Let's Talk About Sex Education

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Comprehensive sex education should be taught in public schools. The youth of today cannot make educated decisions regarding sex if they are not properly educated. Not educating America’s youth in all aspects of sex education is comparable to allowing them to drive without being taught. This choice of not allowing comprehensive sex education is schools is dangerous and can have life long consequences. These consequences will not only affect the individual but can ultimately affect America. It is vital for Americans to begin giving their youth the education that is needed. Pre-teenagers and teenagers are having sexual intercourse or participating in other sexual acts. According to the Center of Disease Control in 2009 46% of students have had sexual intercourse (Center for Disease Control, 2010). That is almost half of America’s high school students. Nationwide 5.9% of students have had sexual intercourse before the age of thirteen (Center for Disease Control, 2010). Out of those students surveyed 34.2% admitted to not using any type of protection to prevent sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy (Students Againist Destructive Decisions, 2010). It is important to remember that these teens are having sex with little to no formal education on the topic of sex. Since these students are not taking precaution they are suffering the consequences. In 2006 the Center for Disease Control estimates 5,259 America’s between 13-24 were estimated to have contracted HIV (Students Againist Destructive Decisions, 2010). The teen birthrate in 2009 was 39.1 out of 1000 births. These teens were between the ages of fifteen and nineteen. (Center for Disease Control, 2010). This information is not showing the number of births to girls younger tha... ... middle of paper ... ...nter for Disease Control. (2010, June 4). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Retrieved July 30, 2011, from www.cdc.gov: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss5905.pdf Donovan, P. (1998, July/August). School-Based Sexuality Education: The Issues and Challenges. Family Planning Perspectives Vol. 30 No. 4. 189-193. SIRS Researcher. Landry, D. (2003). Factors Associated with the Content of Sex Education In U.S. Public Secondary Schools. Retrieved June 15, 2011, from Guttmacher Institute: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/psrh/full/3526103.pdf Students Againist Destructive Decisions. (2010). Statistics. Retrieved July 30, 2011, from Students Againist Destructive Decisions: http://www.sadd.org/stats.htm Richardson, J. (1995, May 14) Talking about Sex Education: New Generation of Parents Still Tongue Tied About Sex. Maine Telegraph (Portland, ME) 1C+ Sirs Researcher

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