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Vallis Joseph
Professor Patten
English 1010 - 120
May 6, 2014
Sex Education in Public Schools
Sex education in schools is one of the largest controversial issues in America. Some think that
sex education in schools only encourages teens to pursue having sex, while others think sex
education in school fixes teen pregnancies. Is sex education in schools really necessary? How
effective is sex education in schools, and is it helping with the amount of teen pregnancies?
This essay will give an insight into all sides of this controversial issue and discuss whether it
is necessary to have sex education classes in our school systems. This seems to be a very black
and white issue with a little gray area; people are either highly for or highly against sex
education in the classroom, the gray are is more of whats being taught rather then not teaching it
all. Before getting started I think that it is important to give a little history of sex education and
when it was brought to light in school systems.
In 1981 Congress passed, and President Reagan signed into law, the Adolescent Family Life
Act (AFLA). Through AFLA, the federal government for the first time invested on a small scale
in local programs designed to prevent teenage pregnancy by encouraging "chastity and self-
discipline" among teenagers (Dailard). These programs exclusively promoted abstinence only.
They did not teach anything on contraception, condoms or anything beyond abstinence only.
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After years and years of debate programs have changed and some are no longer abstinence only
programs.
Currently all schools are involved in some type of sex education for public schoolchildren. As
of January 2014 22 states and the District of Columbia require public schools teach sex
education, 20 of which mandate sex education and HIV education. 33 states and the District of
Columbia require students receive instruction about HIV/AIDS. Nine states require that if
provided, sex education must be medically, factually or technically accurate (NCSL).
The first side of this issue that I will discuss is those that are for sex education in our school
systems and feel that it is helping teens. The majority of the people for sex education in schools
want their children to receive comprehensive, medically accurate, age-appropriate sex
education. Parents see such courses and content as supplementing, not supplanting, their
discussions at home. They say that their children need both to be taught about delaying the onset
of intimate sexual relationships until they are mature and responsible and also given the
information and skills they need to use condoms and contraception when they do choose to
become sexually active. It's not either/or, but both (Advocates for Youth).
This group of people for sex education in schools believes that sex education is helping
children and teens to not become sexuality active until later in their lives. They are also for these
programs because it is supporting what they are telling their children at home about sex
education. According to the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) in a study they did
throughout 2002 and 2003 Young people who received comprehensive sex education were
significantly less likely to report a teen pregnancy compared to those who received no sex
education (SIECUS).
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In a public opinion survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2000 parents were
overwhelmingly supportive of sexuality education that goes beyond abstinence. 81% of parents
thought teens should be taught abstinence, pregnancy, and STD prevention. 18% thought teens
should be taught only abstinence and 1% didnt know (NCSL). This shows an overwhelming
amount of support for schools to teach sex education.
Another big supporter of sex education in schools is the organization Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood believes that parents and guardians should be the primary sexuality
educators of their children. As with other complex issues, many parents may need support,
resources, and expertise from schools and other organizations. It is important that young people
receive age-appropriate sexual health information and develop practical skills for keeping
healthy (Planned Parenthood). There has been a lot of controversial issues with Planned
Parenthood being involved in teaching sex education because they are one of the leading
organizations for abortions. Putting that aside for just a moment, Planned Parenthood is not only
a huge supporter for sex education being taught in our school systems but also one of the largest
educators in our school systems for sex education.
The next side of this issue is those people and groups that are against sex education being
taught in schools all together. This side believes that children are continually bombarded with
sexual propaganda. That more and more children are experimenting with sexual encounters and
thus contracting sexually transmitted diseases, becoming pregnant, having abortions and using
contraception. They also believe that not only is the media bombarding our children with this
information, but children are also being bombarded with this through the sex education programs
in schools.
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This side believes that we are just shoving sex in our childrens faces with media and sex
education which is making them go and have sex at a young age, in return also contacting
sexually transmitted diseases and causing them to have abortions. According to a study made by
UGA (University of Georgia) states that prescribe abstinence-only sex education programs in
public schools have significantly higher teenage pregnancy and birth rates than states with more
comprehensive sex education programs, researchers from the University of Georgia have
determined. Although this study shows that this is abstinence only vs. comprehensive sex
education programs although a lot of states are still teaching abstinence only in schools.
This group thinks that sex education is causing more teen pregnancies, STDs and abortion by
teaching children about sex and that it in fact is pressuring them into having sex at this early age
rather than keeping them from it.
The final side that I would like to discuss is those that feel like there should be sex education
in our school systems but that what is being taught is not the correct type of sex education. They
feel that what is being taught may be more damaging then not teaching anything at all. Most of
the time this boils down to abstinence only vs. comprehensive sex education programs but
sometimes there are other issues with how sex education is being taught. While researching this
topic there was a huge story going on about how school districts in Mississippi are teaching
comprehensive sex education.
