...Who is Responsible for Sex Education? Writing 291 Joseph A. Marco 22 July 2010 Public schools systems have been implementing sexual education into their classrooms as a regular part of instruction for decades. Ongoing controversies exist when dealing with this issue whether sex education being taught in the public schools or whether it should be considered the responsibility of the parents. It seems most parents are either for or against it and very rarely are they standing on middle ground. Given the statistics does it matter who teaches the children of the United States the basics of sex education? Children should receive a basic unbiased and informative sex education in school, from their it should be the parents responsibility. By their 18th birthday, six in 10 teenage women and more than 5 in 10 teenage men have had sexual intercourse. Of the approximately 750,000 teen pregnancies that occur each year, 82 percent are unintended with more than one quarter ending abortion. The United States continues to have one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the developed world – almost twice as high as England, Canada, and Wales and eight times as high as the Netherlands and Japan. In addition to the teen pregnancy rate, the teens in the United States contract roughly nine million new sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) each year. Though teens in the United States have levels of sexual activity similar to levels among their Canadian, English, French, and Swedish...
Words: 1354 - Pages: 6
...Research Paper November 13, 2011 Pros and Cons of Sex Education in Schools Sex education in public school has been a controversial issue in the United States for quite a while now. I feel like it really needs to be into schools with so many teen pregnancies, HIV and STD’s cases sex education is needed. Most of the American public believes that sex education should be taught at home by the children’s parents. They feel this way because the sex education programs in schools do not emphasize on abstinence instead they encourage the children to have sex instead. American culture is very sexually oriented. When you turn on your TV or listen to music sex is all you can hear. The pros of sex education in school are countless. Sex education in school gives the kids opportunities to express themselves with their sexuality. It also prevents them from becoming parents at an early age. Each year, U.S. teens experience as many as 850,000 pregnancies, and youth under age 25 experience about 9.1 million sexually transmitted infections (STIs). By age 18, 70 percent of U.S. females and 62 percent of U.S. males have initiated vaginal sex. When expressing comprehensive sex education is effective at assisting young people to make healthy decisions about sex and to obtain healthy sexual behaviors. No abstinence-only-until-marriage program has been shown to help teens delay the initiation of sex or to protect themselves when they do initiate sex. The U.S. government has spent over one billion...
Words: 1706 - Pages: 7
...Public Schools and Sex Education There has been a decline in teen age pregnancy over the past few decades. Is it because sexual education is being taught at a younger age today? Or is it the lack of knowledge of abstinence? It should be the parents’ responsibility to teach their child about sexual education, not the school system. Although sexual education is important, there are still several students that completes the sex education courses and they are still not sure of what sexuality is or have a solid understanding of contraception and/or safe sex practices. Unfortunately, children usually only learn that they should not have sexual intercourse until they are married. This is where abstinence comes in play. Over the years’ abstinence-only programs in public schools has become more and more popular. This is so, because of a law that gives millions of money to schools to teach abstinence-only. This type of program has good intentions. They are designed to persuade younger people to wait until marriage. Unfortunately, these programs (abstinence-only) are not quite achieving their goal. Back in 1996 when the United States government passed a law to add funds to abstinence-only public schools, more than half of a billion dollars has been given to different state to help with the promotions of abstinence-only programs. (Brody) There were so many different stipulations placed on school system in order for the schools get good funding. In 2007, the United States Department...
Words: 482 - Pages: 2
...Kathryn Nelson Wright Human Development 13 March 2014 Sex education and adolescents is something that is more common now than back 50 or 60 years ago. More parents and schools are educating adolescents in sex education. When it comes time for parents to their sons and daughters the mother-daughter relationship is the most significant. As for the sex education in the public school system, there is actually a debate between public schools whether to teach sex education in the public school system and what to teach. In some states they have decided to teach sex education and some have decided not to Sex education has many significances in an adolescent’s youth and where they learn it and who educates them about it can result in good and bad outcomes. “Some evidence suggests that compared with Caucasian American Families, African American families may better prepare girls for menarche” (Berk). Mothers are known to be the parent to form that relationship with their adolescent daughter about puberty and sex. When mothers talk to their daughters the two things that the mothers mainly mention are marital sex and menstruation. Unfortunately, not all females have that family support when it comes to talking about puberty and sex. According to the book Family Relations, females who had no sex education were just as likely to engage in premarital sex as females with some background of education. When it comes to parents educating boys, wet dreams and masturbation were the two...
