Should Sex Education Be A Part Of The Necessary Curriculum?

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.

French Historian Philippe Aries (1962) was influential in his work of childhood. Aries (1962) viewed childhood as a social construction, he supports this theory through the inexistence of childhood within medieval society (reference). Children were looked upon as ‘small adults’ who participated in the same rituals as adults and were treated in the same manner.

Since the HIV/AIDS epidemic began in the U.S. in the early 1980s the issue of sex education for American youth has had the attention of the nation. There are about 400,000 teen births every year in the U.S, with about 9 billion in associated public costs. STI contraction in general, as well as teen pregnancy, have put the subject even more so on the forefront of the nation’s leading issues. The approach and method for proper and effective sex education has been hotly debated. Some believe that teaching abstinence-only until marriage is the best method while others believe that a more comprehensive approach, which includes abstinence promotion as well as contraceptive information, is necessary. Abstinence-only program curriculums disregard

In the story Canterbury Tales The prologue Chaucer explains how he really feels about how things are being ran and how things in the story make him upset about certain places. Chaucer is a man of his word, he likes taking people for his made up stories and make the characters say things that could get Chaucer in trouble, so his made up characters say them so people who get upset by them don’t come and beat up Chaucer. There are three types of places that Chaucer likes using satire. He uses satire in the church, men ruled over women and the difference between class.

require an inclusive health education and studies have shown that their curriculum works. Studies have shown that an inclusive health curriculum can delay the “onset of sexual activity, reduce the frequency of sexual activity, reduce the number of sexual partners, and increase condom and contraceptive use” (Advocates for Youth). In a study by Douglas Kirby for the National Campaign to End Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, he discovered that two-thirds of the 48 comprehensive sex ed programs studied had positive effects (Advocates for Youth). “40 percent [of programs] delayed sexual initiation, reduced the number of sexual partners, or increased condom or contraceptive use. 30 percent reduced the frequency of sex, including a return to abstinence and 60 percent reduced unprotected sex.”, according to the study. Another study by Advocates for Youth evaluated 26 effective programs, 23 of which included comprehensive sex education. Their findings are as follows: “14 programs demonstrated a statistically significant delay in the timing of first sex. 13 programs showed statistically significant declines in teen pregnancy, HIV, or other STIs. 14 programs helped sexually active youth to increase their use of condoms. 9 programs demonstrated success at increasing use of contraception other than condoms. 13 programs showed reductions in the number of sex partners and/or increased monogamy among program participants. 10 programs helped sexually active youth to reduce the incidence of unprotected sex”. With the significant amount of success these programs have had, it is safe to implement a similar one in

Moreover the lack of knowledge of contraceptive usage and birth control leads to high pregnancy rates as well. Comprehensive does what abstinence only does not. It informs students of how to use condoms, how to get birth control, and the risks of unprotected sexual activity. Abstinence only is not realistic in American society in the twenty first century. If teenagers are not informed of what is happening in their bodies and how to control it, they have the potential to attract unwanted consequences.

Human nature has shaped and developed many different social norms in our society, however, they also create many social problems when conflicting views come under scrutinization. Sexual education in America has been problematic since the late 1900’s because there is simply a lack of it. Sexual education has transformed over a hundred years, abated by the effect of religious upbringings and conservative outlooks. However, as evolved as it is today, it is still a national issue because of the ongoing struggle of comprehensive sexual education against abstinence, and in the midst of the two, students are still not being exposed to proper sexual health.

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

Second, critics also point out that learning about contraceptive methods will only encourage young teenagers to be sexually active. This is because it sends mixed signals and minimizes the importance of abstinence. However, this is a common myth about comprehensive sex education and currently there are not enough of data to conclude such result. Since the 1990s, trends show comprehensive sexuality education has a more positive

A study found that comprehensive sexual risk reduction programs are an effective public health strategy to reduce adolescent pregnancy, HIV, and STDs, (Chin et al.). In addition to teaching the proper use of condoms and contraceptives, comprehensive sex education emphasizes building healthy relationships and preventing sexual abuse.

Because comprehensive sexuality education classes would encourage adolescences to abstain from sex but also concentrate more on social relationships, sexuality and a broader discussion of safe sex. Whereas, abstinence only programs prohibit or limit contraception information, therefore, aiding in the ineffectiveness of reducing the issues correlating to unsafe sex. Adolescence who receive accurate information about sexuality, including information about how to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies and STD’s, are more likely to delay having

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

However, many of our nation's current programs do not provide these two characteristics. The best sexual education program is comprehensive sex education due to the knowledge presented. This raises the question: What is comprehensive sex education and why is it the best? According to the Planned Parenthood article "Implementing Sex Education", comprehensive sex education provides information on many topics. The curriculum includes knowledge on body image, contraception, safer sex, sexual behaviors, relationships, sexual health, and sexual orientation. This program covers the taboo topics that other curriculums do not. Moreover, comprehensive sex education teaches all ages how to care for mature relationships. Phi Delta Kappan's journal, on the importance of factual comprehensive sex education, declares "...sexual education would be far more meaningful and productive if it focused on developing, maintaining, and ending romantic and sexual relationships with integrity and care” (Peterson, Weinstein, and Weissbourd). Teaching teenagers to have mature relationships can fix many future problems. For instance, it could lower rates of divorce, mental health diseases, and bullying. Planned Parenthood’s article goes on to tell that comprehensive sex education programs are scientifically correct and ethical. They are designed to be taught from kindergarten to 12th grade. The goal of this program is to teach adolescents about how to communicate with one another. Although comprehensive sex education mentions that abstinence is the safest way to avoid unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), it does not stress abstinence in its curriculum, nor does the program teach that sex before marriage is evil and

As children grow, they accumulate knowledge over the years about a variety of subjects to prepare them for the future. Children learn from parents, schools, life experiences, what they watch and other influences around them, and it can be either positive learning or negative learning. There is one subject that is difficult to teach and have control over because of misunderstandings, lack of teaching, and publicity. Sex education has been a major debate for children under eighteen, because there are some parents that want it taught in schools and others that do not because of different reasons. There are currently eighteen states and the District of Columbia that require schools to provide sex education and thirty-two that do not require

Capital punishment, also known as death penalty is a legal procedure in which a state executes a person for crimes he/she has committed. This punishment has been implemented by many states and used for barbaric crimes, especially murder. It is also used on crimes against the state such as treason, crimes against humanity and violent crimes. There are mixed reactions on capital punishment depending on one’s faith. In my view, I am not in favor of capital punishment as I strongly believe that death penalty is unacceptable and an inhumane practice for it denies one’s right to live. Death penalty does not deter crime, it is an act of punishment, it costs more than life imprisonment, and worst of all, risks executions of innocent people. In countries where the death penalty remains, those victims die at the hands of that state but more importantly they are left to die by their own home states (Conall 1).