught to children regarding sexuality as a whole, changes which are seen as both radical and “even more explicit and more age-inappropriate than before…” (“Ontario’s Radical,” n.d.).

Schools should educate students about their bodies, and how to protect them. “The point of this kind of sex education is to inform teenagers about the possible risks of being sexually active and to educate them about methods of birth control and sexually transmitted infection protection.” Students deserve the basic human right live freely, and if their choice may be, considering about 70% of the national teenage population usually make this decision anyway, to be involved in sexual relations than there needs to be a basic knowledge of safety

First, with young students this subject may be a little uncomfortable to talk about, but without learning about sexuality extensively many students may be unaware of the hazards of unprotected sex. Being open with our children and explaining the natures of sex will help them make the best decisions for themselves without scaring our students by focusing on the dangers. Second, some may say that our sexual education course is fine how it is, but there always room for improvement. A questionnaire was presented to graduates from Ontario Canada. They were asked what they think should be mandatory concerning sexual education in high school. Many agreed that talking about sexual decision making, communication about sex, relationships and more should be mandatory throughout sexual education creating a better understanding of safe sex. (Meaney 112). Why isn’t this in the United States curriculum? Whether teachers or parents like it or not, every teen is curious and full of questions. Being prepared for that is the best solution to protect our youth from sexual transmitted disease and pregnancy. Last, you may know someone who has had a child in their teenage years and question how hard could it be? They could do it, why can’t you? Talking to

Sexual education teaches adolescents about the use of birth control, their bodies, STD’s, and pregnancy. Due to the awareness of sexual education, adolescents are more careful about sexual intercourse. The pregnancy rate has reached the lowest in modern era between 1990-2010. It declined to 51% pregnancies per 1000 females ages 14-19 to 57.4%. This is the lowest recorded since 1973. Sexual education was not offered in schools until 1983 and many people had close to no knowledge about the options. Even though teens today are aware of their options today, they do not take proper precautions.

The hypothesis is that abstinence-only sex education does not cause teenagers to have less sex when compared to comprehensive sex education. In a comprehensive sex course, the students would learn that abstinence is the best method for avoiding STIs and pregnancy, but it would also teach about positive contraceptive use, sexual health, and sexual expression. By teaching the

Each curriculum has a varying view on how sex education should be taught and when sex education should be taught to adolescents. Comprehensive sexuality education is the most effective type of sex education and followes the guidelines of starting sex education in kindergarten until twelfth grade. A broad range of topics are taught to students depending on their grade in order to help them develop vital skills and an understanding the varying topics. Abstinence-based sex education gives adolescence a broad range of knowledge on varying topics related to disease prevention and contraception with the emphasises that the best choice is to abstain from sex. Abstinence-only education promotes that abstaining from sex is the only way and does not address contraception or disease prevention. Abstinence-only-until-marriage sex education teaches adolescents that marriage is the only time sexual activities can take place and that in order to prevent disease and teen pregnancy refraining from sex until marriage is the only choice (SIECUS, 2001).

“Don't have sex, because you will get pregnant and die!” (Mean Girls). This is how most Sexual Education courses are taught to High School students in the United States, scaring students into not having sex at all and then not teaching them how to be safe about it if they decide to engage in it. Sexual Education is generally “…Instruction in the process and consequences of sexual activity, ordinarily given to children and adolescents” (“Sex Education”). Teaching students to refrain from sex is a commonly taught form of Sexual Education called abstinence. If teens are being taught abstinence why are there so many teen pregnancies in the United States? This question is discussed when it comes to what to teach to students in sexual education

People look at this type of teaching as planting a “seed” for sex in their minds. This is very untrue. Teenagers do not need help to think about sex, teenagers already think about sex. With the influx of hormones during puberty primary and secondary sex characteristics become more noticeable and desirable to teenagers. Sexual education does more good than harm and actually helps adolescents development. Studies conducted by the World Heath Organizations has established that sexual education programs both abstinence and comprehensive based programs help delay and reduce sexual encounters. Teaching adolescents sexual education improves knowledge and understanding. This can intern result in the building of autonomy and confidence. Adolescents are faced with what Erik Erikson’s describes as identity versus role confusion (Berger, 2014). In this crisis adolescents must discover who they are so they can plan for the future. Sexual education programs in school can help adolescents plan for the future. By giving them information about sex it can help to avoid unwanted pregnancies along with transmissions of diseases. Because after all education will not plant any seeds, just help plants grow successfully.

As children grow, they accumulate knowledge over the years about a variety of subjects to prepare them for the future. Children learn from parents, schools, life experiences, what they watch and other influences around them, and it can be either positive learning or negative learning. There is one subject that is difficult to teach and have control over because of misunderstandings, lack of teaching, and publicity. Sex education has been a major debate for children under eighteen, because there are some parents that want it taught in schools and others that do not because of different reasons. There are currently eighteen states and the District of Columbia that require schools to provide sex education and thirty-two that do not require

A health class shows how different foods and exercise can benefit or destroy the body, yet what about the negatives of having a child during teen years. How it could affect the body for the rest of a person's life, or how it could affect the brain emotionally. School can become a significant problem and could get pushed to the side instead of being a priority. That is why instituting a program to educate students about safe sex is an appropriate way of acquiring teens to understand the consequences of unprotected sex. Teenagers do not understand why having a sexual education class is necessary, and might act immature when it comes to talking about sex. This is why schools should have a course that will engage teens in becoming better at knowing the disadvantages of having unprotected sex at a young age. Teaching students the different ways of protecting oneself

“Students who reported being sexually active, 39 percent reported that they did not use a condom at last sexual intercourse, and 77 percent reported that they did not use birth control pills or depo-provera. Among teen couples who do not use any method of contraception, 85-90% will experience a pregnancy within one year (Bridges).” Many people believe sexual education leads students in the wrong direction, such as, increasing pregnancy rates and encouraging sexual activities. Sexual education teaches students about the use of condoms and contraceptives. In a sexual education class, students learn about a natural part of life. Sexual education helps students prepare and think more carefully about a part of life. As a teenager learns about sexual education it encourages them to reduce sexual activities. Providing Sexual education in schools is a valuable and positive resource for students.

from an early age, and continuing the education throughout their teen years, students are aware of their choices and more importantly, aware of how to protect themselves.