Sex is a word that means many different things to people across America and even the world. The word sex also initiates a series of questions. One of the major questions about sex that does arise is, should sex education be taught to children at a very young age? The answer to this conflicting question is yes. If schools taught sex to children starting at the age of seven, it could highly change the way that sex is having a negative impact on our world. Kids need to know that having sex is wrong. If kids were more aware, it could reduce the number of teens getting pregnant in modern age. It would create more teens and adults with better morals. If children knew more about the dangers of sex at a younger age, it could improve society in a positive way.
Sex targets a large group of young people and usually starts being put into action with teenagers. 20 percent of teenagers admit that they would still have sex, even if contraceptives were no longer made available to them. (pregnantteenhelp) Some schools teach abstinence only programs. An example of this is Bristol Palin, the daughter of Alaskan governor and the 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate. Bristol recently went through her own teenage pregnancy. (pregnantteenhelp) Bristol was put through an abstinence only program, and she stated that the programs were limited in their effectiveness at preventing teen pregnancy. (pregnantteenhelp) Other than that only one-third of adults surveyed support abstinence-only educations, while half oppose the abstinence only approach. (guttmacher) That is why the United States needs to address this problem at a younger age and use a more effective method.
In new 2010 Government curriculum children will now be being taught se...
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...ed sex education. America needs to find
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the most effective and enforce it in this nation. The goal of sex education is to steer
children clear from making bad choices in life. Everyone can do their part in making this happen. Temptation is out there, and kids are going to want to have sex. By teaching them the dangers of sex starting at the age of seven, they can get on a better track. Those teens will be much stronger people because of it. Teens need to be sexually responsible people. That goal can and will be obtained if there is a stung and effective method of sex education. Sex education needs to be made accessible to kids. There is a fine line between love and lust that kids need to know about. Sexuality is a very real part of life for teenagers. Ignoring it, and trying to get teens to ignore it, is likely to be a losing battle. (guttmacher)
The primary argument which most advocates for abstinence only education have is that sex before marriage is immoral, not appropriate and that abstinence is the only completely effective method of preventing teen pregnancy and STI contraction. These advocates also emphasize that condoms are not a sure-fire way of preventing pregnancy and STI contraction. Many of the proponents for abstinence-only education believe that educating youth with information concerning sex and contraception will embolden them to become to begin or increase sexual activity. Such advocates accredit the lowering of teenage pregnancy to abstinence only education (Collins, Alagira, and Summers 12-13).
Today’s young Americans face strong peer pressure to be sexually active and engage themselves in risky behaviors (Merino 100-109). Anyone deciding to have sex must first think about all the risks involved. Kekla Magoon, author of Sex Education in Schools, says that “half of all teens aged 15 to 19 years old in the United States have had sex” (Magoon 64-65). It is currently not required by federal law for schools to teach Sex education and those few schools that do teach Sex education have the decision to determine how much information is allowed. Advocates from both sides of the Sex education debate agree that teens need positive influences in order to make practical decisions (Magoon 88-89). Opponents of Abstinence-only education believe it fails because it does not prepare teens for all the risks of sex (Magoon 64-65).
From a young age, children are bombarded by images of the rich and the famous engaging in torrid public affairs or publicly discussing their increasingly active sex lives. No longer is sex education left to teachers and parents to explain, it is constantly in our faces at the forefront of our society. Regardless of sex education curriculums and debates about possible changes, children and teenagers are still learning everything they think there is to know about sex from very early on in their young lives. However, without responsible adults instructing them on the facts about sex, there are more likely to treat sex in a cavalier and offhanded fashion. According to Anna Quindlen’s essay Sex Ed, the responsibility of to education children about sex is evenly distributed between teachers and parents.
The reason such debate has arose over the years is because there are many diverse opinions about the topic. Children are now faced with problems at a much earlier age than years passed. There must be a way to reach the children before they are in such need of help and are clueless about the devastating problems around them. Sex education is one step in the right direction, when it comes to the health of our children, and the guarantee of a solid future.
