Sexual Education in Schools

Elon Musk once said “Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough” (“Hondas in Space.”). Sex education is a term that goes over a general collection of topics such as maturity, personal relationships, people skills, sexual manners, sexual health, and society and cultures. The public schools that are required to teach sex education only teach comprehensive sex education. This method correctly delivers information on sexual education. Although some say sex education does not prevent teen pregnancies or unwanted STD’s, sex education should be part of the school curriculum because it accurately educates students on sexual health topics and it stops early sexual behaviors.

Firstly, people do not believe that sex education doesn’t prevent STD’s or unwanted pregnancies. “Eleven (74 percent) showed that comprehensive sex education programs have no impact on teen sex, pregnancies, or STI’s” (“Teen Pregnancies Fall But School Sex Ed Doesn’t Work. Huh?”). A study showed that at the University of Georgia of abstinence only programs had over fifty percent that the sex education does not have any impact on reducing teen pregnancies. This shows that sex education is not effective in preventing teen pregnancies or any STIs. Therefore, sex education has not proved that it reduces teen pregnancies or sexual transmitted diesases in teens. “South Carolina researchers recruited 3,143 teens in more than 20 schools across the state who either did or did not participate in a comprehensive sex education program. After one year, the program showed no benefit” (“Teen Pregnancies Fall But School Sex Ed Doesn’t Work. Huh?”). Sex education can be taught to various of students, but that does not exactly mean it will help reduce unplanned pregnancies or STD’s. Sex education teaches about the effects of unprotected sex but it still has yet to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and STI’s. On the other hand, however, sex education can properly deliver information to the students.

However, sex education properly and accurately educates students on sexual health topics. “At the middle and secondary level (Grades 7-12), teachers must be certified in health education or hold a school nurse/teacher certificate to teach health education” (“Components of Sexual Health Education”). Thus, meaning that a teacher has to be certified in health education or they have to maintain a school certificate as a nurse/teacher. Experienced teachers or nurses, teaching the class, can clarify that information correlation to sex education will be delivered correctly. “The goal of the National Sexuality Education on Standards: Core Content and Skills, K–12 is: To provide clear, consistent and straightforward guidance on the essential minimum, core content for sexuality education on that is age-appropriate for students in grades K–12” (“Sexual Health Education Curriculum Review”). Setting guidelines and certain topics every instructor has to go over, leaves no room for misinformation to be perceived. Students will only be taught to the standards that the National Sexuality Education on Standards has set. While others will argue that sex education should come from the students parent not public-school systems.

While sex education is taught in public schools, on the other hand parents want to teach their own kids about the topic. “… means there is absolutely no way parents can control – or even find out – what their children are being taught about sex unless they sit in the classroom alongside their children for each and every sex lesson” (“Ten Good Reasons to Oppose Public School Sex Education”). Parents or guardian often do not like the fact that they are not with their personally with their child, while their child is learning about sensitive topics like sex education. “Catholic and Christian students who have been taught by their parents that premarital sex, birth control and abortion are wrong must sit in class and hear an authority figure contradict their beliefs” (“Ten Good Reasons to Oppose Public School Sex Education”). Public schools teaching sex education gets in the way of parents being able to teach their own kids about the matter. Sex education in public schools hinders that relationship between a parent and their kid. Despite parents disapproving public schools teaching about sex education, sex education has been known to delay early sexual activities.

Furthermore, sex education delays early sexual activities. “A recent examination of the National Survey of Family Growth to determine the impact of sexuality education on sexual risk-taking for young people ages 15-19, revealed that teens who received comprehensive sexuality education were 50% less likely to report a pregnancy…” (“Why Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education?”). This shows that sex education can reduce sexual activities in the future of student has received proper sexual, if they have received sex education. “Strong evidence suggests that approaches to sex education that include information about both contraception and abstinence help young people to delay sex, and also to have healthy relationships and avoid STDs and unintended pregnancies when they do become sexually active” (“Fewer U.S. Teens Are Receiving Formal Sex Education Now Than in the Past”). Through sex education in schools, it delays sexual activities within teens. Sex education delays sexual tendencies because the student is aware of the consequences. Likewise, sex education should be a part of the school curriculum.

Sex education is an important part of a student life and needs to be part of every school curriculum. Having well trained and certified teachers educate the course can ensure the student will receive the information that is accurate. This is extremely important because false information regarding sexual topics is can be given to kids. Kids might not be able to make the most fitting choice for themselves, if they do not have scientifically accurate information. Resulting in kids not knowing the safe way to have sex and that can increase higher pregnancies and STDs rates. People think sex education does not reduce unwanted pregnancies or STDs simply because kids will have sex anyways. Yes, kids will have sex if they want too that is a fact, but sex education can help kids in those types of situations how to safely go about sexual behavior. This is why students will only be learning from trained professionals. Another reason why sex education works is because it can help delay sexual activities. The knowledge received in a sex education class, students will be more aware of the consequences that can happen in sexual behaviors. Sex education is extremely important to students because it can influence their decisions about their own sexual health. Their decisions they make based on the information they receive can impact their health for the rest of their lives. Therefore, sex education should be a part of the school curriculum across the nation.

Works Cited:

1. Castleman, Michael M.A. “Teen Pregnancies Fall But School Sex Ed Doesn’t Work.
2. Huh?” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 15 Mar. 2017, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/all-about-sex/201703/teen-pregnancies-fall-school-sex-ed-doesn-t-work-huh. Accessed 21 January 2019
3. “Components of Sexual Health Education.” CT.gov – Connecticut’s Official State Website, portal.ct.gov/SDE/Publications/Sexual-Health-Education-Component-of-Comprehensive-Health-Education/Components-of-Sexual-Health-Education#anchor 2. Accessed 19 January 2019
4. “Fewer U.S. Teens Are Receiving Formal Sex Education Now Than in the Past.”
5. Guttmacher Institute, 9 Sept. 2016, www.guttmacher.org/news-release/2016/fewer-us-teens-are-receiving-formal-sex-education-now-past. Accessed 21 January 2019
6. Fast Company Staff, Jennifer Reingold. “Hondas in Space.” Fast Company, Fast Company, 2 May 2017, www.fastcompany.com/52065/hondas-space.
7. Hidde, Suzanne. “SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION CURRICULUM REVIEW.” Sexual Health Education Curriculum Review, 30 June 2011, www.k12.wa.us/HIVSexualhealth/pubdocs/2011SHECurriculumReview.pdf. Accessed 21 January 2019
8. “Ten Good Reasons To Oppose Public School Sex Education.”
9. CatholicParents OnLine, Catholic Parents OnLine, 22 May 2016, www.catholicparents.org/ten-good-reasons-oppose-public-school-sex-education/. Accessed 23 January 2019
10. “Why Support Comprehensive Sexuality Education?” Planned Parenthood,www.plannedparenthood.org/files/6914/0080/0572/2013-04UpdatedWhyCompeSexEd_handout.pdf. Accessed 23 January 2019

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