Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Sex education in this contemporary world
Sex education in this contemporary world
Sexual education in public schools
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Sex education in this contemporary world
Sex education has been widely controversial throughout public schools not only in the United States but across the globe. The debate covers many different issues but currently the main focus is whether abstinence-only lessons should be used versus the more contemporary version referred to as comprehensive risk reduction (CRR). Many factors play into this debate including moral and ethical bias but all of the research for both practices poses the question “which method is more effective in reducing sexual risks and consequences?” Sex Education is essentially the teachings of human sexuality in regards to sexual anatomy, reproduction, intercourse and behaviors associated. Learning about these aspects is important to adolescent development as it is a natural part of life. One way children learn about this is through school or somewhere in their community such as an after school program. Though it seems like an obvious lesson to learn, children have a difficult time getting this information from any source other than an organized curriculum in their health class at school. This is somewhat understandable as it can be very uncomfortable for parents and guardians to discuss these intimate details with their innocent child but it has the potential to cause problems later in the adolescent’s life. Brewin’s article addresses the parental concern that sex education may actually stir sexual desires and behaviors in the children that were not present before (Brewin.) However, curiosity comes about naturally and if it is met with over-protectiveness and suspicion from parents then the child has no other choice but to get the facts from another source which could possibly be firsthand experience. Due to the risk of adolescents learning all abo... ... middle of paper ... ...ly Adolescents. "Journal of School Health. 83.11 (2013): 810-817. Print. Natbony, Jessica. "Sex Education in Schools." Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law. 11. (2010): 273-296. Print. Smith, Sarah. "Reading Sociology into Scholarship on School-Based Sex Education: Structure and Culture." Sociology Compass. 6.8 (2012): 614-623. Print Tobey, Jacquelyn, and Stephen Hillman. “Demographic Differences in Adolescents' Sexual Attitudes and Behaviors, Parent Communication about Sex, and School Sex Education." Electronic Journal of Human Sexuality. 14. (2011): Web. 1 May. 2014. Weed, Stan. "Sex Education Programs for Schools Still in Question." American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 42.3 (2012): 313-315. Print. Woo, G.W., and J.M. Thomas. "Factors Affecting Sex Education in the School System." Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. 24.3 (2011): 142-146. Print.
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 medical ethics and scientific accuracy, and have been empirically proven to be ineffective; therefore, comprehensive sex education programs which are medically accurate, science-based and empirically proven should be the standard method of sex education for students/children in the U.S.
Sex Education. (2010). In Current Issues: Macmillan social science library. Detroit: Gale. Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com.byui.idm.oclc.org/ic/ovic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?query=&prodId=OVIC&contentModules=&displayGroupName=Reference&limiter=&disableHighlighting=true&displayGroups=&sortBy=&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&action=2&catId=GALE%7C00000000LVZ0&activityType=&documentId=GALE%7CPC3021900154&source=Bookmark&u=byuidaho&jsid=97f094e06dbbf5f2bcaec07adbde8e61
Chen, Grace. “Schools, Parents, and Communities Should Contribute to Educating Teens About Sex.” Teenage Sexuality. Ed. Aarti D. Stephens. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From “Public Schools and Sex Education.” Public School Review. 2008. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.
Quindlin, Anna. "Sex Ed." The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues across the Disciplines. By Gilbert H. Muller. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. 275-77. Print.
Sex education in the United States has been an bi-polar opinionated topic within the education system. It's use and curriculum are affected by many forces such as politics, public health concerns, and religious affiliation to name just a few. There has though been clearly documented need for publics support for sex education programs in schools. What is often unknown, is Sex education was been introduced into the education systems as early as 1912. At this time the National Education Association requested for teachers to be trained in sexuality education. In the 1940s the United States Health Services supported Sex education programs in the school systems saying there was an urgent need for awareness. Though it wasn’t till 1955 that the American Medical Association in union with National Education Association published five pamphlets which were to be used for sex education in schools. Although even with the support of teachers and public health officials the use and implementation of sex education programs in school were heavily debated by many.
