Sex Education and the American Family

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For years, the question “Should schools teach sex education?” has been asked in American households; and many families have agreed that they would rather not have the schools teach sex education to their children. In each region of the country, there are families that feel the money should not fund sex education, especially funds put into public education, because that is “a duty for the parents.” A question remains, however, why people do not discuss sex with their children, and does this lack of communication between child and parent affect the child’s future. This lack of communication has been proven through studies to be harmful to the lifestyles and well-being of members of society. The importance of family involvement and communication in sex education should be emphasized to reduce the future risks of sexually transmitted infections, prolonged psychological trauma, or confusion in the United States. Studies have shown that sexual education between parents and children does show progress in decreasing premature sexual activity and STI rates. The debate about what should be taught to the children is another issue; as is, how much of that information should be taught. Currently, eighteen states and the District of Columbia require schools to provide sex education and thirty-two do not. In some states, such as Louisiana, students may learn about HIV/AIDS, but not about any other sexually transmitted infections or how to prevent pregnancy. In other states, like Washington, teens receive information on everything from birth control pills to homosexuality. However, this once again raises the question about who should be educateing these children about sex and how to do it. The family unit has been shown to be a determining fa... ... middle of paper ... ...y Adolescents' Sexual Behavior." Journal Of School Health 83.11 (2013): 810-817. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. Haglund, Kristin A. "The Association of Religiosity, Sexual Education, and Parental Factors with Risky Sexual Behaviors Among Adolescents and Young Adults." Journal of Religion and Health. 49.4 (2010): 460-472. Print. McCarty-Caplan, David Milo. "Schools, Sex Education, and Support For Sexual Minorities: Exploring Historic Marginalization And Future Potential." American Journal Of Sexuality Education 8.4 (2013): 246-273. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. Winter, Torsten, Sakari Karvonen, and Richard J. Rose. "Associations Between Sexual Abstinence Ideals, Religiosity, and Alcohol Abstinence: A Longitudinal Study of Finnish Twins." Journal of Sex Research 51.2 (2014): 197-207. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 Mar. 2014.

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