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
An alarming rate of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Pregnancy among teenagers has been an ongoing concern and could be linked to the lack of sex education in schools. Statistics show that 3 in 10 teenagers are becoming pregnant every year, and 1 in four teenagers are contracting sexually transmitted infections. There are numerous opposing views towards the teaching of comprehensive sex education in school districts. Many people are opposed to this because they believe that it encourages premarital sexual promiscuity in young adults, is destructive to religious belief, and is inappropriate and harmful. “Comprehensive Sex Education Is Inappropriate and Harmful” is and article that provides concrete evidence, for example, it states in the article that “Teens enrolled in these classes are given false information about how pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases can be avoided and may actually be encouraged to engage in activities that could lead to sexual intercourse” which is quite the contrary. My personal view is that as a nation we should be teaching students comprehensive sex education also known as abstinence plus, because it will better educate students and save money. Comprehensive sex education stresses the importance of abstinence, but also provides important information for the prevention of STI’s and unplanned pregnancies. I believe this needs to be taught in schools because I come from a school that taught abstinence only and nothing more, and the number of
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
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
Studies have also shown that abstinence-focused programs have failed to reduce STI rates. The American Sexual Health Association states, “More than half of all people will have an STD/STI at some point in their lifetime,” (“Statistics”). Comprehensive sex education would teach teenagers how to improve their sexual health, prevent unwanted pregnancies, and prevent sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Providing students with this information does not encourage them to participate in sexual activity sooner. Several findings show that, “[Comprehensive sex education] effectively promotes abstinence and may delay sexual debut, reduce sexual frequency, reduce the number of sexual partners, reduce STI risk, and increase the likelihood of consistent contraceptive use,” (Jeffries 173). Comprehensive sex education will be beneficial to students by teaching them how to have sexual intercourse safely, if they choose to not remain abstinent.
In both cases, Abstinence-only education did not direct them, in any way, to abstain from sex (Valenti). Therefore, given that so many teens will not desist from sex, effective sex education programs have the responsibility to help teens to be aware of the risks and consequences that come along with sexuality, like early pregnancy or STDs (Alford). Such effective programs should employ personalized interviews and follow-ups for each student and parents; as well as committees including doctors, psychologists, pediatricians, and real young people with shocking experience as a teen
Between 13 and 24 year olds, there are 39% of people that has AIDS(CDC). With that being said, there are more students in high school walking around with AIDS that nobody knows about. Students should be tested before entering high school, like around their freshman year so they can know about their medical history. Even though parents, and the students don’t want to be tested because other students gone start bullying them once they find out, they should go to the doctor just like how athlete gets physicals, they can do that as well. Some other will disagree that STD’s should be required because people do not want their medical records known, however school should require STD’s testing to be informed of their medical history, the herd immunity, and prevent the other medical issues.
Current programs have been successful in lowering the teenage birth rates from their 1991 rates to their current rates, a difference of more than 50 percent. While the STD rates in the United States have not improved, they have ceased to increase in recent years (Satcher, Carmona & Elders, 2015). Sexual education programs differ in what information the program covers, who teaches the class, and how relevant the material is to a diverse student body. In order for a sexual education program to be successful in reducing teenage pregnancy and STD rates, the United States needs to ensure that schools are offering comprehensive sexual education classes that incorporate information on contraceptives and condom usage, are facilitated by both trained and qualified teachers and health professionals, and are tailored to a diverse student
Students will be provided with scientifically accurate, curriculum based information about human development, anatomy and pregnancy. Students will learn the very basic information about contraception and sexually transmitted infections such us STIs, including HIV/AIDS. Just as a young student’ life gets more sophisticated, the risks also get higher such as heartbreak, STDs, and pregnancy. In addition, preventive solutions will also be taught regarding to safe sex practices which are paramount to vulnerability of the exposure of sexual transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy. According to CBSNEWS, young adults those who commit romantic sex are using more contraception, and pregnancy among teenagers is down 30% over the past decade. and STDs cost the U.S health care system $16 billion every
Though I do agree with opinion number two in that schools should provide comprehensive sex education to children, it is not being taught effectively. A study found that teens who took a sex education course were more likely to initiate sex. Currently, the most prominent health class approach to teaching about sex is the “abstinence, but” model. The “abstinence, but” model sends a mixed message to children by telling them to not have sex, but if you do, this is the way to do it safely. Though this model is great at maintaining a neutral position about sex while teaching safe sex and the consequences that can stem from it, namely AIDS, it does not necessarily promote abstinence. Nevertheless, many health classes in the US take on this approach
Sex Education Should Be Taught in Schools. While teen pregnancy has been steadily decreasing, a growing number of teens infected with std's has been increasing. Sex education in schools has helped the pregnancy issue but needs to continue to further decrease teen pregnancies and to eradicate teen std's. In addition, educators need to start the sex education classes at an earlier age. Schools that teach comprehensive sex ed have a higher sexual literacy rate, lower std rates and lower teen pregnancy rate when compared to schools that teach abstinence only or have no sex ed curriculum.
Comprehensive sex education delays the initiation of sex which leads to decrease teenage pregnancy rates. Jennifer Grossman Ph.D. in counseling psychology states in schools with comprehensive programs, 16% fewer boys and 15% fewer
Every year in America, one million teen girls become pregnant and at least three million teens become infected with an STD (Donovan, 1). Though these numbers slightly fluctuate, problems facing American adolescents today, like HIV/AIDS, other STD’s, and teen pregnancy. This means that some needs to change. These problems will decline when sex education is revamped everywhere in America, by making the curriculum completely comprehensive in addressing problems facing adolescents today such as teen pregnancy, STD’s, rape, pressures and emotions dealing with sex, and give teens good communication skills. Right now teachers approach these subjects on their tip toes, dance around the issue, and not fully give out all the information.
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.
In addition, another thing students need to be educated on is a teenage pregnancy. There are so many young mothers and fathers who have no idea what they have gotten themselves into. When kids become sexually active they don’t think about the negative results of their actions, they just live in the moment. If students are educated about the burden of carrying and taking care of a child they may think twice about having sex. One way to show children how hard it is to raise a child as a teenager, is to bring teenage parents in to attest to the fact that parenting a child as a teen is not easy. They can tell them about the excruciating pain they went through and how difficult and sacrificial having a child is. Many teenage parents have no social life and are forced to grow up quickly because they have to bear the responsibility of taking care of a child. If students have knowledge about these things they are less likely to repeat other people’s mistakes.