Abstinence-Only is Not the Way to Go

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In a society where teenagers engaging in sexual activity is continuously rising, it is important to be open minded about the education and care that goes into these teenagers about sexual education. Two options for these teens are abstinence only education, and allowing contraceptives to minors. Each of these methods receive backlash because of ethical reasoning. Parents do not want to hear about their children being taught about contraceptives and gaining access to them, while critics of the “abstinence-only” education believe that it is not effective on its own. Of those who do not believe abstinence only education is solely effective, many are supporters of introducing a broader education that treats abstinence as a way to avoid pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections(STIs), but to also include information about contraceptives and condoms (Alford, 2007, par. 1). In two separate polls done by the Kaiser Family Foundation, National Public Radio, and Harvard University, and the National Women’s Law Center and Planned Parenthood Federation of America, each received similar results: 85% of Americans believed that schools should teach a comprehensive curriculum on sexual education. Along with the 93% of Americans that want youth to wait for sexual activity until marriage, 99% want programs to include information on STIs and HIV. Another 83% want students to learn how to put on a condom (Alford, 2007, par. 9). Based on information and statistics that denounce the effectiveness of abstinence only education, the writer believes that students and teens should have a better access to contraceptives. As stated under the Fourteenth Amendment, a teenager has the right to access contraceptives. Additionally, teenage contrac... ... middle of paper ... ...ted standard for sexual behavior. By this standard, teens who do not follow those same cultures and religions are being forced to comply with the education. In actuality, the median age for sexual activity is 17, and the average marriage age is 25.8 for women and 27.4 for men (Alford, 2007, par. 16). One other important counter argument is the possibility that access to contraceptives will make teenagers more likely to engage in sexual behavior. Although this theory could easily be confirmed, there has been no medical evidence to suggest an increase in teenage sexual behavior (Lu, 2010, par. 17). Works Cited http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/publications-a-z/597-abstinence-only-until-marriage-programs-ineffective-unethical-and-poor-public-health http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/family/lawstudents/2010schwab1_lu.authcheckdam.pdf

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