Sex Education in the United States of America

847 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Comprehensive essay on sex education

Apparently, in our society the sexuality is open, we can see in media sexual contain with provocative women and sensual men. They seem to be satisfy and invite to be as them. However, people talk of sex, sexuality, sex education, gender; roles, STD’s, HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy and they do not want to talk. So, we confront with the reality: sex is a hard topic that it is not easy to touch. Then, the sex education is a essential for invidious, family, and schools, privacy and public sides, which should be creating the best form to teach young generations to have satisfactory sexuality and preventing sexual transmission diseases, but numbers on statistics show the reality society needs help to increase knowledge about how they can prevent STD’s, unplanned pregnancies, and other problems that have the topic of sex. Sex education is an important part of the organizations which want to prevent epidemics as it occurred with HIV/AIDS in the decade of 1980’s in the United States. This issue created at that time sex education was the key to awareness to society that we can prevent transmission of this virus. Also, HIV/AIDS put in the government agenda, federal and local, that they had to act if government wanted to prevent the number of people infected and deaths by this virus. It is not less important in this time, HIV/AIDS, but at the time of 1980’s and 1990’s the issue was latent in everywhere. Prevention is the key of sex education even though many people do not understand the value of educate people in their sexuality. We only go to the local schools and pay attention how teachers or programs threat the topic with their students. In the US exists two kinds of sexual education are in schools; one of the schools presents a comprehensive ... ... middle of paper ... ...gether if we want to prevent infectious or other problems that confront people who do not have enough information about sexuality. The government (federal and local) through schools, parents, organizations, and media need to work together to provide appropriate information that support a coherent sex education for young people. We have some contradictions that are necessary to fix. For example, at this moment more than 86% of schools have abstinence programs, but the mass media provide to teenagers programs where the scenes have too much sexual content. If media provide these kinds of programs and is influential with young people, abstinence program do not work appropriately. Young people need to have proper information that they can evaluate the risk to have sex intercourses without protection as condoms or contraceptives that prevent STD’s or unwanted pregnancies.

Show More
Related

  • Abstinence-Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education

    2387 Words  | 5 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Debate of Abstinece-Only or Comprehensive Sex Education

    785 Words  | 2 Pages

    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).

    Read More

  • The Influence of Sex Education on the Younger Community

    1734 Words  | 4 Pages

    McAvoy, Paula. “The Aims Of Sex Education: Demoting Autonomy And Promoting Mutuality.” Educational Theory. Academic Search Premier, 1 Oct. 2013. Web. 24 Jun. 2014.

    Read More

  • Sex Education

    1103 Words  | 3 Pages

    Two drastic Emergency Room cases were handled in 1998 at Mary Washington Hospital. Concerned mothers brought their 12 year old daughters into the hospital thinking they were suffering from severe stomach pain or even appendicitis…both girls were actually in labor (Abstinence, 2002). The United States has the highest teen pregnancy, birth, and abortion rates in the Western world (Planned Parenthood, 2003). Are teens getting enough knowledge on sex and how to prevent STDs and unwanted pregnancies? Another heartbreaking statistic is that teenagers have the highest rate of STDs of any age group, with one in four young people contracting an STD by the age of 21 (Sex-Ed Work, 2003). Is sex education really working in school? Or do we need to change the type of curricula that is taught? There is no question that sex education should be taught in schools, but the question is how? The purpose of this paper is to determine which curricula of sex education should be taught in schools to be most effective in lowering STD and pregnancy rates among teenagers.

    Read More

  • Sex Education in Schools: Abstinence-Only Programs

    2001 Words  | 5 Pages

    Teenage sexual activity is a major problem confronting the nation and has led to a rising incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and teenage pregnancy. The existence of HIV/AIDS has given a sense of urgency to the topic of sex education. The issue of sex education in schools especially in the formative years has been a subject of intense debate among parents, school officials, health scientists and religious authorities worldwide for a considerable period of time. The debate centers on comprehensive sex education versus abstinence-only sex education in school. Abstinence only sex education is a sex education model that focuses on the virtue of abstinence from sexual activities; therefore, encouraging sexual abstinence until marriage. This form of sexual education completely ignores all other elements of comprehensive sexual education like safe sex and reproductive health education issues like the use of contraceptives and birth control methods. Comprehensive sex teaching encourages promiscuous sexual activity as “a natural part of life.” Proponents of abstinence only education activists cite several reasons why this type of education is the best. It focuses on the upholding of moral virtues. They also claim that sex outside marriage hat is “encouraged” by the comprehensive sex education which as a result, has some emotional and physical downfall especially when done at a very young age. They blame the comprehensive sex education for failing to discourage premarital sex especially at this time when the HIV pandemic is busy devouring young people in various parts of the world (Deborah 2). In fairness, both programs were designed to decrease the incidence of STDs...

    Read More

  • Be Informed: Have the Sex Talk with Your Kids

    785 Words  | 2 Pages

    Every schooling system generally has sexual education programs or speakers that will come to educate the students, but during these programs they are usually pushing abstinence. Statistics state that “Since 1997 the federal government has invested more than $1.5 billion dollars in abstinence-only programs—proven ineffective programs which censor or exclude important information that could help young people protect their health.” Most young people will not choose abstinence just because they are told to; they are adventurous and need to know all the real details of what is in store for them no matter how uncomfortable it may be. If a person is hired to inform students on sexual education they should include every detail of things that could happen to them. Informers may feel as if they are looking out for the better interest of the child by holding back some information about sex but that is not the case at all, the more information provided the more helpful it will be.

