Sex Education Should Be Taught In Schools

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

Barr et al. (2014) study reported in the study that sexual education taught only by the teachers would be effective in preventing teen pregnancy. The teachers would have to be competent, skillful and content on the subject of sex with the student. The National Teacher Preparation Standards for Sexuality Education is an unexpected effort but with years to come the program will become active (Barr et al., 2014). The results of the study indicated that by letting teachers teach teens about sex education decreased teenage pregnancy (Barr et al.,

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.

Sex education has always been a controversial topic, especially to the extent that it is taught to. Under the early years of the Reagan administration, the Adolescent Family Life Act was passed for abstinence-only education based on the presumption that talking about sex in school would promote sexual activities among teenagers. The two-point act was quietly passed in 1981, as it was not voted on by the House and was coded under Title XX of the Public Service Health Act. The first point was to provide at least two-thirds of funds to support pregnant teenagers, while the second point’s purpose was to use the remaining one-third or less to discourage sexual acts until marriage. Lawrence (2007) asserted that teenage pregnancy rates at the time of passing were rising, so the government wanted to stop everything all together. Since then, billions of dollars have been spent and more laws have been passed to promote abstinence-only education. Pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the U.S. actually continued to rise, despite what was believed that the acts and funding could accomplish (p. 2). Though scientists and accredited researchers saw this coming, they continued with research to finalize conclusions with the majority hypothesis that comprehensive sex education would show the greatest improvement among teenage pregnancy. Comprehensive sex education

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

Sex education should start at a young age in order to assure sexually healthy adults. The United States ranks first among developed nations in rates of both teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. In an effort to reduce these rates, the U.S. government has funded abstinence-only sex education programs for more than a decade (Stager-Hall, 2011). Although this type of education is beneficial, it is not realistic to societies needs. Data shows that abstinence based education is ineffective in preventing teenage pregnancy and is possibly causing high teenage pregnancy rates in the U.S. (Stager-Hall, 2011). According to governing.com, sex education in U.S. schools are failing. The article discusses how sex education can be an uncomfortable experience and how as a country we are horrible at teaching it. “A December report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that less than half of U.S. high schools and only one-fifth of middle schools are meeting the CDC's recommendations for

Overall, sex ed is something that is needed by many and appreciated by few. The idea of a straight forward class about sex and its risk/precautions is heavily frowned upon, yet the amount of teens getting pregnant, and the ratio as to how many actually end up in marriage is slim. Having a class that provides the kind of information someone sexually active this young can really help allow them to reconsider and balance out all its pros and cons. Ignorance is not something that can be taken lightly, especially when undergoing sexual

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

There are a lot of schools nationwide that do not offer a sex education course to early high school students. Schools that do offer the course tend to focus entirely on abstinence. However, the reality of it all is that sexual intercourse is a natural part of life. There are many students that take abstinence-only classes and leave the class with only the knowledge of not taking part in intercourse. Many young students miss out on important information that they should be informed of. All students should take a Sex Education class in their early high school years to protect them and build a responsible mindset.

Comprehensive sex education should be taught in public schools because people need to know about their bodies, how to protect themselves during intercourse, and it is the best way to educate teens about sex.

Minnesota is ranked number six out of all states in teen birth rate. Minnesota is ranked number three in teen pregnancy rate. The average ages for all of these results are girls aged from fifteen to nineteen. With the most recent statics, in 2012 there were 3,295 teenage girls to give birth to a child and in 2010 there was 146 million spent on teenage childbearing. The last statistic I found was there were are 18.5 births per 1,000 teenage girls. (National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, pg.1) With regards to reading this information it makes me think back to my high school years, were we taught the right information? What type of sex education should be taught to decrease the numbers of teenage pregnancy? In my opinion students need to get taught the comprehensive sex education program. This is a program where abstinence is taught that it is the best way to avoid pregnancy and STI’s but students are taught ways of contraception and condoms to prevent the pregnancy and STI’s is they do decide to become sexually active.

With abstinence only sex education teens wouldn’t be learning about STD prevention or pregnancy prevention and if they did decide to have sex, they wouldn’t know much about STDs and how devastating they can be and that would eliminate their fear factor and they wouldn’t really worry about getting them. “At the moment the favored approach is called comprehensive sex education. The nation's highest-ranking health officer, Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders, has endorsed this approach as the chief way to reduce unwed childbearing and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among teenagers.”(Whitehead). The big controversy is that parents don’t want some stranger teaching their children about sex, but instead they want to be the ones that educate their children when they feel like the time is right. Yeah that’s great and all but the problem is that when the teens parents teach them about sex, they often times miss some key information and that could leave the teen confused, or they could give information that is structured based on an opinion and could mislead the teen to perceive sex as a bad thing which can’t be true because it’s the root of life. When comprehensive sexual education is taught in school it’s information is 100%

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

This has been a debate since the 19th century, some oppose the teachings of sexual education, stating that schools should not infringe on parental and church guidance. Some also argue, that teaching adolescents about sex, encourage children to venture into sexual activity. While not teaching sexual education at all in schools is one argument, the other is, abstinence should be taught to our adolescents. Some believe that the current teaching is " We know you're going to have sex, so here's how to put a condom on." These individuals argue, sexual education should be the teaching of saving yourself for adulthood or

According to a study in 2013 by National Vital Statistics Report, a total of 273,105 babies were born to women aged 15–19 years (qtd. in "About Teen Pregnancy"). Children need to be getting a better education on sex during middle school and high school to be better prepared if they decide to engage in sexual activity. Sex should be taught from a different approach than in recent years. Sex education should be incorporated in all schools starting around 6th grade and continually throughout high school because teachers can give a better understanding of sex which will reduce the number of teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections(STI). The early start of sex education would benefit the kids in the long run and will make the