Positive Effects Of Comprehensive Sexual Education

Comprehensive education teaches students about contraception, including emergency contraception, reproductive choices, LGBT issues, anatomy, and other traditional topics, including abstinence, as part of the curriculum, because of this comprehensive education is referred to by some as abstinence plus. (“Comprehensive Sex Education vs. Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage-Programs”) Comprehensive education focuses on giving student options on how to manage if they do choose to have sex. As the average age at which Americans start having sex drops, teaching students about how to prevent or deal with sexually transmitted diseases and avoid unplanned pregnancy becomes increasingly important. (“Sex Education Promotes Understanding and Safety”) 34% of sexually active students said they didn’t use a condom the last time they had sex, which is what increases the odds of getting an STD or becoming

During 1920s, U.S. schools began to incorporate sex education to their courses. A 2002 study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that “58% of secondary school principals describe their sex education curriculum as comprehensive programs provide factual information about birth control, sexual transmitted disease, and continue the message to children about waiting to have sex.” (Johannah)

Sexual education in schools has become a highly controversial topic over the past few years. Some people believe students should be taught abstinence-only education, while others believe students need the full on “sex talk”. While the sex education controversy may seem silly, it is very important that students receive the most efficient education possible. When it comes to education parents want their children to receive the most effective kind. This is also very true in terms of sex education. Sex education is very debatable right now as to whether students should be taught abstinence-only education or comprehensive sex education.

Studies have also shown that abstinence-focused programs have failed to reduce STI rates. The American Sexual Health Association states, “More than half of all people will have an STD/STI at some point in their lifetime,” (“Statistics”). Comprehensive sex education would teach teenagers how to improve their sexual health, prevent unwanted pregnancies, and prevent sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Providing students with this information does not encourage them to participate in sexual activity sooner. Several findings show that, “[Comprehensive sex education] effectively promotes abstinence and may delay sexual debut, reduce sexual frequency, reduce the number of sexual partners, reduce STI risk, and increase the likelihood of consistent contraceptive use,” (Jeffries 173). Comprehensive sex education will be beneficial to students by teaching them how to have sexual intercourse safely, if they choose to not remain abstinent.

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

require an inclusive health education and studies have shown that their curriculum works. Studies have shown that an inclusive health curriculum can delay the “onset of sexual activity, reduce the frequency of sexual activity, reduce the number of sexual partners, and increase condom and contraceptive use” (Advocates for Youth). In a study by Douglas Kirby for the National Campaign to End Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, he discovered that two-thirds of the 48 comprehensive sex ed programs studied had positive effects (Advocates for Youth). “40 percent [of programs] delayed sexual initiation, reduced the number of sexual partners, or increased condom or contraceptive use. 30 percent reduced the frequency of sex, including a return to abstinence and 60 percent reduced unprotected sex.”, according to the study. Another study by Advocates for Youth evaluated 26 effective programs, 23 of which included comprehensive sex education. Their findings are as follows: “14 programs demonstrated a statistically significant delay in the timing of first sex. 13 programs showed statistically significant declines in teen pregnancy, HIV, or other STIs. 14 programs helped sexually active youth to increase their use of condoms. 9 programs demonstrated success at increasing use of contraception other than condoms. 13 programs showed reductions in the number of sex partners and/or increased monogamy among program participants. 10 programs helped sexually active youth to reduce the incidence of unprotected sex”. With the significant amount of success these programs have had, it is safe to implement a similar one in

The classes proved information about contraceptives, STDs and HIV prevention. It also is age appropriate and scientifically explained. Collins says it well that “by denying teens the full range of information regarding human sexuality, abstinence-only education fails to provide young people with the information they need to protect their health and well being.” Students when asked survey by the Kasier Family Foundation said that they knew more and felt better prepared to handle different situations. Abstinence only education just chooses to avoid it and does not take into account students who decide a different path. Abstinence only education supports say that by teaching the “abstinence-plus” education that they are sending mixed messages towards students. Current advocates for comprehensive education cite that “providing teens with contraceptive information does not encourage early sexual activity.” The Surgeon General David Satcher had said that based off of the information he had derived from both approaches “evidence gives strong support to the conclusion that providing information about contraception does not increase adolescent sexual activity….[it only] increased condom and contraceptive uses among adolescents who were sexually active.” (Collins 9)Most evaluations of many different types of

The sex education program has two routes: one route would be the “Abstinence-only program” and the second is the “Comprehensive Program”.

