SEX EDUCATION

Sex Education

Sex Education

Introduction

For years there has been a debate between parents and guardians on whether there should be sex education in schools. Some are totally for it and some and completely against it. Many good things can come out of having sex education in schools; most people just don't want to see those good things. If people don't start realizing that sex is apart of life then this debate will go on for forever. Today's teenagers are faced with many different pressures; sex being one of the greatest pressures. Parents need to make sure their children are learning about sex from the right people.

Analysis

What kids know about sex is mainly through their peers and unreliable sources. Teachers and parents might as we be more open about sex and its consequences. They should have open discussions and address sexual health issues like sexually transmitted diseases, abusive and healthy relationships, and the benefits of using contraception. The reality is that kids aren't practicing abstinence anymore. We should still be teaching about abstinence but we should also be informing kids about contraception's (Srausberger, 1988). 70 percent of American teenagers at the age of 19 are sexually active. Less than 1 percent of middle schools and 5 percent of high schools make condoms available for students. They think that distribution of such things as condoms and birth control will makes adolescents want to have sex more, but its is a better way to limit teenage pregnancies. Nearly half of teens from the ages of 15 through 19 have been reported having sex at least once, and almost 750,000 of them a year have become pregnant (Humm, Andy and Frances Kunreuther, 1992).

Sex education in schools should start being taught in middle school. Seventh grade is the period when adolescents are starting to experience in liking one another. Some parents don't know how to handle how to speak to there children about sex and contraceptive options they get embarrassed or just tell there kids to just say no and go with abstinence (Haffner, 1999). Sixty-seven percent of adults favor the distribution of contraceptives in schools. There has been so many teen pregnancies and STDs involving sexually active teens because they don't know where to go for birth control or even condoms. If schools were more open with sex it think it would prevent a lot of unintended pregnancies and STDs. Teens would have a place to go for information and support (Griffith et al, 1988).

Young people can be exposed to a wide range of attitudes and beliefs in relation to sex and sexuality. These sometimes appear very confusing to them. Some health messages emphasis the risks and dangers associated with sex and some promotes the idea that being sexually active makes a person more educated and mature with knowing about sex. Sex and sexuality are sensitive subjects for adolescents to talk about therefore young people and sex educators have very strong views on what attitudes people hold (Humm, Andy and Frances ...