Words: 1156 - Pages: 5
...In 1597, Sir Francis Bacon said, “Knowledge is power” and if that is true, then the more we know, the more choices a person can make on their own and the more individual power a person has. For children, trusted adults information is the “be all to end all” and usually the younger they are, the less questions are asked. This is helpful if the information being received is always correct, but in some cases it is not and that wrong information can spread like wildfire among young people. With sexual-education in public schools, students can be taught the correct material so that they can be educated and use their knowledge as power. I went to school in Washington state, and when we got to a certain age we age-appropriate sexual education. A permission slip was signed by my mother, and at approximately 12 years old, boys and girls were separated with familiar teachers and classmates of the same gender and taught about how our bodies were changing. Females learned about menstrual cycles, pads and “why tampons really do fit” while the males learned about why they were getting hair in places they didn’t before, and why their bodies were changing in different ways as well. I was among classmates who were my friends and teachers who I trusted and we were allowed to ask questions like “Does it hurt?” and “Does my brother know about this?” Samples were given out for us to see, feel and understand and alleviated the possibility of the wrong information getting in to our sponges of brains...
Words: 633 - Pages: 3
...Comprehensive Sex Education Which is the Right Choice? Allysa Lekas English 401 Professor Kramer December 11, 2012 Abstinence-Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education The appropriate type of sex education that should be taught in United States public schools continues to be a major topic of debate, which is motivated by high teen pregnancy and birth rates in the United States compared to other countries. This debate is centered on whether abstinence-only or comprehensive sex education should be taught in public schools. Some argue that sex education, that covers safe sexual practices, such as condom use, sends a mixed message to students, and actually promotes sexual activity. The United States government used to promote abstinence-only initiatives through the Adolescents Family Life Act. It cost 176 million dollars annually to fund abstinence-only programs. The central message of these programs was to delay sexual activity until marriage, and cannot include information about contraception and condoms (Stranger-Hall & Hall, 2011). It has been proven that abstinence-only education does not have an effect on the birth rates in the United States, but comprehensive sex education has. Teaching students to not only about abstinence, but about contraceptive use and information about sexually transmitted diseases, has decreased the birth rates in the United States as well as the contraction rate of sexually transmitted diseases. Comprehensive sex education in school has been proven...
Words: 3018 - Pages: 13
...anything black and white. The debates about sexual education in U.S. public schools are no different. While the ideas of abstinence and holistic learning of sex contradict each other at first, they can coexist if one looks at the bigger picture along with its consequences. Thus, while the discourse concerning sexual education in public schools may depict abstinence-only and fully comprehensive sexual education as conflicting ideologies, they are actually quite similar. This is significant because a comprehensive education actually adds to the abstinence message while supporting (instead of shaming) youth and their right to information that could lead to safer and more responsible sexual choices. While the vast majority of...
Words: 1517 - Pages: 7
...A controversial topic in society is whether sex education should be allowed to be taught in our public-school system. What is sex education you ask? Well sex education is education about sexuality, contraceptive methods, how to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, the values of protection and attitudes and principles about sex. Almost every day you hear about how the numbers of teens and preteens are having sex and the rates of teenage pregnancy is high. Can this somehow be prevented by placing sex education in our the school curriculum? There are two kinds of sex education, one being abstinence-only programs and the second one being comprehensive education. Both of these programs teach about the process of sex education which can lead to children understanding about how to make the right choices for...