    Read More

  • Exemplification Essay: Sex Education In Public Schools

    1130 Words  | 3 Pages

    Some of the American public believe that sex education should be taught at home by the children's parents. They feel that sex education programs in schools do not put an emphasis on abstinence and encourages children to have sexual intercourse.

    Read More

  • The Benefits of Sexual Education in Public Schools

    2028 Words  | 5 Pages

    Sexual education and sex in general is a taboo subject. A number of people, both in the past and recently, have suggested that sex education programs should be taught elsewhere besides schools, like at home. Sadly, parents a...

    Read More

  • Sex Education For Public Schools

    1534 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the United States, there is a rising problem that is not going anywhere anytime soon, that is if we, as citizens, don 't change it. This problem is causing billions of dollars and people 's futures all because schools would rather teach ignorance than the truth. What’s the problem? Sex education. Although sex education may not seem like a rising conflict, it is actually one of the top controversial topics in our country regarding education. According to Brigid McKeon, “Each year, U.S. teens experience as many as 850,000 pregnancies, and youth under age 25 experience about 9.1 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs)” (McKeon). This number is so unbelievable to any sane person, but somehow schools still won 't take the initiative to teach realistic sex education. Sex education can be taught in two different procedures- comprehensive or abstinence only. The difference between the two methods is that comprehensive sex education teaches abstinence as a secondary choice, so that teens who decide not to wait are well educated on how to keep themselves protected. Comprehensive sex education should be required in every single public school because it is the most effective method on how to keep teenagers well informed and prepared.

    Read More

  • Comprehensive Sex Education In Schools

    1047 Words  | 3 Pages

    If comprehensive sex education is offered at schools to children, it will allow them access to more information that if the parent tried to educate them. The reasons for this are that the teachers are specially trained to teach the children this information in a way that they can understand. Having this class at schools also provides the children with textbooks which offer even more things like drawings, diagrams and accurate information about sex education. Making sure teen have accurate information about sex important making sure that they are ready for sex instead of leaving them guessing or worst using inaccurate information.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay: Should Schools Teach Sexual Education?

    1144 Words  | 3 Pages

    The truth is that sex education does not encourage students to do it. Sex education prevents sexual diseases and teenage pregnancy. But how? Students are taught how to use condoms. These kids are in danger of sexually transmitted diseases. There is also a big possibility for them to become pregnant and that is why sex education should be taught to avoid these things from happening. In sex education, students are also taught of abstinence. They are taught that they should only have sexual intercourse after they get married. In case the parents are always away from their children, sex education should be taught to them so that they would learn it from an educated and responsible adult instead of learning it from the media or from their friends There will always be peers who would badly influence others. I remember my bus-mates when I was in High School. They are only ages eight to ten but the words that come out of their mouths are foul sex languages. I was really surprised and our bus driver did not even intend to lecture them. When I was their age, I still did not know anything. The generation today just keeps on getting worse. The media and technology played a big role on this. Students can now access any site on the internet that contains adult content or pornographic materials. That is why sex education should be

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay : Sexual Education

    1012 Words  | 3 Pages

    Whereas, the Sexual Education program promotes safe sex and knowledge of the sex and it’s consequences. The motto would be, “Knowledge is Power.” As a result of this program has decreased the rate of unplanned pregnancy and sexual disease outbreak. This is why it is argued that Sexual Education should be taught in the public school system.

    Read More

  • The Other Side: The Importance of Sex Education in High School

    590 Words  | 2 Pages

    High school years are generally the years people talk about when reminiscing. Many things happen in high school that are a milestone in a teenager’s life. Their first varsity basketball game, getting a class ring, and even maybe their first love. Along with their first love comes the topic, pressure, and even attraction, to sexual behavior. It is an inevitable feeling that all teenagers will feel at one point in time. With media today forcing sex in almost everything, adolescent sex is becoming a bigger problem. How it is handled on the other hand is a completely different topic. Parents are not educating their teens on sexual behavior and the consequences are not to be preferred. On the other hand, schools do not want the responsibility but are forced to take matters into their own hands by teaching abstinence only so that they are not blamed for risks of premarital sex such as AIDS, pregnancy, or STDs. Comprehension teaches kids about safe sex and the proper safety and precautions to take if sex is desired, whereas “abstinence-only programs are inaccurate, ineffective, and may even cause harm” (Advocates for Youth). Ones who believe abstinence only is the route to take must consider the ramifications of teenagers being poorly informed about sexual education.

    Read More

  • The Lack Of Sex Education

    1318 Words  | 3 Pages

    “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.

    Read More

  • Benefits of Sex Education in Schools

    866 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to World Association for Sexual Health, "to achieve sexual health, all individuals, including youth, must have access to comprehensive sexuality education and sexual health information and services throughout the life cycle" (Sexual Health for the Millennium 4). In the fifteenth century, scientists and educators raised the issue of sex education of children and adolescents. This topic particularly was discussed after the sexual revolution that occurred in the past century, when there were the first attempts to introduce sex education courses first as electives, and then as a mandatory class. Sex education should be taught in schools as a compulsory subject in order to develop knowledge about puberty as well as to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

    Read More

More about Sex Education in the United States of America

Open Document