Essay The Argument of Sex Education in School

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.

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

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

They argue there is something simply wrong with the idea that teaching kids about risky behavior is something that could be avoided all together. Some advocates for abstinence-only programs argue that there should not be sex education taught in public schools because it is the parents place to talk about sex in that much detail with their own child (Should sexual education be taught in public schools?). However, what happens to the children who do not receive the same, well-educated treatment from their parents as others? Not all children have parents who know all the right information to tell them, the right answers to their questions, or maybe they just do not care to further explain to them what it is all about. That is where the school steps in, and teaches them everything they need to know to make the right choices. They also argue that it could make females a lot more promiscuous as well as males more curious for themselves. Though, in a study of 35 sex education programs around the world, statistics from the World Health Organization found there is no evidence that these comprehensive programs encourage any sort of negative promiscuity or sexual activity (Carnal Knowledge: The sex ed debate). Some students also say that learning that type of information in the classroom is sometimes uncomfortable which makes them distracted and not focused in on the main lesson of sexual education. And even though, according to research, teaching about sex education has positive impacts on children and provides them all with the information they need to make life-affirming decisions for themselves, opposing groups continue to stand by their beliefs that it has negative impacts and makes kids so much more tempted to actually do it. However, we still witness a large sum of teenage pregnancies each year. Why is this? The whole

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

be talked about with families and not in schools. This is implied in “Obviously, Sex Education

More than half of the parents that are involved in their children’s lives would say that they are okay with the thought of their kid’s taking the sexual education class. In the article “Growing Up and Going Down: A Sexual (R)evolution,” the author, Jen Silvers, mentions that the sexual education course she was a part of allowed her and her friends to be “experts in contraceptive devices.” I would say the reasoning behind this could do with the fact that the parents aren’t comfortable with the idea of telling their kids themselves about what sex is. Parents don’t want their children to know the possible outcomes and consequences that could actually follow the action. Parents don’t ever want to envision the idea of their innocent babies ever participating in any type of sexual activity. On the contrary, there are parents out there who believe their kids should know what could happen if they were to actually participate in this type of action. Because that is one of the reasons, it implies the thought that parents want their kids to be scared of this action. They make it seem as if sex should be something to be scared of. The parents who are supporting sexual education believe that the government should provide funding this type of thing. They believe that this is a class that should be mandatory for every student to take for their knowledge and understanding of what they should never be a part of. The author of the article called “Government Should Support And Fund Abstinence Education” mentions reasonings and benefits of the government funding “should reflect the values of most parents and teens” (“Government”). This article seems to be saying that the government should also be for sexual education ,as well as supplying some form of money, because the students should be learning about this without having to go and ask their parents or friends. Children

There are parents that feel uncomfortable with their children taking a sex education class. This can be due to various reasons. Many

When designing a sexual education program, the most important thing would be the education and the comfort that the teacher or teachers has with the material. You can have an extremely well laid out program, but if the teacher is unable or unwilling to answer questions that arise from the students or cover topics in the program, the information that the students received will be biased or inaccurate. Buehler (2014), Kellogg (2014), and Clements and Rosenwald (2007) all addressed the issue that many parents and adults do not have accurate sex information or are uncomfortable discussing it with their children. This leave the

Often, sexual education can go against an individual's moral or religious beliefs. Many schools do not teach abstinence only but teach safe sex, whereas many religious groups and families do not value intercourse before marriage. Teachers may input their own beliefs or morals into the subject matter rather than stick with the facts if they are not properly trained on how to conduct a sex education course. Sex education classes are briefly focused on during a health class or physical education. This is not a long enough period to educate students on such serious material. These arguments does not take into account the fact that students will be taught on subjects such as, sexually transmitted diseases, the reproductive system, sexually and birthing issues rather than the stuff they learn through peers, television or the internet. Many of the myths learned by students about sex swill also are discussed, such as not being able to get pregnant the first time. Classes for those of a younger group are separated by gender, saving embarrassment amongst students and teachers. Teaching sex education can have a major impact on preventing unplanned pregnancy and other sexual problems in adulthood.

Talking about sex conjures up all kinds of taboos, misinformation and uncomfortably feelings. This seems to a common occurrence no matter who is talking. This is why this topic sparks heated debates as well as reactions that run the gamete. Thus this topic has been taboo no matter the country or the culture. Some people in the United States have tried throughout history to approach this subject with civility and objectivity. This is when we see the influence of public policy. In the United States educating people of the consequences and perils of the ignorance of the proper or healthy approach to sex has been a constant struggle. I find this issue extremely important because of the many consequences ignorance fosters. It is my belief that all young children should have comprehensive sex education classes. It saves lives, prevents unwanted pregnancies, and helps prevent the spread of STI’s.

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

Before moving on, one must know that sex education is about, but not limited to the discussion of sexual intercourse. As a Buzzle article states, it involves a multitude of topics that introduce human sexual behaviors such as puberty, sexual health, sexual reproduction, sexuality, and more (Iyer). If formally received in school, these topics are brought up and discussed at age-appropriate times over the course of children’s junior high and high school education. Moreover, as I have

Controversy is rampant regarding the sexual education of grade school children. Some insist that it is prudent to educate children on this subject beginning as early as kindergarten. Others strongly disagree that earlier education has any effect at all on teen sex and pregnancy and, therefore, abstinence should be the focus. Lastly, we have those who believe advocating abstinence is appropriate, but agree that a more in depth sexual education is also necessary for those who are going to have sex anyway despite our best efforts to teach them otherwise.