Words: 1007 - Pages: 5
...Sexual Education: Who Cares And Why The range of beliefs on sex education is extremely broad and multi-sided. Religious, cultural, gender, and social factors intermix, affecting the way that these different groups believe and act. Most people take a conservative or moderate view on most points of the debate, and liberal views on other points. Very few reside at either extreme. The groups at each extreme are the ones to look at because they make it their goal to make people see their point of view, giving shape to the overall view of the subject. The amount of division near each extreme makes it very difficult to find a view with which the whole group can be happy. Christian religions divide when it comes to how the Bible should be interpreted and what is right and wrong. Within each sect of religion, cultures, genders, and classes divide as to what is right and wrong and how children should be taught. Children from each class and culture grow up in different environments, affecting what and how they learn, inside and outside of school. People in one religion can have similar beliefs as those held by someone in another religion, but the religious differences make it difficult for them to unite in support of the belief. Religion is the most notorious for associating sex with marriage. The Catholic Church stands the most firm on the idea sex should be confined to marriage. The Church says contraception blocks the presence of God in the sexual act and is therefore wrong....
Words: 1823 - Pages: 8
...The topic of sex education in public schools has been a hot topic for decades. This has been a constant debate among parents and educational authorities due to the rise in teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases among teens. Many people still believe that sex should not be talked about in public school, but only at home between the children and their parents. Unfortunately, most parents are uncomfortable talking to their children about sex and sexuality. Teachers and students have many reasons to believe that sex education should be a mandatory course in high schools. If kids are provided with accurate information in school they will be better equipped with the tools to make smarter, healthier decisions. Educators need to understand that there has been a change in the way society practices sex and it is no longer practical to assume teens will wait until marriage to have sex. Although some teenagers are receiving sex education, most are not being taught in a successful way. Sex education can be explained in two different procedures- comprehensive or abstinence only. The difference of the two is that comprehensive sex education teaches abstinence as a secondary choice, and teens that decide not to wait should be informed on how to use birth control when participating in sexual activity. Comprehensive sex education is a method that should be required in all schools and is the most effective way to keep kids safe, well informed, and prepared. According to a...
Words: 483 - Pages: 2
...Sexual Education Frankie Hellyer Harrison College Children and Sexual Education "A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death”, (S.F.Heart.com, 2012). [Albert Einstein, "Religion and Science", New York Times Magazine, 9 November 1930] In 2000 my first and second grade children arrived home from school with a surprising question for me. I was asked what “69” meant. My response was “the number after 68 and before 70”. That was not the correct answer to the specific question they were asking, yet they were too naive to know any different. I did not feel they were at the appropriate age for a response to that question, but it meant it was time for a small bit of conversation regarding sexual education. Sexual education is opposed by some for religious beliefs, infringement of parental rights, and parental fears of a higher level of sexual promiscuity. Those opposed typically promote abstinence programs, (which have failed our society). Regardless what age a child is, sexual education is a very important topic and I feel it is crucial to start educating about sex now; in the schools; rather than wait for the latter possible unplanned STD, pregnancy, or even the unfortunate act of molestation. Since the beginning of time biblically, our society has been taught to wait...
Words: 2043 - Pages: 9
...Jason Rusli Esl 26 26 July 2012 Essay 1 Final Draft Sex Education for a Better Future Pregnancy among school-age youth may reduce completed levels of education, employment opportunities and marital stability, and increase welfare dependency (Illinois Department of Public Health). This staggering sentence has pointed out the important needs of sex education in schools to ameliorate the nation’s economics. Two approaches to sex education currently prevail: abstinence-only approach – inculcating teenagers with the notion that premarital intercourse is astray – and comprehensive approach, which focuses on the dissemination of information on safe sex practices, while simultaneously promoting abstinence as the ultimate solution in diminishing the issues of unwanted pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). In spite of seemingly endless debates as to which approach is more effective, it would be reckless to simply laud one approach and criticize another, for the two approaches are not mutually exclusive. Moreover, neither approach is effective on its own. Only by incorporating the merits of both approaches, coupled with family support / parental involvement, can the issue at hand be effectively handled. In an essay titled “Sex Education in Schools,” the author, Amber Dahlke, staunchly believes that sex education should be taught in comprehensive style. However, I remain ambivalent towards the comprehensive approach. Although I recognize the value in imparting...