A curriculum that has been adopted by over sixty percent of Mississippi school districts
instructs teachers to put on purity preservation exercises, like one that prompts students to
unwrap a piece of chocolate, pass it around class and observe how dirty it became. As Marie
Barnard, a Mississippi public health worker and parent, told the Los Angeles Times: They're
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using the Peppermint Pattie to show that a girl is no longer clean or valuable after she's had
sexthat she's been used That shouldn't be the lesson we send kids about sex (Hess).
Parents feel that yes sex education should be taught and that it is necessary for teens these
days but the curriculum needs to be looked at as to how we teach our children about sex
education. The focus needs to change from if sex education needs to be taught to what exactly
needs to be taught for sex education. If all sides worked together, they could come up with a sex
education course that was suitable to most everybody and helped teens with all that comes along
with sex education.
For myself personally, I have one child in school and two more who will be of school age
shortly. I personally would be very upset if they were being taught abstinence only or also
passing around a piece of chocolate to show how women can get dirty. I feel like sex is a real
thing and although I do not want my children having sex as teens, I want them to be taught about
everything including condoms, birth control and STDs and taught honestly. So I am a little of all
of these sides, I think that they should set forth a real curriculum that helps teens learn about
everything and hopefully prevent teen pregnancy. All in all I personally feel like yes sex
education is necessary in school systems, but how it is being taught needs an intense review.
The overall picture here is that teens are interested in sex and sex education. 2011 Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey indicates that more than 47 percent of all high
school students say they have had sex (NCSL). So yes, sex education is highly needed and
necessary in school systems. Teen pregnancies are unwanted and anything we can do to prevent
teen pregnancies is a plus. No matter which side youre on, we all agree that no one wants teens
having sex or teen girls getting pregnant. Along with that, we do not want them having abortions
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or contracting sexually transmitted diseases. It seems as if no matter which side youre on, this is
a middle ground where we all can agree. I personally feel like those that do not want any sex
education being taught in our school systems, most of them would agree on something being
taught that was reasonable and helping children with the issue. Besides just these sides there is
much more that weighs in like religion and beliefs when it comes to our own children and them
having sex. You will always have religion playing a role in topics like these.
In my opinion something that might be being overlooked is teaching our children about
relationships. I think that teaching children just a little on relationships and marriage would help
them to gradually get into the talk of sex education and how the two should go together rather
than handing out chocolate and showing how it can become dirty. With society the way it is
today and the use of technology, it is just ridiculous to think that teens will not read or hear about
sex ever if we dont talk to them about it. I think it is best to be open, remember that technology
is out there and we have the option to talk to our children about sex education to a certain extent
then them learning from the internet. Sex education when taught properly, honestly and
accurately can make a huge difference in a childs life.
In conclusion the majority of people think that yes sex education is necessary in the school
system. As to every topic discussed you will always have different views, but working together
we could come up with something suitable to teach our children in the public school systems that
would help prevent teen pregnancies and STDs. It is helping with teen pregnancies, but the
curriculum needs to be looked at and the topic is more so how sex education should be taught in
schools rather then if it should be taught in school. No matter which stance you take on the
subject we can all agree that anything we can do to prevent teens from having unprotected sex,
teen pregnancy, and all that comes with it is a step in the right direction.
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References
"Parents as Advocates for Comprehensive Sex Ed in Schools." Advocates for Youth. N.p., n.d.
Web. 06 May 2014.
Dailard, Cynthia. "Sex Education: Politicians, Parents, Teachers and Teens." Sex Education:
Politicians, Parents, Teachers and Teens. N.p., Feb. 2001. Web. 06 May 2014.
"Implementing Sex Education." Planned Parenthood. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2014.
"National Data Shows Comprehensive Sex Education Better at Reducing Teen Pregnancy than
Abstinence-Only Programs." SIECUS. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2014.
"UGA Study: Higher Pregnancy and Birth Rates in States with Abstinence-only Sex Ed
Programs in Schools." Get Schooled RSS. Ed. Maureen Downey. N.p., 30 Nov. 2011.
Web. 05 May 2014.
Hess, Amanda. "Mississippi Sex Ed Class Compares Women to Dirty Pieces of Chocolate."
Slate Magazine. N.p., 08 Apr. 2014. Web. 05 May 2014.
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation/ABC Television, Sex in the 90s: 1998 National Survey
of Americans on Sex and Sexual Health, Sept. 1998. Web. 05 May 2014.
"State Policies on Sex Education in Schools." NCSL (National Conference of State Legislatures.
N.p., 11 Apr. 2014. Web. 05 May 2014.