Do Not Have Sex, You Will Get Pregnant & Die (Mean Girls)

Sex education has been a hot debate topic for decades with people coming down on all sides of the argument. Should schools have sex ed, which is a class or session that educates kids on sexually transmitted diseases, birth control and the risk of pregnancy? Should they instead focus on abstinence from sexual intercourse instead of education on making teenage intercourse safe? Which is right? Both? Neither? Well, according to many worldwide studies, sex ed isn’t as effective as many would hope. This is especially true in the case of traditional sex education and how it relates to teen pregnancy numbers.

First off, why would you want to teach high school students about sex if you know it’s going to be too much for their young, innocent minds? Let’s face it, once when the teacher begins to talk about the males’ baby maker and the females’ “foo-foo” the students are going to start laughing, or getting very uncomfortable. Very mature children, won’t you say? Of course, the teachers are not going to call it “baby maker” or “foo-foo” they’re going to say the correct terms. Furthermore, sex education will most likely have to touch on the more sensitive topics like sexual harassment, or prostitution. Students having to hear about innocent people being raped is already crossing the line, and learning that women--and maybe men--are willing to have sex just to gain money. Might as well drop the class, or start skipping it.

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

America’s youth has always been, and will always be sexually active. Students need to be taught about sexual risks such as STI’s and unplanned pregnancies as well as how to counter those risks by correctly using condoms and birth control. Teenagers aged 15-19 who received comprehensive sex education had pregnancy rates 50% lower than teenagers who received abstinence only education (Kohler, et al. 348). By dispelling rumors and providing up to date information, society is arming its youth with the ability to make the safer and healthier choices. Also, teaching safe sex at school does not mean different moral values cannot be instilled at home or in places of worship. Parents and religious leaders can still encourage teenagers to practice abstinence only. Sexual education should be a dual effort between parents and teachers. If society does not ensure its youth has a comprehensive sexual education, then it is setting them up for

Should schools only teach abstinence or is comprehensive sex education safer for teens? Many find that teaching abstinence is the only way to ensure students safety when it comes to sexual behavior. But, “A review of 35 school-based sex education programs found that abstinence based programs had no significant effect on delaying sexual debut, while some comprehensive programs were effective in reducing certain sexual risk behaviors” (Kirby and Coyle). Along with research showing the ineffectiveness of abstinence programs, “Critics of abstinence-only education claim that it violates human rights by withholding potentially life-saving information from people about other means to protect themselves from HIV, such as condom use” (Plos one). Comprehensive

The first argument made by those who are against schools teaching sexual education to their children state that the school has no right to teach their children about sex. Those parents argue that they can educate their child themselves about the dangers of sex. Parents fear what the schools are teaching their child, and fear that they will become “more accepting of sexual behavior” (Lenth). Another fear is that the classes will make students believe that all teens have sex, peer pressuring them into having

Author Bob Smith once said, “In America, when we decide to ignore a subject, our favorite form of denial is to teach it incompetently. Familiarity without true understanding is not only the basis of our families but of our educational system as well.” Smith refers to the inadequate sexual education of teenagers in the United States. Sexual education is the instruction on issues about bodily development, sex, sexuality, and relationships. Comprehensive sex education teaches about abstinence, condoms, and contraceptives to avoid sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unplanned pregnancies. As well as, the skills needed to help young people explore their own values and options. Comprehensive sexual education should be taught in the United

Because comprehensive sexuality education classes would encourage adolescences to abstain from sex but also concentrate more on social relationships, sexuality and a broader discussion of safe sex. Whereas, abstinence only programs prohibit or limit contraception information, therefore, aiding in the ineffectiveness of reducing the issues correlating to unsafe sex. Adolescence who receive accurate information about sexuality, including information about how to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies and STD’s, are more likely to delay having

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

According to the Journal of Adolescent Health, “when comparing adolescents who reported receiving a comprehensive sex education with those who received an abstinence-only education, comprehensive sex education was associated with a 50% lower risk of teen pregnancy;” and “abstinence-only education did not reduce the likelihood of engaging in vaginal intercourse.” A sexually active teenaged girl that does not utilize contraception has a ninety percent chance of becoming pregnant within a year. Three out of ten American girls will get pregnant at least once by the age of twenty with nearly 750,000 teen pregnancies each year (Do Something). A great percent of these annual pregnancies are not the fault of the students directly involved, but rather the ignorance placed onto them by an abstinence only curriculum. According to Columbia University researchers, virginity pledge platforms increase pledge-takers’ risk of pregnancy. The study determined that 88 percent of pledge-takers instigated sex prior to marriage. Pledge-takers were less expected to use contraception when they did commence in sex (McKeon). If these young adults do not know how to protect themselves, while being taught that sex is a wrongful act out of wedlock and going against basic human nature, then they cannot protect

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).

Comprehensive sex education teaches students the dangers of unprotected sexual activity as well as informs them that abstinence is the only protection that leaves no risk. Lisa Frohnapfel-Krueger, author of the book Teen Pregnancy and Parenting, states, “Teens who received comprehensive sex education were 50 percent less likely to experience pregnancy than those who received abstinence-only education” (1). Statistics show how the given circumstances and hazards that come with sexual activity can make an informed decision based on what they have been taught, meaning they know the risks and ways to decrease the risks. Kathrin Stanger-Hall, an associate professor at the University of Georgia, disclosed that “The more strongly abstinence is emphasized in state laws and policies, the higher the average teenage pregnancy and birth rate” (1). The higher teenage pregnancy average is no doubt due to the lack of informed teenagers and information available to them, Therefore, the fact is comprehensive sex education would benefit everyone, and most Americans agree. Frohnapfel-Krueger found that “Public opinion polls consistently show that more than 80 percent of Americans support teaching comprehensive sex education in high schools and in middle or junior high schools” (3). With public opinion for comprehensive sex

(gcapp.org). Three in ten girls in the U.S. become pregnant at least once before age 20; that’s over 750,000 teen pregnancies a year (gcapp.org). By age 18, 70 percent of U.S. females and 62 percent of U.S. males have initiated vaginal sex. (Effective Sex Education). Comprehensive sex education is effective at assisting young people to make healthy decisions about sex and to adopt healthy sexual behaviors. Parents play a big role when it comes to sex education. Speaking to your teen or even child about sex as hard as it may be develops a healthy relationship between parent and child, children are more likely to come to parents about other things such as drugs and alcohol. (aboutkidshealth ). If parents are not talking to there children about sex than they are more likely to get there information from unreliable sources such as there friends and even the

2 out of 10 girls in the U.S. will get pregnant by the age of 20 (Tsai). Teen pregnancies and STI’s in teens are very common. Teenagers in schools across the US are at risk of getting pregnant. They may even have a sexually transmitted disease and not know it. Many teenagers and even some adults do not know a lot about sexual health. That is because schools are not giving out some of the most important information to their students in sex education classes. All public schools should require that sex education teaches more than only about abstinence and STI’s.

Sex education programs were created to reduce the number of teen pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS. For a long time there has been a debate over which sex education method, comprehensive or abstinence only, should be taught to adolescents. Comprehensive sex education is an approach that “advocates giving teens age-appropriate instruction concerning birth control methods, safe sex, and differing sexual orientations” (Kelly, 2011, p. 153). This method may encourage abstinence or waiting until marriage, but they also want to inform adolescents about the potential risks and how to protect themselves from pregnancy or disease. Abstinence only education is “an approach to educating young people that emphasizes the need to abstain from sexual relations until marriage” (Kelly, 2011, p. 154). People who strongly believe in this method may think that informing young people about contraception and sexual behaviors will encourage the behavior rather than deter it.