Results of Sex Education

In high school I never went through a sex education class, it was never offered. According to “Early Sexual Initiation and Subsequent Sex- Related Risks among Urban Minority Youth: The reach for Healthy Study”, sexual intercourse in minority youth has decreased. This article shows the problems that can occur in having unprotected sex such as pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and emotional stress.

            In Douglas Kirby’s journal “Abstinence, Sex, and STD/HIV Education Programs for Teens: Their Impact on Sexual Behavior, Pregnancy, and Sexually Transmitted Disease” he introduces the fact that most sexually active teens accumulate more sex partner’s as they become older. It is said by Kirby that mainly condoms and oral contraceptives are more common among teens. Since the mid 1980’s studies have shown that the use of contraceptives has increased, mainly because of HIV epidemic. However Kirby also notes that the use of contraceptives decrease with age and experience, and the longer a couple is together they are more likely to not use a condom. Not only adults but teenagers are not consistently keeping up with their contraceptives, making them more prone to pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.

            Sex education classes are being taught and they are covering a wide variety of areas focusing mainly on education about sex rather than providing contraceptives. This program is meant for middle school and high school as well as parents who have teenage children. This program wants to create health goals and help to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. As well as showing risks that can happen and how they can avoid these risks. These classes will be taught in a safe social environment for the students, and will include multiple activates to help prevent these risks.

            Some parents feel the need to talk to their own kids about sex but they feel uncomfortable doing so. This program that is offered helps kids and parents communicate and help educate youth on sex. Condom use is being taught and remarkably the condom use among teens has gone up, as well as self-reported pregnancy has gone down, and the self-reported sexually transmitted disease rate has decreased as well. Studies show that this program is working for youth bringing up the question “Why isn’t this program being offered in all schools or communities?”

Sex Education

                 I have chosen to write a paper on sex education and the effects it has on teens. I am hoping to find a number of things when writing this paper. I want to find statistics on schools that do offer the program and statistics of schools that don’t. I am hoping to find that the schools that do offer the program have lower rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. I am hoping to find research on what is taught in the sex education classes also if they teach different forms of birth control. I also would like to find statistics on which the class interests most boys or girls.  

            This issue may raise conflict because some parents don’t want sex to be mentioned in school they feel like as the parents they should be the ones to teach their children. Some parents say they don’t want their kids to be thinking about sex and only should focus on school, and some say they don’t want their kids to know about birth control. Whatever issues come up it is a safe bet for the teens to be educated on the subject and be aware of all their options.

            If my theory is true why would the government not enforce sex education classes for all schools? If it keeps teens on birth control and teaches kids about what finances are ahead of them if they do have a kid. It gives them a reality check as to what comes with a baby. And they should know that having a baby shouldn’t be a reason for strengthening a relationship. They need to educate themselves to protect themselves.