After the crisis of the Human Immunodeficiency virus in the 1970 's to 1990 's, many concerned American citizens started to look for a method for preventing the spread of the sexually transmitted diseases and infections. Originally schools started to teach an abstinence only curriculum. Eventually there was a gradual exchange from an abstinence only curriculum to a curriculum extensively filled with sexual education, from contraceptives to sexually transmitted infections. Many argue that comprehensive sexual education is more effective than an abstinence only education.
Keri Vermillion and Mary Kuk were interviewed on the topic of abstinence and sexual education by Edward T. Lenning. Mrs. Vermillion is the current health teacher for South Umpqua
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The studies found that adolescents who are taught abstinence only education and make a pledge to remain celibate until marriage are four times more likely to perform anal sex, and to not know how to use a condom properly (Hunter). With this study, opponents of abstinence only curriculums, such as Hunter, argue that it is likely that adolescents who are taught an abstinence only curriculum will not know the risks with participating in unsafe sex. Vermillion stated that teaching students how to properly use a condom, or to at least know how to read the directions on the condom boxes, is one of the most important lessons in a sexual education curriculum (Vermillion). Proponents of abstinence education argue that condoms have a margin for error in preventing the transmission of sexual infections and diseases. This argument is answered by proponents of sexual education by claiming that using a condom is considerably safer than when no protection …show more content…
Vermillion continues that parents are not likely to do a good enough job to educate their children on such topics (Vermillion). Kuk concurs with Vermillion 's statements on that sexual education should be done at the teen 's home (Kuk). Both of the health teachers who argue for sexual education agree that parents have a responsibility to teach their children about the ideas of sexual education, arguments state that those who are against sexual education should restrict the abstinence education to only their homes and not the schools (Vermillion). Even as children may or may not be taught in their homes by those who advocate abstinence, Mrs. Vermillion argues that sexual education in public schools should start in the sixth or seventh grade (Vermillion). Advocates for sexual education, such as Susan Hunter, argue that on a regular basis, teenage students are not taught proper information on how to protect themselves (Hunter). Mrs. Vermillion and Mrs. Kuk both agree on that informing students of the importance of protection can be the most critical in prevent sexually transmitted diseases
... abstinence provides such as a decreased risk in contracting STIs and HIV. Lowen has a B.A in English and attended graduate school for communications at Syracuse University. She also received the Exceptional Merit in Media Award from the National Women 's Political Caucus in 2009. Throughout her piece, she states that abstinence promotes focus in school and decreases a teen’s emotional vulnerability. She also adds that abstinence is free and doesn’t come with any side effects, whereas other contraceptives do such as birth control pills. I will use this source to support my counterargument and to emphasize the importance of abstinence, especially when it is a personal choice. I will also use this information to explain why abstinence and comprehensive education should be taught together in order to have an effective sexual education course in middle and high schools.
Nineteen-fifty five marked the debut of sex education programs in schools in the United States. Along the years, many have argued whether or not sex education should be taught in schools. Many believe that the education of sex encourages students to engage in sexual activities which lead to a higher number of pregnancies and sexual transmitted diseases (STD’s). As the number of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases climbs higher and higher every day in our country, one can only think that sexual education is a necessity in our school systems. Teens as young as fourteen years old have admitted to already engaging in sexual activities. No teen should be engaging in such acts at that age. Many schools give parents the choice to have their child opt out of the lesson or class. Few states are required to teach sex education to students in secondary schools unless they were withdrawn from the class by their parents.
Everyone has an opinion about sexuality education. From vocal parents at PTA meetings to state governors who must decide whether to apply for federal funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs or more comprehensive sexuality programs, or both, or neither. From school pri...
"Comprehensive Sex Education Is Inappropriate and Harmful." Do Abstinence Programs Work? Ed. Christina Fisanick. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. At Issue.
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...
Chen, Grace. “Schools, Parents, and Communities Should Contribute to Educating Teens About Sex.” Teenage Sexuality. Ed. Aarti D. Stephens. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From “Public Schools and Sex Education.” Public School Review. 2008. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.
Malone, Patrick, and Monica Rodriguez. "Comprehensive Sex Education vs. Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs." Human Rights Magazine 38 (2011). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. .
Collins, Chris, Priya Alagiri, and Todd Summers. "Abstinence Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education: What Are the Arguments? What Is the Evidence?" AIDS Research Institute. University of California, San Francisco, Mar. 2002. Web. 19 Feb. 2011. .
One of the most popular views comes from a moral standpoint, from this stance it is suggested that abstinence only programs are the best and most morally correct way of educating students about sex. In the early eighties the Adolescent Family Life Act (AFLA) was put into the action, it was also known as “The Chastity Act.” “AFLA focuses on developing programs that promote abstinence as the only option to help young people avoid sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy.” (Perrin and DeJoy 446-47). AFLA caused a lot of controversy over whether this was the best way to educate children about sex. Those opposed to AFLA argue that this method of sex education offers no safe alternative to having sex and is not actually educating students on sex. It is only focused on encouraging students to refrain from sexual activity.
When examining the article through broader lenses, sociological imagination is used to look at the piece of writing in different ways. Although teaching kids about sex and contraceptives is con...
Thomas, . "Abstinence-Only Sex Education Statistics - Final Nail in the Coffin." Open Education: Free Education for All. N.p., 5 Jan 2009. Web. 4 Apr. 2012
I would ask the reader to do an extensive review of what has been discussed in this paper compare and contrast of the information present allowing can make an informed decision of what Sex Education program you believe to be the best for the implementation in our education systems.
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.
Before moving on, one must know that sex education is about, but not limited to the discussion of sexual intercourse. As a Buzzle article states, it involves a multitude of topics that introduce human sexual behaviors such as puberty, sexual health, sexual reproduction, sexuality, and more (Iyer). If formally received in school, these topics are brought up and discussed at age-appropriate times over the course of children’s junior high and high school education. Moreover, as I have introduced earlier, the way sex education should be taught is divided into two approaches. It is between taking either a conservative, abstinence-only approach or a more liberal, comprehensive approach. Abstinence-only education, approaches students by stressing the importance of “no sex before marriage” as be...