1. Sex education also known as high quality teaching and/or learning about various sex topics relating to sex and sexual activities should be taught by schools. Schools teaching adolescents not only allow them to have a more depth understand of the topic, but allow adolescents to explore different values, aspects, and beliefs about the topic. Schools teaching sexual education allow children to learn, while gaining specific skills that are manage their own sexual health, relationships and life style. Intercourse is a natural part of life, with or with out sexual education in school individuals may engage in it. Even if an adolescent isn’t engaging in sexual behaviors, contraceptives, anatomy, and sexual topics should be discussed. Instead of children not having any knowledge of the topic and explore on their own, the school system should be responsible in making sure adolescents have a understanding of these topics. Despite sexual education being taught in our school systems, although 47% of high school students have engaged in sexual intercourse rates of sexual behavior have been slightly declining since 1991 (Dolgin, 2001). Schools teach sexual education in various ways through comprehensive which explores various topics including safe sex and contraceptives (Dolgin, 2001). Also rather than encouraging adolescents to engage in sexual behaviors schools teach abstinence which deter teens from having sex Dolgin, 2001).
2. Sexual education should start as young as 10 years
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.
Since comprehensive sex education has little funding but a plethora of support, it could be alleviated through advocates spreading awareness through the community through social media and communication to enlighten individuals on the topic. Therefore, developing a potential curriculum could become possible for local school boards to approve. Many supporters of comprehensive sex education believe that it should start from kindergarten until 12th grade. By doing so, instructors can use behavioral goals and age-appropriate language that is understandable and coherent for the respective age group. Also, there is a large amount of time to cover the necessary topics on sexuality, reproduction, sexual organs since this curriculum would occur for nearly thirteen years of the student’s life. As mentioned earlier, the state and school board direct the type
uring our last class, we learned about four different activism project ideas. Of the four, two focused on sexual education of young adults, one on sexual violence on college campuses, and the last about increasing abortion access. All four projects were feminist in that they all had components of increasing women’s equality. Both sexual education programs as well as the project on sexual violence prevention would work to benefit women socially. The Abortion Access program covers all three grounds of feminism: the program would advocate for the social, political, and economic equality of women.
In society, the lack of insufficient sex education for teenagers is a major problem. This ongoing issue has led to the development of a bigger problem such as teen pregnancy, sexual transmitted infection, and emotional problems adolescence have to face when engaging in sexual activity at a young age. According to the Understanding Human Sexuality textbook (2010) sexuality education can occur in many settings such as at home or school, and in personal relationships or from information found on the internet. In this society kids are being introduced to sex at such an early age that it would be beneficial for them to learn about sex education earlier as well, that way they have a lower chance of contracting an STD/STI or having an unwanted
Sex education being taught in public schools is a reoccurring topic in many schools. More recently, it has also caught the attention of the public again due to rising unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted disease among young teenagers in the US over the last decade or so. “Each year, U.S. teens experience as many as 850,000 pregnancies, and youth under age 25 experience about 9.1 million sexually transmitted infections” (McKeon). Sex Education is attempting to educate students about human sexuality, sexual reproduction, sexual activity, reproductive health, emotional relationships, reproductive rights and responsibilities, sexual abstinences, and birth control.
The controversy surrounding sex education in schools has been talked about for many years. In this day and age, sex education in schools is not as helpful or informative due to the maturation of adolescents. Rather than scaring teenagers with sexually transmitted disease(STD) slideshow presentations, school systems should be teaching teens how to protect themselves from STDs. Health programs all around the country deprive teens of fundamental knowledge when it comes to intercourse. According to Advocates For Youth, “Just as it is important to enhance a child's physical, emotional, and cognitive growth, so it is important to lay foundations for a child's sexual growth”(Advocates For Youth). Adults who teach safe sex education have an important role in helping teens and preteens discover themselves, therefore improving these programs will be improving their growth.
As a very natural part of our everyday lives and existence as humans, it is perplexing how so many Americans are undereducated about human reproductive systems and sex organs, their structures and functions, and the various effects and consequences of human sexuality. The responsibility of properly educating young people about human sexuality is in the hands of parents and schools. Educational programs in U. S. schools today, such as Abstinence Only and Abstinence Plus programs, may not provide adequate information to teach young people how to make knowledgable decisions in real-life situations about sex. Comprehensive Sexuality Education programs have been shown to be much more effective at preventing teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STI 's; SEICUS). As it is an extremely broad topic, “Sexuality education is a life-long process of acquiring information and forming attitudes, beliefs, and values” (SEICUS). However, the acquisition of fundamental knowledge, credible information, and appropriate health resources can help in this life-long process and minimize unwanted or negative effects.