Words: 1214 - Pages: 5
...Future: An Analysis of Sex Education in the Classroom Bridgette Gibbs English 201 Professor Neal March 4, 2014 Educating Our Future: An Analysis of Sex Education in the Classroom While it may seem that teaching sex education reveals a debate from previous generations, the actuality is that for many parents and communities, it remains a highly controversial issue. If our generation fails to educate the younger generation, our prosperity will be left to pay the price. Opponents to sex education feel that the courses themselves authorize this movement. First and foremost, sex education in public schools deems to be a duty of the American school system. With the growing rate of sexually transmitted diseases [STDs], healthy sexual behaviors and teen pregnancies in today’s society, sex education is more important than ever. Teens get most of their important information about sex from, “parents, peers and the media” (Brown, 2008). Brown (2008) reports alarming statistics regarding teens and STDs, stating that “roughly seventy-five per cent of sexually transmitted infections occur in young people”. Our youth needs to be knowledgeable and have a better understanding of the risk of having unprotected sexual intercourse. While some STDs may be treated with antibiotics others may be considered “a gift that keeps on giving”. Additionally, children become sexually active at an earlier age; “sixty-six per cent of American high school students have had sex by their senior year”...
Words: 1158 - Pages: 5
...or Multi-sex?? We all know the obvious difference in boys and girls. Typically, we associate boys with being rougher than girls and spending much of their time playing rambunctiously and getting dirty while most girls prefer to be subdued and tidy. But is that the only dissimilarity in gender? What about school work and academic performance along with academic success? Can gender be a predominating factor in determining a child’s IQ level? Is there a legitimate difference in boys and girls when determining academic ability? And, does gender help determine any level of academic success? Some might say that these are some pretty absurd questions but others who have taught both boys and girls in any realm of subjects, on any level could tell you that there is probably some relevance to that question. Lets begin with the history of single sex schools. Schools in early 17th century America were first modeled after English learning institutions after Puritans immigrated over to the English colonies. Originally only rich white males were allowed to attend school to learn how to read and write. In many cases, most parents placed their boys into the nine month long curriculum to keep them out of mischief. For the other three months of the year, students would be released from school during the summer months to lend a hand on their family’s farms to help cultivate the land and raise animals. During the summer months, wealthy white girls attended these same schools often taught by a female...
Words: 1771 - Pages: 8
...Affirmative Case Stella Ladeinde, Caroline Njagi, Twila Shocknesse, SasheetaVinesh NUR/542 April 17, 2012 Lousie Rittmiller Teaching Values in Schools Prescribed by the State or Federal Government Who should assume the burden of teaching values? While acknowledging the role of parents as natural caretakers and guardians, an evolving American society has made the vital task of mentoring children increasingly difficult. There has been an apparent decrease in character and moral reasoning among today's youth. In light of this dilemma, the state government should introduce moral and character building content into the education code and standards as a beneficial alternative to the guidance provided by parents and guardians. Tay and Yildirim (2009) assert that schools have two important goals in the effort to develop morality within educational parameters: To teach the current values in the society and to cultivate positive, beneficial habits through this education. In addition, schools create opportunities for students to discuss these values and to help develop their own. The proposition states that a set of values must be prescribed by the state or federal government and taught in schools. Before determining whether a set of values formulated by government can have a positive impact in school as opposed to those instilled at home by the family, understanding the general framework of values is essential. According to Family Values International Encyclopedia of Marriage...
Words: 2393 - Pages: 10