Sex is a natural, healthy part of our lives and we have the right to a proper sex education in schools. Sex education in schools have been a controversial topic since 1912, which is when teachers began to be trained on how to teach sex education. The main debate today is whether the sex education should focus on abstinence-only programs or comprehensive programs. Abstinence-only programs focus on teaching students that the only socially acceptable time to have sex is during marriage and abstinence is the only way to protect yourself from contracting STD’s and from becoming pregnant. Comprehensive sex education focuses on reducing the spread of STD’s and teen pregnancies by giving you the facts and information of the different forms of contraceptives that are available. Although America’s various cultures have different views of sex education, it’s important to teach students proper sex education in schools because there is hardly any
The controversy of whether sex education should be taught in schools has been a lingering argument for years. Opposing sides are so firm on their position that they will not consider those whose opinions counter their own, making it difficult to come up with a solution. Those who are against the teaching of sex education in school feel that they should be the ones educating their children about sex and that sex should be abstained from until marriage. On the other hand, people who support sexual education programs believe their children will learn the importance of contraception, learn how to have sex through the teachings of a professional, and how they can help open up better relationships with their parents.
Not unlike most debates, there are two major schools of thought when it comes to sex education in schools in the United States of America. One side believes that teaching abstinence to students helps them wait till marriage in a society that constantly pushes sexual imagery and language at them. Such people are supporters of what is known as abstinence based and abstinence-only education. The other side believes that students should receive comprehensive sexual education, where they are provided detailed information about intercourse, contraception, including abstinence, and STI transmission/treatment (Masland 2004). Sex education in the United States has consistently been a debate since the 1960 's. The controversy lies mainly in what schools should and should not be allowed to teach. The most common contention points are: birth control and contraception, Homosexuality (LGBTQ), abstinence-only, HIV awareness and education, and abortion. Objectively this
Wen, S.H., J.D. Zeng, and M.L. Ng. 1990. Sex and Moral Education. Hong Kong: Joint Publishing.
Sex education has been an ongoing debate for decades. In the early 1970’s, twenty states voted restricting sex education from the school curriculum, leaving the District of Columbia and only three states (Maryland, Kentucky, New Jersey), requiring schools to teach sex education. By the mid 1980’s, a deadly disease permitted through sexual intercourse was recognized; the fear of catching a disease sex education quickly became accepted. In 1986, Surgeon General C. Everett Koop felt sex education should start as early as third grade stating, ‘“There is now no doubt … that we need sex education in schools and that it [should] include information on heterosexual and homosexual relationships. The lives of our young people depend on our fulfilling our responsibility”’ (qtd. in Donovan). December 1997, the District of Columbia and nineteen states provided sex education in school. Sex education covers a range of topics and concerns about safe sex, abstinence, gender, development and human growth, human reproduction, sexual anatomy and physiology, pregnancy, relationships, body image, sexual attitudes, value and morals, sexual behavior, sexual health, sexual orientation, and sexual pleasure. Parents and religious groups believe abstinence should only be taught in school. The teaching of sex education, to many, only encourages student to engage in sexual activity, and for that the parent should only teach reason if they choose to do so. Sex education provides information and answer questions for students whom are scared or shy to ask a parent. Information provided for students in this course will help decrease pregnancy, and disease, provide information and help for any situation; and change the mind of some students about having sex. Sex ...
Sex education in public schools has been a controversial issue in the United States for over a decade. With the HIV and teen pregnancy crises growing, sex education is needed.
The government likes to pretend that if high school students get taught the “abstinence-only” method they would never think of taking part in sexual activities. Statistically this is incorrect. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “56 percent of high school students are virgins”(Martin). For the 56 percent abstinence only is doing them well, but there are still 44 percent of high school students engaging in sex without knowing the precau...
Martinez, Gladys, Joyce Abma, and Casey Copen. “Educating Teenagers About Sex In The United States”. CDC.GOV. Center of Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Sept. 2010. Web. 09 Feb.2014
The concept of sex education is argued many different ways; however, a conclusion can be reached that abstinence only sex education does not work, and something needs to be changed about the school systems in which that is the only option offered. Most kids do not understand the changes happening in their bodies, and certain urges and sensations that they may be feeling. In addition, they need to be able to differentiate a safe versus unsafe sexual relationship and how to practice safe sex. Most parents of elementary school-aged children are apprehensive to the idea of giving their children sex education because they believe it will encourage their children to be sexually active at a young age; however, sex education throughout
It is increasingly important that parents start teaching their children comprehensive sex education at home as they may not be receiving all the facts at school. So, why don’t more parents already initiate a thorough talk with their kids about the topic of sex? Recent studies have supported that it may not always be the lack of intention by the parents, rather the inability of their children to feel comfortable discussing the topic with their parents (Hyde, Carney, Drennan, Butler, Lohan & Howlett, 2010).