The Question of Sex Education in Schools

It’s something we all question in our teenage years: sex. Teenagers often feel uncomfortable talking to their parents about sex. For this reason, Sex Education is effective while being taught in school. Many believe this will increase curiosity in teens and may cause them to experiment. If thoroughly taught, Sex Education will be informative and give teens a good understanding of sex and why it’s such a big deal.

First and foremost, Sex Education decreases teen pregnancy. The class will teach teenagers (both girls and boys) the negative consequences of having a child at a young age. Teens may be biologically ready to carry a child, are not physically nor emotionally mature enough. For instance, the stress and difficulty of body changes often causes them to have pre-mature babies, which can lead to life-long problems for both the mother and the baby. Not only does this affect the health of the mother, it can also affect the mother’s education. Only forty percent of teen mothers graduate high School. Grades begin to drop and the easiest way out is to just not go. The parents are exhausted from staying up all night taking care of a baby. How can they concentrate in school, when a life in their hands? This connects with abortion rate. In most cases, teenagers who become pregnant, are pressured into getting an abortion. If the teenager is responsible and practicing abstinence or safe-sex, both pregnancy and abortion can be avoided.

Furthermore, we need Sex Education in schools to decrease the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Not many teens think about this when they are intimate with another person, but it is our job to keep them informed. Diseases not only cause health issues, they can cause a woman to become infertile and HIV AIDS leads to death. Not often does a teen go get checked for STDs by a physician, so they may be unaware that they contracted a disease. If the teen has multiple partners, the disease is quickly spreading and affecting many. It’s important that students be taught the correct methods to safe sex to avoid STDs. Sex Education will bring awareness to these dangerous diseases.

Lastly, Sex Education can protect children and teens from sexual abuse. Victims of sexual abuse do not report cases due to fear or humiliation. They may lack understanding in sexual abuse. The abuser brain-washes the victims, into believing what they’re doing is okay. Sex Education will provide guidance to and steps to take when being abused. Students will learn that everyone has the right to say “no”. Children and teens should be knowledgeable in healthy relationships, boundaries, and consent.

In conclusion, our schools deserve factual, inclusive, and engaging Sex Education. Our entire society will acquire the benefits. According the plos one research article, “More than 93 percent of parents place high importance on sex education in both middle and high school. Sex education in middle and high school is widely supported by parents regard- less of their political affiliation.”(Kantor,Levitz). In order for Sex Education to be effective, we need all parents, no matter race, political or religious views, to agree that teaching our children about sex is just as important as teaching them math and history.