Comprehensive Sexual Education

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Anxious students enter their first sexual education classroom awaiting their teacher’s arrival. Although an uncomfortable topic, students underestimate the impact sexual education has on their growth and development as a members of society. As of March 2016, only 24 states in the U.S. mandate public schools to teach sexual education (National Conference of State Legislatures). Providing knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), reproductive health, sexual abuse, abstinence, and possibly contraception, sexual education enables students to make educated decisions about their body, sexual activity, and relationships. Defined as education that covers topics including sexuality, human development, abstinence, relationships, and disease …show more content…

Hence comprehensive sexual education will create educational equity, allowing students access to information regarding safe sex practices. In Utah, a typical abstinence only bill “defines sex education in Utah as abstinence-only and bans instruction in sexual intercourse, homosexuality, contraceptive methods and sexual activity outside of marriage,”(Ring). Declining to educate on safe sex and contraception chastises sexually active students, subjecting them to higher rates of pregnancy and STIs. Of unmarried teenagers ages 13-19, 44% of females and 49% of males have had sexual intercourse (Fl). Disregarding sexually active students, abstinence only education is unable to educate almost half of students on how to practice safe sex. Students who pledge their virginity, and have sex are three times less likely to not use a condom than students who had a comprehensive sexual education (Advocates for Youth). Incorporating comprehensive sexual education into the curriculum of students worldwide will help decrease teen pregnancy and STI rates, while increasing the use of contraceptives. With decreased rates of contraceptive use in those who receive abstinence only sexual education leading to increased rates of STDs, communities where over 20% percent of young adults took the virginity pledge they had a STD rate of 8.9%, while in comparison in communities where fewer young adults pledge they had a rate of 5.5% (Bearman P. and Brückner H.). This indicates the increased risk of STDs in communities with virginity pledges, a common activity in abstinence only sexual education courses. Abstinence only education is also accompanied by higher pregnancy rates, Vermont educates

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