The Importance Of Comprehensive Sex 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 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

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.

A censored sexual education does not discuss contraceptives, safe sex practices, nor does it promote abstinence. In fact, abstinence-only education, defined as encouraging teenagers to not engage in sexual intercourse or sexual acts whatsoever, is found in roughly 34% of public schools ("Abstinence Only Vs. Sex Ed. - Effectiveness & Statistics"). Theoretically, abstinence-only is ideal and it truly is the only 100% effective way to prevent STD’s or unplanned pregnancies, though is not practical for modern society. Sexual education was originally omitted from the classroom and left for parents or religious groups to discuss and teach. Abstinence-only sexual education became mainstream in schools as a fear reaction from the teen pregnancy epidemic in the 1970’s and 1980’s (Greslé-Favier, 414). This sexual education style was implemented with good intentions to protect the youth from diseases that had not yet been studied enough such as AIDS, HIV, and Gonorrhea as well as preventing pregnancies that correlated with high teenage dropout rates

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

The debate surrounding sex education in America’s public schools system has been a heated one, especially since the early days of the 1980’s and identification of AIDS. The misinformation that surrounded AIDS in those days is still prevalent in the arguments that are being used to promote abstinence only sex education in the American public school system. In this paper you will be introduced to three of the key abstinence only until marriage sex education supporters. You will learn what they are basing their platforms on and you will see it contrasted to the comprehensive sex education programs that are proposed and supported by many educators, medical professionals and child advocates.

In the United States of America, sex education is taught in two main ways: comprehensively and abstinence-based. Abstinence-only sex education focuses primarily on abstinence as a means of avoiding STDs, STIs, and unplanned pregnancies. On the other hand, comprehensive sex education programs focus on informing students about the choices available to them in regards to sexual health; these programs also provide education that includes information on both contraceptives and abstinence. In this paper, I will argue that all American public schools should implement holistic, comprehensive sex education programs and dismantle abstinence-based programs as quickly as possible.

In the early 1960’s the controversial issue of sex education started to become a more prevalent conversation among educators and parents alike when the Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of oral contraceptives(Szustek, 2009). Though the topic was previously being discussed as early as mid to late 19th century, it was not deemed completely necessary or an appropriate topic for school aged children prior to this point. In the United States more than 750,000 girls between the ages of 15-19 experience unexpected pregnancies annually and another 19 million of all newly reported Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) cases are young adults between the ages of 15-25(Boonstra, 2013). The argument of whether or not sex education should be taught to students is moot since according to a recent survey by National Public Radio about 93% of adults believe sex education is needed (Anonymous, 2004). The more pressing issue is the content in which is to be presented to students. There are conflicting groups that argue the validity of the methods used to convey the importance of the apparently sensitive subject; one side of the divide are the supporters of abstinence only education which presents a very singular approach and on the other is those that believe in the importance of comprehensive sex education which explores a variety methods of sexual safety.

In life, high school especially, sexual education is very important and can truly impact a person’s life. Improper education on sex can lead to many life-changing mistakes. These blunders can be avoided with proper knowledge. Although students should be encouraged to remain abstinent, they should still be taught about contraception and practicing safe sex. With proper sexual education, abstinence rates will increase and the numbers of teenage parents will decrease.

Comprehensive sex education gives people the knowledge to make responsible choices about sexual relationships. It consists of age appropriate, medically accurate content about sex, puberty, contraceptive use, and human development. In many forms, it can be categorized as a helpful way to teach young children about choices they can take in order to prevent many sexually transmitted diseases, teenage unwanted pregnancy, and delay sexual intercourse. On the dark side, comprehensive sex education can arise many controversies and disagreements between people with distinct cultural and religious views, and the person that should take responsibility in teaching young people. In this paper I will discuss the positive and negative sides on teaching comprehensive sex education in schools.

Comprehensive sexual education has long been a contentious issue within the United States of America. Owing largely to America’s history and culture, sexual education has long been stigmatized as unnecessary involvement in the private life, or even misattributed to rising rates of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. A U.S. review article, however, poses the opposite argument – “The overwhelming weight of evidence reveals that sex education which discusses contraception does not increase sexual activity.” The understanding of sex education not only provides young people with a better understanding of the ways in which their bodies function, but can also help in allowing teenagers to take better care of their sexual health to include pregnancy and STI prevention. Furthermore, sex education improves gender equality, provides accurate information about sexually transmitted infections, and promotes interpersonal skills. Thus, comprehensive sexual education should be introduced and made mandatory in all secondary schools across the United States.

Over the decade, the teen pregnancy rate in America has gone down as well transmission of sexual transmitted diseases, or STDs (Cite), while the use of contraceptives, such as condoms and birth control has gone up. Sex education is an important lesson in the United States school system. A powerful and successful program will inform students on how to prevent the transmission of STDs, pregnancy and to recognize and understand the signs of abuse in a relationship.

With the end of World War II, not only did America see the rise of the teenager as a consumer category, as well as, an increase in films as educational tools in the classroom, but also a shift in sex education. This era demonstrates a transition from moral/ethical interpretations of sex education commonly taught within the home or church during the early 1900s toward more accurate, biological interpretations of sex taught within the mid-century classrooms. This is evident from an educational health circular from 1940: High Schools and Sex Education, which note that “as conditions change and as knowledge expands it becomes necessary for the school to assist the home more and more in its educational functions.” This health circular explains that WWII resulted in less time for mothers to devote toward educating their children and subsequently schools became vessels for home economics and sex education curricula.

Comprehensive sexual education is sexual education that includes " contraception, including emergency contraception; reproductive choice; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT), and questioning issues; as well as, of course, anatomy; development; puberty; relationships; and all of the other issues one would expect to be covered in a traditional sexuality education class. Furthermore, comprehensive sexuality education should be science-based and medically accurate (Malone 3)." Comprehensive sexual education is not required in most states. Most states require absence only education in which contraception is not taught and instead students learn that the only effective way to prevent pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections is to wait until marriage to have any form of sexual contact. Although both are valid ways to teach sex education, comprehensive has many positive effects on society, as well as, the well-being of every individual that is exposed to comprehensive sexual education.