Debates about including sexual health education have taken place among society. Many people mistakenly relate sex instructions with motivating teenagers to have sexual intercourse. On the contrary, sexuality is not only based on the sexual behavior, but on a complete array of other topics, such as abstinence, human reproduction, pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and sexual health. In fact, sex education is necessary because sexuality is an essential part of each person´s identity.
For every 1000 girls 39.2 teen girls give birth in Kansas. Imagine how many girls give birth throughout The United States(HHS.gov). This statistic would not be as high if we educated middle and high school students. Sexual education should be a big part of our school to help educate individuals on the protective way of sexual activities and precautions with sexual transmitted diseases.
For many decades, sex education has remained an important class that many students across around the world are required to take. Since sex education classes were first introduced into secondary schools in the early 1900s, the government has taken steps to alter how the topic is taught. While many parents feel that teaching sex education in a classroom setting is appropriate, a large portion of America believes that parents are responsible for educating their child on the subject. The country seems to be deeply divided into two groups: those who support school-led sex education, and those who believe sex education is the responsibility of the parents. The article “Obviously, Sex Education Should Not Be Taught In Schools” by Cullen Herout presents the opinions of one parent who is against government-sanctioned sex education courses. Herout provides ample support and reason to back up his thesis, but his argument is poorly written due to its strong personal bias, unreasonable language, and lack of credible sources. *comment *another comment
Are you for sex education or against it? Sex education or Sex Ed is a broad term used to describe education about human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction and intercourse, and other aspects of human sexual behavior. According to Planned Parenthood, the primary goal of sex education is to promote sexual health. So, why would anybody be against this? An argument brought forth by sex education opponents is that is not school appropriate, and it teaches sexual indoctrination. To have understanding it is always good to hear both sides.
Sexual education in public schools has been a controversial topic for many years in the United States. Sexual education began in the 1920s, it was inspired by sexual education programs in the military. These programs were mainly based on religion they stressed the usage of abstinence and frowned upon masturbation (Cornblatt). Over the years sexual education has evolved and now covers topics such as contraceptives, sexually transmitted diseases, healthy relationships, and parenthood. While the topics covered may have changed on thing that has remained the same is the opposition to sexual education in schools. Many people believe that sexual education is a personal topic and should be taught by the students guardian at their own discretion. However, sexual education should be taught in schools because it educates teens on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and decreases the amount of sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies.
“Sex education is instruction on issues relating to human sexuality, including emotional relations and responsibility human sexual anatomy, sexual activity, sexual reproduction, age of consent, reproductive health, reproductive rights, safe sex, birth control and sexual abstinence. Sex education that covers all of these aspects is known as comprehensive sex education. Common avenues for sex education are parents or caregivers, formal school programs, and public health campaigns” (Joint 2017). Most schools in the United States however only teach sexual abstinence while not covering any other subject. Sexual Education is necessary for people of all ages, especially for teens who are learning about the changes with their body. Comprehensive sex education should be taught rather than abstinence only education. Comprehensive sex education is proven to help and educate teens. The benefits of comprehensive sex education as opposed to abstinence education are, lower teen pregnancy rates, lower STD counts, and healthier relationships.
According to Advocates for Youth 46 percent of high schoolers in America are sexually active. Only 20 states in America require sexual education classes and there are 35 states that have laws that say parents have the right to keep their kids out of these classes. Almost every American will have sex in their lifetime so having more information on it should be required. As reported by the National Library of Medicine, America has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the industrialized world (Sedgh, Finer, Bankole, Eilers, & Singh 2015). According to the CDC’s Incidence, Prevalence, and Cost of Sexually Transmitted Infections in the United State, people from ages 15-24 account for 50 percent of the new STDs and also America has the highest rate of STDs in the industrialized world (CDC.gov).
Whose job is it to teach children sexual education: teachers or parents? While many argue that it is the parent’s job to educate her children about sex, it is often awkward for a parent to talk to her “babies” about it, and many times she does not. That is why some schools take on the responsibility to make sure kids are educated on the subject, but are enough schools offering this type of education? The answer is no. Sexual education in the United States should not be optional. States should make sexual education a required course in school to help prevent unwanted pregnancies, as well as the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with an effective and organized program.