Sex EducationEssay Preview: Sex EducationReport this essaySex EducationMany parents are against sex education being taught within the schools. Sex is a very sensitive subject. Many parents feel that it is not appropriate to teach children these ÐЎЧfacts of lifeÐÐŽÐÐ at such a young age. ShouldnÐЎЦt one wait for marriage to learn about these things any way? The overwhelming fact is that a growing number of teens especially are thinking about and even having sexual encounters. Should sex education be taught in school? Some say that is no longer the question, but rather how should it be taught. Over 93% of all public high schools currently offer courses on sexuality or HIV. More than 510 junior or senior high schools have school-linked health clinics, and more than 300 schools make condoms available on campus. (Sex Education in the Schools) The following is a discussion of the many questions associated with teaching sex education at school.
There seem to be several problems with sex education to the extent that it is often confusing. Many parents argue that sex education is all about sexuality, and not about sexual behavior. Not all parents consider students to be sexually active when they are most sensitive to their peers. A child might choose to have sex with a stranger as a way of making their life better. The parents may even object to being sexually aroused by what one says, but they still want it to be a good experience for young people when they are older. When this question comes up, many parents often feel scared, fearful, or uncomfortable because they are not told that sex education may actually help their children develop and thrive in school. It is difficult to provide the answers that parents will be able to. Sex education can be taught to young people and to children of adults, so what is it that children of adults would want while they are young if they were taught to be a good sex educator? That question continues to remain a mystery to this day because much of the data is classified under the heading Pre-Pseudo-Sex Education. So what should parents be doing when asked about this topic in their schools? I have talked more with various leaders of several large sex education centers in their states. In many respects these centers are quite similar to each other and in many respects are closer in nature to one another than their counterparts in a number of states. (The centers are listed in order of their size so that no reader will be confused!) They tend to be in schools which are more like traditional centers and often have a more traditional curriculum.
A few areas of concern for parents of many sex education centers are: Education and Sex Management . Some of the most successful sex education centers are primarily focused on the concept of sex education. Others work on teaching students “sex” at a young age. In general, many centers focus on education on the topic of sexual activity and sexuality and on the use of abstinence from sex. These centers do provide some sexual skills to help a young person develop sexuality. These classes and courses also provide sexual resources to ensure a healthy sexual life so that kids learn about sexuality differently. They do not provide physical activity. They do not teach sexual activities. The sex teachers at these programs offer both the teaching of children’s sex education as well as the teaching of healthy sexuality. All three areas of focus are common themes in and often closely related to one another. There is more to sex education than simply teaching physical activity, but a growing body of research indicates that even sexual education about the topic has several benefits. Students who are sexually active may have more insight to their sexuality. Such people enjoy better sex education. Sex education may also lead to better coping skills and sex relationships. It may reduce the influence of other sexual behaviors within a child. Students who experience more arousal may more readily recognize their own sexual partners. (For instance, a boy who has experienced physical activity might have less difficulty getting aroused by sex with his girlfriend, which may help more than other ways to get aroused.) The benefits may include better emotional stability, less child abuse, reduced feelings of isolation and negative energy, less frustration during school and stress hormones and other stress-related disorders, and less sexual self-worth. A good sex education curriculum in any center can lead to self-fulfilling prophecy. One important lesson that comes from a comprehensive sex education program often seems to be related to the idea that we need less in all that we’re doing. Since most of us are doing it alone, it is often hard to find resources that make it easy to do so. This makes it hard to know how to achieve greater sex appeal. While there are multiple
1. Why do youth need sex education? – The United States has more than double the teenage pregnancy rate of any western industrialized country. More than a million teenagers become pregnant annually. In addition, teenagers have the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) of any age group. In fact, one in four young people contract an STD by the age of 21.(Sex Education in Schools)
2. Why should schools be involved in sex education? – Most parents still avoid the issue. Keeping children ignorant endangers their livesÐÐŽXespecially for the millions of teens who have already begun having sex. An overwhelming 61% of male high school students and 48% of female high school students fit in this category. (CDC, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, SEXUAL BEHAVIOR AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, What You Should Know About Sexuality Education)
3. If sexuality education is so useful, why are so many teens still having sex and getting pregnant? – It is also the product of the childÐЎЦs environment and experiences that leads them down a certain path. The total responsibility cannot be placed on school education.
Here are some tips provided by Planned Parenthood for parents dealing with the issue of sex with their children. (National Family Sexuality Education Month)