Sexual Education Programs Taught Schools

We have all heard the stories about the rise in teenage pregnancies, girls dropping out of school to care for their newborns, and even those who get pregnant on purpose. This new trend is everywhere. Most parents fail to have the “talk” with their children and are left without the proper education regarding sex until its too late. With the current rates of teenage pregnancy correlated with the current rates of spreading epidemics of STD’s and HIV/AIDS, steps should be taken in an effort to aid the situation. Schools are a main source of information and education for teens, and are in a unique position that can provide adolescents with knowledgeable skills and understanding that promote sexual health. With consistent speculation surrounding

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 U.S. has the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancies of any industrialized nation that put young teenagers at risks. It is estimate that 20,000 new cases of sexually transmitted diseases reported each year comes from people under the age of 25 and 82 percent of all teen pregnancies are accidents that account for one-fifth of all unintended pregnancies annually (CDC 2006). As a result, the government needs to stop funding and promoting abstinence only programs and start focusing on comprehensive sex education. Comprehensive sexuality education according to Sexuality Information and Education Council of the US (SIECUS) provides a complete message by teaching age appropriate and medically accurate information

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

Half of all new human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HIV infections in the United States and two thirds of all sexually transmitted diseases (STD) occur among young people under the age of 25 (Starkman, Rajani). It’s estimated that by the end of high school, nearly two thirds of American’s youth are sexually active, and one in five has had four or more sexual partners (Starkman, Rajani). Despite these alarming statistics, less than half of all public schools in the United States offer information on how to obtain contraceptives and most schools teach "abstinence only" education (Starkman, Rajani). Even more alarmingly there is little evidence that abstinence only curriculums are successful in encouraging teenagers from delaying

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.

Teenage pregnancy is a growing problem in the United States today. As of 2010, 57.84% of 15-19 year old girls will become pregnant, which is especially high as compared to the rates of other developed countries. (Kost, 3) Why are unplanned pregnancy rates in teenagers so high? There are various factors that contribute to these high teen pregnancy rates, but one major factor is the type of sexual education that teenagers receives. While attention to abstinence in sexual education can be beneficial, it is when sexual education focuses solely on abstinence that teen pregnancy rates increase. Comprehensive sex education in schools has been shown to lower the rates of teen pregnancy more than abstinence only sex education has, and therefore should

Adolescence can be a very confusing and difficult time for many teens because they are pushed out of childhood and into adulthood. The push for the use of comprehensive sex education programs is causing the rates of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to increase. By providing teens with a comprehensive sex education program that can not only confuse them about their sexuality, but also lead them to engage in sex before they are mentally ready, is extremely harmful. Because abstinence is the only sure way to prevent the spread of STDs and stop unwanted pregnancies among adolescents, it should be the only curriculum taught to them.

The two main risks of becoming sexually active at a young age are unintended pregnancies and STDs. Both of which can easily be prevented by a proper education in the use of condoms and contraceptives. Annually almost 615,000 teenage girls become pregnant with 82 percent of the pregnancies being unplanned, (Guttmacher). These girls are typically unready to handle pregnancy and motherhood, lacking the mindset for patience, maturity, and sacrifice the life of a mother requires. Young people ages 15-24 account for 25 percent of all new HIV infections in the U.S. and make up almost one-half of the over 19 million new STD

Sex education in the United States is not very comprehensive and none regulated, which means that many American teenagers are without the proper information to make informed decisions about sex and sexual health. Many schools offer just abstinence only education and are unable to explain safe sex procedures, putting children at risk for unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. With the average age of intercourse at fifteen years old (Buehler 2014) and many parents uncomfortable with discussing the topic with their children, it is up to sex education classes in school to properly inform teenagers about their bodies and sex. Then when these teenagers are parents themselves, they will be better prepared to talk to their own children and this will hopefully help the American general public before more informed and more likely to have safe sex.

As the number of teenagers involved with sex grows; the rate of sexual transmitted diseases will continue to rise as well. It would be unwise for the schools and parents to disregard the fact that more teenagers are sexually active than ever. The rate of sexually transmitted diseases in United States are higher than compared to other countries, despite the fact our school teaches abstinence based sex education (Cite). This comparison provides facts to prove that sex is not the problem, unprotected sex is. Teenagers who are not educated properly about sex are unaware of sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore, these people are more likely to be infected with sexually transmitted diseases. Also, youth who engage in sexual behavior with multiple partners, have unprotected sex, or smoke/share a hookah pipe has more chance of contracting STDs. Some parents argue that avoiding consequences like STDs is why school should teach abstinence instead of safe sex. According to Masland,

Many Americans have long and wrongfully assumed that the best approach to decrease teen pregnancy and spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is by committing students to an abstinence-only sex education. However, professionals have repeatedly revealed that while abstinence-only sex education programs have good intentions, they have shown both consistent and positive correlations with pregnancy and STDs. In contrast, research has indicated that high schools who offer comprehensive sex education and provide access to contraceptives, such as condoms, are extremely effective at preventing both teen pregnancies and STDs without increasing teen sexual activity. However, “condom availability programs remain relatively rare” (qtd. in Eisenberg 417). While I am aware that these comprehensive sex education and condom provision programs are unpopular amongst many people, I truly do believe that these programs have the potential to drastically drop teenage pregnancies and spread of STDs.

Endersbe, “Almost 500,000 babies are born to teen mothers each year.”(Endersbe,1) but many teen parents do not plan for a child or even consider wanting one. There are more girls getting pregnant now than there was 20 years ago and most schools in the US have a course that can inform them on the precautions in having sex at a young age and that teen pregnancy is something that they can prevent. These courses or programs teach young adults to be safe and hold off on sex. However, schools are enforcing the use of contraceptives if teens do choose to engage in sex. Because Americans encourage safe sex they want to teach young minds to be safe and use protection. With the knowledge that teens developed about safe sex, there are now “78% of teens using contraceptives during sexuual intercourse.” (Endersbe, 6) which is a good

In 2007, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy created Emerging Answers 2007. In this work, research and numerous findings on the benefits of sex-ed were compiled. An example of one of these findings is that no programs that teach sexual education have any correlation to an increase in sexual activities. Research has also found that when students are taught about sex-ed they are more likely to practice safe sex. “Studies show that when teens are educated about condoms and have access to them, levels of condom use at first intercourse increase while levels of sex stay the same...According to a study by researchers from Guttmacher and Columbia University published in the January 2007 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, approximately 86% of the decline in teenage pregnancy in this country between 1995 and 2002 was due to dramatic improvements in contraceptive use, including increases in the use of individual methods, increases in the use of multiple methods, and substantial declines in nonuse. Just 14% of the decline could be attributed to a decrease in sexual activity” (“Comprehensive Sex Education”). These results make it very clear that sex-ed is what is best for America’s youths. In fact, America is somewhat conservative compared to other countries, as many

Coinciding with the onslaught of the new millennium, schools are beginning to realize that the parents are not doing their job when it comes to sexual education. The school system already has classes on sexual education; these classes are based mainly on human anatomy. Most schools do not teach their students about relationships, morals, respect, self-discipline, self-respect, and most importantly contraceptives. Everyday students engage in sexual activity, many of them with out condoms. This simple act jeopardizes these students' futures and possibly their lives. An increasing amount of school systems are starting to combine messages involving abstinence from sexual activity,