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Sex Education in School

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Sex Education in Schools
Anquavese Jones
ENG/102
06/26/2011
Becky Wilfahrt

Abstract
Teenage sex education is a topic of much debate in America’s schools because sex and its health related issues are prevalent in the lives of so many adolescents. Teenagers’ engagement in sexual activities has led to an increase in sexually transmitted diseases, emotional and psychological injuries, and out-of-wedlock childbearing (Rector, 2002, para. 1). Therefore, schools across the nation have been charged with implementing programs that will educate the young about the risks of engaging in sexual activities before marriage. America’s schools use one of the two commonly known approaches in hopes to deter premarital sex. These approaches are abstinence education and comprehensive sex education. Abstinence education is a type of sex education that places strict emphasis on abstaining from sex until marriage. Comprehensive sex education examines abstinence along with sexual reproductive health education and contraceptives. This paper will examine both approaches and show that comprehensive sex education is the most effective method.

Introduction

Sex is a hot topic that reaches many children through the different mediums to include school, internet, radio, and television. An effective way to arm our children with important data concerning sex education is by providing abstinence education in our schools. According to Powezek, in the United States, maturation classes are usually implemented in elementary schools, while sex education is employed in middle school and junior high school (Powezek, 2009, para. 1). Sex education has been incorporated in health programs within schools. Since sex education is funded by the federal government, funding recipients are mandated to follow the government’s declaration during implementation.
There are only a few who oppose sex education

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