An interesting topic lately is sex
education in schools. Is it necessary? Should it the school’s responsibility?
Are schools programs effective in engaging and getting through to teens?
According to the National Conference of State Legislature all states are
somehow involved in sex education whether it is instruction about HIV/AIDS,
basic sex education, or both. If you’re wondering why sexual education is
taught in schools you’re not alone. Many believe that if sexual education is
not taught in schools many children will never learn in a healthy environment
what safe sex is, about their bodies and others, or have someone to talk to
about uncomfortable situations such as those that arise when talking about
sexual activities. A survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention indicates that more than 47 percent of all high school students have
had sex and only 60% of the students that had had sex in the three moths prior
to the survey reported use of a condom and even lower number of 23% reported
use of birth control. The goal of sexual education is that if teens are going
to engage in sexual activity they know and understand the possible consequences
and how to engage in safe sexual activity that limits the possibilities of STIs
and STDs, pregnancy, and other dangerous repercussions. This website gives
reasons for sexual education to be taught in school, and a breakdown of state
sex education legislation status from the National conference of State
Legislatures: http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-policies-on-sex-education-in-schools.aspx#2.
In November of 2011 the Real Education
for Healthy Youth Act was introduced which aimed to provide young people with
the comprehensive sexuality education they need to make informed, responsible,
and healthy decisions in order to become sexually healthy adults and have
healthy relationships. This act raises the issue of accurate and healthy sexual
education but also healthy relationships, which are an essential part of
growing up and developing into sexually healthy adults. Supported by the
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States the Real
Education for Healthy Youth Act seeks to give adolescents and young adults the
information they need to become informed, sexually healthy adults. More
information can be found at: http://www.siecus.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewPage&pageID=1347&nodeID=1
A lot of information given to children
and young adults about sex education is just scary statistics. But when is it
appropriate start teaching sex education? According to the Chicago Board of Education,
kindergarten. These young children will be taught the basics about human
anatomy, reproduction, healthy relationships and personal safety. This new
policy mandates that a certain amount of time be spent on sexual education in
each grade starting in kindergarten. Through third grade students will focus on
the family, feelings and appropriate and inappropriate touching. From then on,
students will start learning about puberty, HIV, reproduction, the transmission
and prevention of HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases, bullying
and contraception, including abstinence (Mohney 2013). A large change in the
sex education instruction is that it will now cover sexual orientation and
gender identity in order to promote awareness and tolerance, while preventing
bullying. More information can be found at: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/02/28/chicago-passes-sex-ed-for-kindergartners/
Questions to consider:
·
Is
sex education the schools responsibility?
·
Do
you think the sex education that you received was effective?
·
Should
kindergarteners be taught sex education?
·
Should
the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act be passed, why or why not?
·
What
would happen if sex education were taken out of schools?
- Olivia Weaver
