Maydelin Jofre

Professor Abigail Brumback

ENG101

11/29/2020

Necessity of honest sex education class for teens in schools

Sex has been a difficult topic to talk about. It had been by generations like a tabu, but we

live in centaury 21, which means that the time has changed and we have to change. Every day we

can see how more adolescent mother appears. According to the web

“worldpopulationrewiew.com,” despite the lower rates in the past 20 years(17.4 births per 1000

females between the ages 15 and 19), the U.S keeps having the highest quality of teen pregnancy

in all developed nations. The increased risk that our younger are having to contract STDs have to

be solved. According to the CDC(Center for Disease Control and prevention), youth ages 15-24

acquire half of all new STDs. It is necessary to teach all our young people how to have a safe

sexual life, and abstinence is not enough. 

The new generation needs to have a sex education class because teens can learn how to

protect themself. A study published by the American Journal of Public health in 2007 found that

teens who start using condoms for the first time have a higher score on several sexual health

measures than teens who don’t. Suppose they have the necessary information about why it is

crucial. In that case, the protection during sex can prevent the higher record of young women

pregnant during their years in high school or college. But not only that, can decrease the number

of sexually transmitted disease.

If we know the consequences of our acts, we are more likely to say no. This behavior

happens with teenagers, too; it is easier for them to decide when they want to have sex or how if

they have the proper knowledge about it. Teaching them that only abstinence can protect them
from the risk of having a sexually transmitted disease and pregnancy is not a solution; they know

that it is a lie. We don’t have the necessity of lye to them when teaching them the different types

of sexual behavior can be a way to help them make informed decisions about sex.

Researchers had shown that Abstinence-only education doesn't affect the rates at which

teenagers decide to have sex. When we don't give the correct information about sexual risk, they

made the wrong decisions. For example, they can choose to have oral sex or even anal sex

instead of vaginal sex because they believe it is abstinence without knowing that this method can

still transmit several diseases. Teaching only abstinence encourages students to abstain from sex

without ever telling them what sex is. Admittedly, comprehensive sex education doesn't

discourage kids from having sex either. However, it does teach them how to safe sex.

Growing up is a natural process that any one of us has control over. During the puberty is

the time when one faces the strangest and variance of feelings. Youngsters need moral and

emotional support during this time. They do not feel free to talk about their feelings. If sex

education remains taboo, then we cannot expect that young generation to develop a healthy

understanding of the topic. Schools should normalize the discussion about sex. Every school

should have a proper sex education teacher to make them believe that they will always be

supported, to feel free to talk about their mixed emotions and feelings.

An essential part of growing into a responsible man is to maintain good health. Sex

education teaches that boys should go for preventative healthcare as they grow. During the sex

class, the information they receive gives them a chance to discover any infections early and get

treated. It also arms them with valuable knowledge that they can use to protect themselves and

their partners in the future. Teaching male children about sex encourages them to be men who
regularly visit the doctor for checkups. In this way, sex education instills a cautious mentality in

adolescent males, which persists into manhood.

Another ventage of the sex education class can help the youngers understand the

difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships. A healthy relationship requires skills

many young people have never been taught, such as positive communication, conflict

management, and negotiating decisions about sexual activity. Lack of these skills can lead to

unhealthy and even violent relationships among young people. Sex education should include

identifying healthy and unhealthy relationship patterns, practical ways to communicate

relationship needs and managing conflict, and strategies to avoid or end an unhealthy

relationship. Good sex education teaches young people what constitutes sexual violence, that

sexual violence is wrong, and how to find help if they have been assaulted.

Everyone must understand, value, and have autonomy over their bodies. Sexual education

educates not only the basics of puberty and development, but it also teaches in young people that

they have the authority to determine what behaviors they engage in and to say no to unwanted

sexual activity. Also, sex education advice youth to examine beliefs that contribute to a positive

or negative body image. Show dignity and respect for all people, regardless of sexual orientation

or gender identity. Having the right information about sexuality can prevent the discrimination to

the LGB (lesbian, gays and bisexual) students. A research realized by CDC demonstrate that

LGB youth report a higher incidence of bullying at school or online, physical and sexual dating

violence, drug and alcohol use, and suicide-related behaviors than their straight peers.

Imparting sexual health education helps students fulfill academic success. Schools have

an absolute interest in maintaining their students' health. This helps students acquire higher
scores and achieve their academic goals. Students involved in pregnancy or experience STDs or

HIV face significant obstacles to academic success, but schools can help students to keep away

from these barriers to success. Sexual health education helps students protect to preserve their

sexual health and prevent these adverse consequences. By imparting sexual health education

programs, schools support student health and promote their academic achievement.

There exist protests against sex education, such as the SEXEDSITOUT movement. They

argue that classrooms are teaching behaviors that are dangerous or promiscuous. In contrast,

when comprehensive sexuality education is taught in school, it can encourage adolescents to

make more informed and responsible decisions before engaging in alternative sexual behaviors.

Without enough information, those are behaviors that teens may falsely assume are safe.

Comprehensive sex education doesn’t motivate kids to start having sexual intercourse, do not

increase the frequency with which teens have intercourse. I believe that comprehensive sexuality

education programs can help young people delay sexual initiation because they know it and

know that it is an important decision.

Most of the time, the argument against sex education in school are centers on how parents

should teach their kids about sex. The perfect idea is parents would teach their kids all they need

to know and when they need to know about sex, but that is what is happening, or will happens. In

states where is not mandated sex education, there are more teenage pregnancies. The number of

youngers pregnant or younger with sexual diseases shows us how important it is to increase

condom and contraceptive use. They need honest, effective sex education, not ineffective,

shame-based abstinence-only programs.

 Many of today's youth receive confusing and contradictory information about

relationships and sex during the transition from childhood to adulthood. This has led to a

growing demand from young people for reliable information. They should find credible

information that prepares them for a safe, productive, and fulfilling life. Sexuality education

allows young people to make informed decisions about relationships and sexuality and navigate

in a world with gender violence, gender inequality, early and unwanted pregnancies, HIV, or

other sexually transmitted infections. Having not well-delivered information may leave children

and young people vulnerable to harmful sexual behaviors and sexual exploitation.
 Websites

 Top 10 Reasons to Support Sex Education in Schools, Very Well health

By Elizabeth Boskey, PhD  on February 17, 2020

https://www.verywellhealth.com/support-comprehensive-education-schools-3133083

 America’s Sex Education: How We Are Failing Our Students - Nursing@USC

Created by the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Department of Nursing

https://nursing.usc.edu/blog/americas-sex-education/

 STDs in Adolescents and Young Adults - 2018 Sexually Transmitted Diseases Surveillance, CDC

https://www.cdc.gov/std/stats18/adolescents.htm

 Comfort is Not Safety: Sex Ed in America, by Shay McHale | published Sep. 17th, 2018

https://reporter.rit.edu/views/comfort-not-safety-sex-ed-america

 Why comprehensive sexuality education is important, 15/02/2018

https://en.unesco.org/news/why-comprehensive-sexuality-education-important