Comprehensive sex education Why it Should be Taught in the Public School System Cassandra A. Lewter Gateway Community College

Comprehensive Sex Education (SE) programs have a place in our society in providing our youth with the education to help them protect their future from sexually transmitted infections, diseases and unplanned pregnancy.

Let’s check out public opinion by the numbers Survey completed by debate.org showed 81% of participants feel SE taught in schools can have a positive effect while 19% felt it can gave a negative effect A study by Planned Parenthood Federation of America showed that 74% of parents are willing to talk to their children about sex. The same study revealed that 60% are discussing birth control options. A report by the Kaiser Family Foundation reported that 4% of teens wanted more information on how to handle the pressure of sex.

Why should Arizona public schools have a comprehensive Sex education program? According to Arizona Vital Statistics 2010, Arizona is facing a teen birth rate that is higher than the national average. 10,980 teens became pregnant 9,416 of that number gave birth SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System

Benefits of a comprehensive se program A comprehensive SE program can actually assist parents by encouraging an opening the lines of communication where both child and parent can start a conversation. Assists parents and teenagers by providing the tools and resources that promote positive and responsible sexual behavior. According to the Advocates for Youth, studies show that many parents face challenges when discussing relationships, development, and sex with young people. Schools can be an important partner in helping young people prevent negative sexual health outcomes.

Advantages….. Ability to reach a large number of youth in a neutral environment. Program taught by individuals who can be objective and provide an forum where teenagers feel secure in asking questions. Taught in gender exclusive groups, which can help to alleviate embarrassment and educators can topics and behaviors that are unique to a specific gender. An important feature is the gender exclusive groups to not only educate about SE but to impart knowledge about health concerns and body functions that they need to be aware of to be healthy.

Why not just have an abstinence only program? According to the Advocates for Youth organization there is no Abstinence Only Program that has proven effective with: Helping to delay sex for a significant period of time in youth. Helping youth decrease the number of sex partners. Helping to reduce STI or pregnancy rates among teens. However, in the case of comprehensive SE programs, teenagers in the group of 15-19 were 50% less likely to experience pregnancy than those who only received an abstinence only education.

conclusion Comprehensive SE programs address not only educating youth about sexual responsibility but also positive sexual behavior , sexual health and wellness, as well a how to deal with social and peer pressure. These programs also encourage parent participation by creating an opportunity for dialogue and providing tools and resources for both the parent and the teenager to utilize in making healthy and responsible decisions. Lastly, these programs are invaluable to teenagers who do not have the necessary support in their family situation to help guide them in decisions that can affect them for the rest of their lives.

references “Should Children be Given ex Education in Schools.” debate.org. n.., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2015. “New Poll: Parents are Talking with Their Kids About Sex but Often Not Tackling the Harder Issues.” plannedparenthood.org. 10 Oct. 2011. Web. 20 Mar. 2015. “Pros and Cons of Sex Education in School.” essortment.com n.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2015. Lawrence B. Finer, “Trends in Premarital Sex in the United States, 1954-2003,” Public Health Reports, 2007; 23: 73. “Federal Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Funding.” siecus.org. n.p., n.d. web. 11 Feb. 2015.