Sex Education
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Sex Education
Abstinence-only sex education is based on family values and ideological beliefs. Since the 1980s Congress and many school boards have supported this movement in their effort to promote self-discipline and prevent premarital sex. Since the early 1980s efforts have been made to suppress sex and teach the social, psychological, and health benefits that might b gained by abstaining from premarital sex. Abstinence programs can be beneficial because it encourages children to remain abstinent until they find a spouse. However, there is little evidence that prove that teens abstain from sex longer than others. Teens are less likely to use condoms, which result in higher rate of pregnancy. This also contributes in the infection and spread of HIV/AIDS. Crucial health programs that provide information on STDs are ignored because they are deemed inconsistent with the abstinent-only message. Abstinent-only education also provides misinformation about sexual health and instills ideologies about homosexuality, abortion, masturbation and contraception that ignores and endangers the sexual health of students.
Comprehensive sex education promotes abstinence and includes age appropriate and medially accurate information about contraception (www.advocateforyouth.org). These courses are beneficial to students because they provide appropriate age information on relationship, peer pressure, human development among many other things. Although comprehensive sex education teaches that abstinence is the best method to prevent STDS, it informs youth about contraceptives and condoms to avoid unwanted pregnancies and STDS. This approach is honest, providing unbiased information on homosexuality, heterosexuality, abortion, and masturbation.
Abstinent-plus sex education encourages youth to wait until marriage for sex. However, it informs youth of the risks involved in premarital sex such as unwanted pregnancies and STDs. Unfortunately, this method does not stress the dangers of unprotected sex, by keeping condom information optional.
In terms of evaluation the educational value of abstinent-only sex education is poor and limited. The majority of government funded Abstinent-only programs contain inaccurate information about abortion, contraception, genetics, and sexually transmitted diseases (www.plannedparenthood,org.). This approach places policy against scientific evidence that proves that these practices (i.e discouraging condom use) are ineffective. As a result, students remain unaware of responsible sexual behavior
Students in comprehensive sex education classes do not engage in sexual activity more often or earlier, but do use contraception and practice safer sex more consistently when they become sexually active. The educational value is ideal because accurate and factual information are provided to the students, which teaches them to be responsible adults. By enforcing positive messages of abstinence and safe sex, students are more likely to adhere to the positive methods.
Abstinent-plus sex education is beneficial because it also provides accurate information regarding sex. However, contraception and condom use aren’t an integral part of the part of the course, which put many youth at risk of unwanted pregnancies and STDs.
The US has the highest rate of teen pregnancy and is contracting HIV faster than many other demographic groups. By restricting teens access to comprehensive sex education, contraception and upholding ideological values that prevent teens from obtaining information that can prevent unwanted pregnancies, diseases, and many other social harms, we are destroying society.