Sex Education Is An Important Class Modern Day Society

Master of Professional Health Debra Hauser states that sexual education is an essential part of the development and growth of teenagers. In her article “Youth Health and Rights in Sex Education”, MPH Hauser provides a report of teenage pregnancies and STDs incidences, which points out that each year in the United States, about 750,000 teens become pregnant, with up to 82 percent of those pregnancies being unintended. Young people ages 15-24 account for 25 percent of all new HIV infections in the U.S (Hauser). According to Hauser, “sex education teaches young people the skills they need to protect themselves”, such as the ability to recognize patterns of a toxic relationships, learning to value and have control over their bodies, understanding

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.

In 1913, sex education became a topic that was found to be an important education tool. Since then, this form of education has been a hot and debatable topic among many Americans. The original reason for sex education classes was to reduce problems such as sexually transmitted illnesses and prostitution. In recent years, abstinence has become the focus of sex education curriculum. Abstinence means refraining from sex completely. Although, it is the only one-hundred percent way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, abstinence-only instruction should not be the only form of sex education taught. Our youth need to know about all aspects of sex. This intails how to protect them if they choose to become sexually

While in high school, most teenagers between the ages 13-17, will have attended at least one sex education class. Instead of using the “Abstinence- Only” approach, schools should consider on teaching students the “Safe- Sex” approach to increase their knowledge on potential health risks involving sex. Increasing their knowledge not only increases their awareness, but lets them use their knowledge in the real world and let them form their own decisions, whether they be bad or good.

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

Sex education classes, whether or not they clash with religious or parental teachings, teach a basic and scientific background of sex, what bodily changes are, and how to protect oneself from the dangers of sex. Statistics show that sex education can reverse current trends and prepare children from the dangers of sex by educating them about STDs, pregnancy, and so on. The United States’ statistics on teenagers and young adults are negatively alarming. “Approximately 10% of all births in the U.S. occur in teenagers and 9.5 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are diagnosed in teenagers and young adults each year (Kaneshiro B.).” Unfortunately, there is a lack of courses aimed at teaching America’s youth about sex and the inherent dangers that they cannot foresee while there is a surplus of television shows such as, Teen Moms, promoting sex and pregnancy.

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

Teenage sexual activity has sparked an outcry within the nation. With such activity comes a high price. Studies have shown that there has been a significant rise in the number of children with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), emotional and psychological problems, and out-of-wedlock childbearing. Sex has always been discussed publically by the media, television shows, music and occasionally by parents and teachers in educational context. Teens hear them, and as the saying goes, “monkey see, monkey do”, they are tempted to experiment with it. Therefore, it is important for every teenager to be aware of the outcome associated with premature-sex. If students are educated about the impact of

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.

Comprehensive sex education is the most realistic way of teaching sex education today. While remaining abstinent is the only way to be one-hundred percent sure one will not have an unwanted pregnancy or contract a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD), it is unrealistic in today’s society. Teenagers, as well as adults, are engaging in premarital sexual activity. STDs can be a serious or life-threatening disease. Effective comprehensive sex education should contain information detailing sexual development and reproduction, methods of birth control, STDs and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), abortion, and the different religious and cultural views on sex and sexual diversity. With this information,

The implementation of sex education in schools will provide teenagers with the appropriate information about sexual disease and early pregnancies. In the last five years, this theme about Sex Education is expanding ever so gradually within the schools. However, the statistics keep the subject of Sex Education alive in schools by having it be implemented as programs. Schools administrators should have more programs and people who are well trained to help students with learning about Sex Education. After all, the teenagers would be the most vulnerable victims for not being well informed; they could catch a sexual transmitted disease or perhaps get pregnant. Also, the parents and community are an important role in learning about Sex Education. Simply by having an open mind and thinking about the safety and future of their children, we as parents can create a safer environment for our children. One technique could be by providing condoms at schools to teenagers as a demonstration of consciousness about how to protect the teenagers from early pregnancy or a sexual disease.

Each curriculum has a varying view on how sex education should be taught and when sex education should be taught to adolescents. Comprehensive sexuality education is the most effective type of sex education and followes the guidelines of starting sex education in kindergarten until twelfth grade. A broad range of topics are taught to students depending on their grade in order to help them develop vital skills and an understanding the varying topics. Abstinence-based sex education gives adolescence a broad range of knowledge on varying topics related to disease prevention and contraception with the emphasises that the best choice is to abstain from sex. Abstinence-only education promotes that abstaining from sex is the only way and does not address contraception or disease prevention. Abstinence-only-until-marriage sex education teaches adolescents that marriage is the only time sexual activities can take place and that in order to prevent disease and teen pregnancy refraining from sex until marriage is the only choice (SIECUS, 2001).

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.

In today’s society, teenagers are becoming sexually active at an earlier age. Consequently, sixty-six percent of American high school students have reported partaking in this activity by their senior year – sex (Masland) (SC#8). Because of this promiscuous behavior among teens, there have been alarming rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and even unintentional pregnancies (Masland) (BE#3). In the United States, high schools usually decide whether or not to implement sexual education as a course (Sexuality) (BE#9). While schools may encourage abstinence of sex until marriage, most teenagers will need to know safe sexual practices before they are married. If the teenager is not informed on how to keep themselves and their partner safe during sex, major consequences could ensue. If high schools required a course about sexual education, teenagers would know the implications and consequences of engaging in unsafe

Sex can be awkward. Uncoordinated. Funny, even. But there is more to sex than the act itself; it comes with a whole world of new sensations, contraceptives, emotions, and potential infections. Just like it is vital to do research before going on a trip to somewhere new, it is incredibly important to have knowledge of sex before it is faced, as it can have a lot of consequences. Yet lots of teenagers, adolescents, and young adults do not have the information, simply because it was not taught. The CDC has sixteen topics that are essential for a complete sexual health education curriculum, yet most schools do not teach all of these. Teenagers are missing out on lessons about contraception, consent, self-care, and sexually transmitted diseases, all important for their health. This kind of ignorance needs to be eliminated; sex ed programs need to be developed further in order to teach adolescents what they need to know about sex and health. Comprehensive sex education curriculums should be taught in schools throughout America from a young age, as it is important for kids to have an understanding of basic anatomy, the risks of sexual intercourse, and contraceptives to keep themselves safe.