The issue of comprehensive sex education has sparked debates among parents, teachers and even lawmakers. Children have the right to knowledge and this right to knowledge should not be limited to what is taught in abstinence only sex education, and this is why comprehensive sex education should be taught in schools. Some parents believe that if they do not teach their children about sex, their children will not have sex, but this is not true. Comprehensive sex education better equips young adults to protect themselves, but it also respects their right to be given accurate information that will be used for their entire lives.

However, controversy arises when the discussion as to what the proper method of teaching sexual education should be. In the school system of the United States sex education is taught in two main forms: abstinence-only sex education, which focuses on abstaining from sexual activity prior to marriage and does not provide contraceptive knowledge, and comprehensive sex education, which focuses on sexual health as a whole including knowledge about contraceptives and how to avoid STDs. Currently the only federally funded programs implemented in public schools are abstinence-only. But does Abstinence-only sex education work? In order to provide an answer this paper will discuss the basic principles and practices which constitute abstinence-only sex education, the proponents argument for abstinence-only sex education and how abstinence-only education affects teen pregnancy and STD

Since the first sex education video, "Human Growth" was shown in public schools in the 1940's, sex education in school has remained a controversial subject (Bellafante 9.1). In the present however, it is no longer disputed whether or not sex-ed should be taught, but what should be taught in a sex education program. Conservatives and Liberals both agree that sex education in public schools is important but, their views on what should be taught differ dramatically. Despite the various monikers to describe different sex education programs and curricula, there are really only two types: abstinence-until-marriage and comprehensive (Sex Education Programs: Definitions & Point-by-Point

More than 20 million cases of teen pregnancies and STD’s appear in one year. Comprehensive sexual education is a form of sexual education that teaches students about reproduction health, contraception, childbirth, and sexually transmitted diseases. Schools that have sexual education usually teach abstinence-only methods so students are not being informed on how to avoid the risks of sex if they decide to become sexually active. The average age for people to become sexually active is 17 so there are many pregnant teens or teens with an STD because they are not being informed on how to protect themselves. Comprehensive sexual education is extremely helpful because it can prevent negative effects of sex.

Sexual education programs taught in high schools nationwide would be much more effective if instead of focusing exclusively on abstinence only programs, they taught a much more comprehensive program, which informed the adolescents how to be safe when it comes to dealing with sexual activities. Abstinence only programs are the widely favored programs of the past and of present time, but now more and more adults are starting to believe their children would be better educated if they were involved in a more comprehensive program, that not only emphasized the teachings of abstinence but taught their children how to be safe, and how to deal with the consequences of their sexual

If you could choose between a teacher teaching you about sex or your parents who would you choose? Now unless you have a weird relaionship with your parents or your not weirded out by your parents talking about sex then you probibliy would prefer to be taght by a teacher. In the public school system, it is pretty common for districts to teach a sex education class. These typically take place between 5th and 8th grades, though sometimes earlier and sometimes later. Some districts take a different approach, teaching a form of sex-ed to every grade, with corresponding age appropriate material. For example, a second grade class might learn about what to do if an adult is touching them inappropriately, while a high school class may learn how to put on a condom and the variety of birth control options that are available. While teaching sex education is seen as a good idea by most, there are some who do not approve of it being taught in schools. However, those who do not approve are failing to recognize the numerous benefits of teaching sex-ed to kids.Sex-Ed is a controversial topic, but reason dictates that it is a good idea to teach kids about sex. Sex-Ed is widely taught in U.S. schools – though some people don’t think it should be.Informed ChoicesThe fact is that a classroom is the only place that some kids will be offered accurate information about sex. Many parents make the mistake of not talking to their kids about sex, thinking it makes them less likely that they will

All states within America require some version of sex education. Whether that be abstinence only education, comprehensive sexual education, Holistic sex education, and abstinence-plus or abstinence-based sexual education(opposing viewpoints). The social and political climate of sex education over the last two decades has dramatically changed, with