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Felicia Martinez
11/06/2015
ENG 1010
Research Paper
I believe that there is a problem in the United States with Sexual Education in our
schools. Teen pregnancy and STDs are at an all-time high when they could easily be prevented.
However, I dont think that people know how to prevent the unwanted situations because they
werent taught how to. Sex Education is taught in some elementary schools but mostly junior
highs and high schools but only in less than half of the country. That obviously isnt enough
when the teen pregnancy rates are getting higher and the ages are getting lower. A big part to
play in the information given is that people are afraid to be so forward or they get embarrassed of
the subjects. Im sure everyone has seen the nasty slideshows of pictures of STDs, but they still
ended up having sex. A majority of my graduating class is now, or was in high school, parents
and I graduated in 2013.
The biggest problem I see with Sexual Education is that not only does no one want to
learn it, but that sex is used as a punishment method. If you have sex you will get a disease, if
you have sex you will get pregnant. Though these are very real possibilities, they shouldnt be
treated as punishments. A baby is a blessing whether you are married or not. However, if we can
teach children the ways on how to protect themselves there wont be so many abortions. The
Netherlands have a great Education program because they start teaching Sexual Education as
young as Kindergarten. As crazy as it sounds, it really works for them. They start by teaching
them .sexual diversity and sexual assertiveness. That means encouraging respect for all sexual

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preferences and helping students develop skills to protect against sexual coercion, intimidation and abuse.
The underlying principle is straightforward: Sexual development is a normal process that all young
people experience, and they have the right to frank, trustworthy information on the subject. In doing so
their teen sexual activity is much lower than that in other European countries and even the United States. I
dont understand why being educated is such a bad thing especially when it comes to your bodily health.
Even when it comes to using contraceptives, it still is important and the people should be
educated about their options. In the Netherlands, they have the highest use amount of contraceptives, but
they have the lowest .teen pregnancy rate in the Netherlands is one of the lowest in the world, five
times lower than the U.S. Rates of HIV infection and sexually transmitted diseases are also low. The
people are much happier with first sexual experience because they were educated and had available
contraceptives unlike in the United States where many wish they had waited longer.
A recent study from Georgetown University shows that starting sex ed in primary school helps
avoid unintended pregnancies, maternal deaths, unsafe abortions and STDs.Students who had
completed comprehensive sex education in the Netherlands were also found to be more assertive and
better communicators, according to an independent health research agency that conducted a study of the
Dutch programs. By educating our students more and at a younger age, we as a country can decrease the
abortion rates, and raise the success in our youth. By giving those options to save their lives as well as
others they can take that time to which they may have had to raise a kid to be able to finish school or
succeed in their career.

In teaching Sex Ed so young, it doesnt just leap to talking about sex, instead, they learn
parts of their bodies and the differences between genders. By being more comfortable with
themselves they can be comfortable learning and respecting others. In Kindergarten in the
Netherlands, they also teach how they can express not wanting to be touched. This can help with
eliminating mixed signals and might help in some rape situations. by age 11, students are

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comfortable enough to navigate pointed discussions about reproduction, safe sex, and sexual
abuse. In the United States, its praised to be abstinent until marriage, but no one really explains
to the youth what happens when you dont. There are obviously going to be consequences, but
they dont have to be so life threatening as they are set out to seem. A study by Public Religion
Research Institute, nearly four in 10 millennials report that the sex education they received was
not helpful. Isnt that just sad? However in the state of Utah it gets worse. Utah state
representative Bill Wright has further tried to restrict sex ed. In 2012, he proposed a bill requiring
that abstinence only be taught and that it be an optional subject. It passed but was vetoed by the
governor. Sex education is not an important part of our curriculum, Wright said. It is just
basically something out there that takes away from the character in our schools and takes away
from the character of our students. How are the people of Utah supposed to learn about
protecting themselves when the teachings are already forbidden? This is causing people to be
uncomfortable with themselves and their sexuality.
The concepts of teaching Sexual Education in elementary schools has been adapted by
two of the largest school districts of the country, in Florida and Chicago. They started teaching in
Kindergarten through fourth grade with a mandatory of 300 minutes a year and doubled the
amount for fifth and sixth grade. It would be a remarkable way to bring back education and
personal acceptance if every state could accept this idea, but in the state of Utah Kindergarten is
no longer mandatory so why would they make Sexual Education? Utah has very low Education
levels as it is, so why not try to fix their status? Especially since it is proven to not only work, but
be accepted in a few states already. Why doesnt Utah want their people to be educated? It wont
change the perception of religion in this state, but it will keep its people safe and healthy.

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I believe that if the Governor of Utah and State Board of Education could be reconciled
with, and made to understand the importance of education not only for the state, but the country
as well that maybe the quality and amount of education will increase drastically. Education is
very praised in todays world because there is always more things to learn, and I hope that the
people of Utah arent going to be withheld or punished for the leaders negligence. Not everyone
waits until marriage to engage in sexual activity, but why set out to punish those people when
they are only doing what nature intended?

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The Case or Starting Sex Education in Kindergarten

BY Saskia de Melker ..http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/spring-fever/. May 27, 2015 at
1:44 PM EST