Stanger-Hall, K. & Hall, D. (2011). Abstinence-Only Education and Teen Pregnancy Rates: Why We Need Comprehensive Sex Education in the U.S. PLoS ONE 6(10).
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...
Sex among teenagers is one of the most controversial topics of our time. The teen pregnancy and STD rates in the United States alone have become a major problem over the years. Despite these skyrocketing sex cases, sexual education is not being taught in some schools, and the ones that do are extremely limited. Parents, the government, organizations, and school boards do not teach the proper curriculum necessary for students to thoroughly understand sexual behavior. This essay will explain the need for proper sexual education in our schools.
The “talk” about sex has never been a topic many like to discuss with tweens or teens, but it has to be addressed sometime during their lifetimes. Sex is a natural experience that is used for reproduction and the building of an emotional connection. However, many teens engage in pre-marital sex and have no knowledge about protecting themselves. Sex education teaches about human sexuality and how abstinence should be practiced to prevent sexual transmitted diseases (STDs) and unplanned pregnancies. Yet, sex education classes are mostly for those in college. Sex education is not meant to encourage sex, but hopefully steer students into having safe sex or no sex at all. Becoming aware about the consequences of having sex among the tween and teen community needs to be established and understood. If parents have a hard time giving the “talk” about sex, then the subject should be discussed with a trained individual instead of being avoided. Without knowledge teens will explore things without caution. Sources indicate that the argument to allow sex education within public schools, such as middle or high schools, is whether the benefits of learning about sex at an early age will outweigh the risks of experiencing sex without advanced knowledge.
For that reason, teen should be fully educated on the dos and don’ts when it comes to sex. Telling a youth that they should simply wait till marriage would intensify their curiosity about sex and push them to try it. Sex education is necessary for public schools; however, it should not be abstinence-only.
Why should comprehensive sex education be allowed in schools? Should teens be exposed to comprehensive sex education? Sex education should be taught in school because it give children stable and accurate information , it informs them of the danger and diseases associated with sex, and it teaches them about safe sex options.
Shah, Amna T. “Sex Education: Its Importance and Need in the Society.” Ezine @rticles. 6 Dec.
I believe that schools should teach sexual education. I think this because kids that are in school during this age do know or respect the dangers of being sexual active. They don 't know what it means to be protected, They will know about their own bodies and that of other genders. I believe they will have a new found respect for themselves and others. Teaching about it encourages students to develop themselves into better people. Anyone who values themselves and others are better equipped to develop great relationships with others. Pupils are able to take great positive approaches to managing their lives and develop skills that are needed to prepare them for the challenges that lay ahead. Not all parents inform their children about sexual
“Forty-one percent of teens ages 18-19 said they know nothing about condoms, and seventy-five percent said they know nothing about the contraceptive pill” (Facts on American Teens). Even if schools taught just abstinence it still would not be enough. “In 2007, a study showed that abstinence only programs have no beneficial impact on the sexual behavior of young people” (Facts on American Teens). Sex education is not taken as seriously as it should be in schools, it is treated like it is not a big deal. Schools should require a sex education class that specifically teaches students about sex and goes into depth of all the possible consequences because of the high pregnancy, abortion, and virus rates.
All things considered, including a comprehensive sex education curriculum in our schools is needed for the health and well-being of our children. Comprehensive sex education programs do not encourage teens to have sexual intercourse but it does allow young people to make educated decisions about sex, sexual health and relationships. Young people will make up their own minds about whether or not to have sex no matter the opinions expressed by teachers, parents, politicians or religious leaders so let us at least arm with the knowledge to protect themselves.
First of all, the main reason children have sex prematurely is because they are curious. Students lack knowledge about sex because they haven’t been taught about it, however, when children know the consequences behind their actions and the risks they are taking they less likely to want to have sex. If we take the time to show kids what it is like to take care of a child as a teenager or show them AIDS victims; they may be much less likely to want to indulge in sexual activities. Sex education probably can’t prevent teenage sex, but it can ensure students have the knowledge they need so they’ll be aware of what they are getting themselves into.