Sex Education

Sex education that is currently being taught in schools seems to be nothing more than a

failing scare tactic being using to get students to adopt an abstinence only mentality. In a world

were thirty-four percent or eight hundred and twenty thousand young women become pregnant

before the age of twenty and nearly eighty percent are unintended (Teen Pregnancy Statistics,

Signs, Facts Teenage Pregnancy Prevention). Along with the unintended pregnancies young

people from the ages of fifteen to twenty-four are at a high risk of sexually transmitted

infections, around forty-eight percent of all cases fall in this age bracket, if they are not given the

information to protect themselves (Facts on American Teens' Sexual and Reproductive Health)

something needs to change.

In today’s world there are two different types of sex education being taught to the youth.

The first and most commonly pushed is abstinence only. In abstinence only education the

instructors talk about waiting until marriage, do not acknowledge that many teenagers will

become sexually active, show little about contraception or condom use, avoid the subject of

abortion, and talk about HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases as the reason to remain

abstinent. The other type of education that is taught is comprehensive sex education. With the

comprehensive style of education, instructors still promote abstinence, acknowledge that many

teenagers will become sexually active, teach about contra8ception and condom use, and include

information about abortion and sexual transmitted infections (Collins, Chris, Priya Alagiri, and

Todd Summers).

What are parents thinking when it comes to teaching sex education in school? Well, most

parents seem to believe that their students need to be taught the basic information and the ways

to protect themselves once they become sexually active. In a survey looking into the situation,
many parent disclosed that they want a wider range of topics discussed in their students’ sex

education class. Some of the most wanted topics included HIV/AIDS discussion, proper condom

use, and other forms of birth control and where they can get them. When students were surveyed

about sex education classes, many of them also felt that they needed to know about the risk

involved and the ways to protect themselves (Collins, Chris, Priya Alagiri, and Todd Summers).

A major problem that also arises with sex education in the United States is the lack of a standard

curriculum. While it is required for schools to teach sex education, it is often left up to the local

school districts to determine what is covered during the course. A survey taken by the Alan

Guttmacher Institute of school superintendents discovered that eighty-six percent of school

districts require promotion of abstinence, fifty-one percent require that abstinence be taught as

preferred option, but allow the discussion of contraception as a means of protection from

unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Thirty-five percent of the districts

surveyed required that abstinence be taught as the only option for unmarried people, limiting or

not allowing any discussion of contraception. Only fourteen percent of the school districts had a

truly comprehensive sex education curriculum (Abstinence PDF). If a standard sex education

curriculum was mandated, it could help insure that everyone was receiving the same information

regardless of school location and area beliefs. This would also enable the ability to tweak and

fine-tune a well-rounded message, if future studies uncovered a problem.

Of the nearly nineteen million cases of sexually transmitted infections, forty-eight percent

or just over nine million cases affect those of the ages of fifteen to twenty-four (Facts on

American Teens' Sexual and Reproductive Health). It is because of these types of numbers that

something needs to change. If the student is better educated on what is going on and how to be

aware, then they could make a more educated decision. A good example of a sex awareness
program would be that of Pam Jackson’s of Health Connection, in Vincennes, Indiana. Jackson

often enters into Vincennes University dorms with the promise of free condoms if the students sit

through her entire presentation. Her presentation covers the basics, such as the different types or

categories of sex, proper condom use (both male and female), and other forms of contraceptives.

She then covers the numerous types of sexually transmitted infections, the discussion of the

infections does not normally affect many, but it is the pictures that she has that really drive home

here message. Many of the students do manage to make it through the entire presentation, but

leave with a new awareness of sexually transmitted infections and the different contraceptives

available. Jackson has a very powerful message, with a lot of good information. A problem is

that Jackson’s presentation is not allowed in the nearby high schools because they teach an

abstinence only curriculum (Jackson).

Many people feel that comprehensive sex education does not deal with the morals of sex

in a manner that is suiting. This is where it is up to the parents of the student to have a talk about

the morals and family beliefs. Having a strong message delivered at home can greatly influence a

student’s thought process and decision-making.

As for a better way of teaching sex education to the youth, well, a standard curriculum

needs to be decided upon by the appropriate governing bodies. That curriculum should not only

talk about abstinence and waiting until marriage, but should included proper condom use, other

forms of contraceptives, along with the success and failure rate of both, and the risk that a person

needs to accept once they become sexually active. To add along with the curriculum, individuals

such as Pam Jackson needed to be allowed to spread their message to a larger age group other

than just college students. Last, parents need to stop fearing “The Talk” and realize that they are

the first step in properly educating their children. Parents would not willingly allow their
children to go to a situation that could be potentially hazardous without educating them if they

could. Then why are the parents falling short when it comes to sex education in the home and

letting their children enter into a situation blind and uneducated. “Because sex education can take

place across a wide range of settings, there are lots of opportunities to contribute (Sex Education

That Works).
 Works Cited

Collins, Chris, Priya Alagiri, and Todd Summers. Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education.

Digital image. Web. 13 Oct. 2010 <http://ari.ucsf.edu/science/reports/abstinence.pdf>.

"Facts on American Teens' Sexual and Reproductive Health." Guttmacher Institute: Home Page. Web.

12 Oct. 2010. <http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/FB-ATSRH.html>.

Jackson, Pam. "Sexualy Awareness." Condom Lady. Godare Hall, Vincennes, Indiana. Lecture.

"Sex Education That Works." AIDS & HIV Information from the AIDS Charity AVERT. Web. 12 Oct.

2010. <http://www.avert.org/sex-education.htm>.

"Teen Pregnancy Statistics, Signs, Facts Teenage Pregnancy Prevention." Troubled Teen Help Military

Boarding Schools. Web. 11 Oct. 2010. <http://www.familyfirstaid.org/teen-pregnancy.html>.