Category: Sex education

Introduction

Throughout the United States, teen pregnancy is a major problem and a cause for concern. The United States ranks top among the developed nations in cases of pregnancies before the age of twenty. About 10% of females between 15 and 20 get pregnant every year which is approximately 890000 teens. Statistics show that more than 40% actually get pregnant before the age of 20 (Journal of School Health, 1999).

In Fayette County especially, the rate of teen pregnancy is worse that the average for the entire state. The result is an increase in birth rate in the two counties. This should be every persons concern as it impacts on many young womens lives and the society at large. Since society is also affected, it has a responsibility to step in and fight the problem.

The paper aims at discussing the causes of teen pregnancies in the United States and how they affect parents, children and the society. It will use statistics for Fayette and Shelby County teenage females aged between 10 and 19 from 2002 to 2007. It will show how specific methods of prevention and programs can and have been used to reduce teen pregnancies and bring change to teen mothers. Sex education has been proved to be effective in reducing unwanted teen pregnancies as well as STDs.

Thesis statement

Sex education has been shown to be an effective method in reducing unplanned teen pregnancy

Literature review

Causes of teen pregnancies

National Campaign to prevent Teen Pregnancy has researched and found out that among the causes of teen pregnancies in the United Sates are low self-esteem and the lack of support from the family as well as the community. There is a lack of communication that denies the teens a chance to life exposure. In addition, teens are rarely involved in school activities and recreation. This leads to a disconnection from school, family and community and teens direct their energies elsewhere (Memphis and Shelby Health Department).

Other causes of pregnancies are the use of drugs and lack of guidance from responsible adults. The teens therefore have little knowledge about sexuality and sex. They are also influenced by peer groups into irresponsible behavior (Memphis and Shelby Health Department). Teenagers need truthful information on the activities of their peers. What they think others are involved in impacts on their behavior. They lack to understand that not all teens are involved in sex and those who are wish they had been more patient.

Effects of teen pregnancies

The Family Health Council raises concern over the statistics of teenage girls who become pregnant. It says that when these girls get pregnant, they are not likely to complete high school education. They therefore lack a chance to gain training after high school. In addition, they become single mothers (Memphis and Shelby Health Department).

Pregnancy for teens changes the direction of their lives and results in struggles that the teens are not prepared to handle. These same struggles are passed on to a new generation of kids. The children born out of teenage mothers are likely to suffer as much or even more than their mothers. They have no chance at solid family life since their own mothers are also children.

Discussion

Teen pregnancy has been associated with poverty. Shelby is active in transportation and distribution. The households have medium incomes which fall below poverty level (US Bureau of the Census, 1994a). Because of this, the area has problems with prostitution. Teens therefore are at a high risk of infection with STDs besides pregnancy. Moreover, single parenthood resulting especially from teen pregnancies is also a cause of teen pregnancies. When teens become pregnant, they lose the chance at training and hence an opportunity at employment. Their children thus lack a proper upbringing and an education. This leads to a repeat of the cycle. Lack of sex education especially plays a big role in teen pregnancies.

Sex education has proved effective in reducing the rates of teen pregnancies. By talking to children on sexuality, parents and teachers make them aware of the consequences and therefore make it clear that sex is not a game. In addition, programs pass information on making wise decisions in life and educating the teens on why getting pregnant at an early age is not part of these wise decisions. The programs also make teens busy and reduce their chances of involving in irresponsible behavior.

At home, parents have the responsibility to talk to their children, both male and female about the dangers of becoming young parents. They have to show them how irresponsible the act is. Schools on the other hand need to imply on students through guidance and health education sessions that sex is not a leisure activity or sport and it is not an acknowledged part of growth. Sex education should be undertaken before children become sexually active so as to prevent teen pregnancies. This is why, Fayette and Shelby County, and the entire United States has undertaken the initiative of sex education. It has been shown to be an effective method in reducing teen pregnancy in the two counties (Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield helps area schools address teen pregnancy, 2004).

In addition, there are programs that enable parents to talk to their children and educate them on sex. The Fayette and Shelby Counties have faced the experiences of teen pregnancies and are executing programs that help educate young people on decision-making. The programs center on abstinence, preparedness, knowledge, self-control and safe se. However, it does not exclude responsible parenting The Family Health Council is one of the institutions that give these programs.

It has offices that direct parents to programs which are helpful in guiding them to talk to their children extensively about sexuality. Some of these programs are aimed at assisting teenagers to make wise and healthy choices of their lifestyles. They include programs for pregnancy prevention. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield has granted 67,000 dollars towards the funding of sex education and awareness programs and wise decisions for the future (Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield helps area schools address teen pregnancy, 2004).

This money was billed out to three health organizations to help execute the programs for Fayette and Shelby County among other regions. Uniontown Hospital Foundation was given the responsibility of Fayette while Washington Hospital Foundation had the Shelby County to take care of. Through the Foundations, teen pregnancies have reduced from 36 in every 1000 teens to 12 in every 1000 teens from 1999 to 2007 (Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield helps area schools address teen pregnancy, 2004).

In Shelby, older teens take the initiative to lead middle school students through sessions. They serve as peer educators. The Postponing Sexual Involvement Program was rated by The Journal of Adolescent Health among the top programs in schools that campaign against teen pregnancies. Through this program, teens have been able to influence their fellow teens by educating them on the dangers of teen pregnancy and irresponsible behavior. The sessions also give teens some occupation so that their time is not used irresponsibly (Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield helps area schools address teen pregnancy, 2004).

In Memphis and the Shelby County, May is the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. The health departments in these counties take part in increasing awareness and prevention of teen pregnancies. This has seen a decline in teen pregnancy from 25.65% in 2006 to 23.6% by the end of that year (Memphis and Shelby Health Department).

In Fayette, the contract manager for the Westmoreland Fayette WIB, Sharon Pugliese, says that the Fayette County has added pregnancy prevention to its plan of service. This plan has worked a long way in reducing school drop-out rates. WIB offers service learning programs that work in reducing teen pregnancies. In these programs, teens do volunteer work in the community. Such work includes spending time with residents of nursing homes and tutoring young children. The programs include planned time for preparation and reflection on the work the teens will be involved in. This is done through discussions, writing journals and involving in other prearranged activities (Promising partnerships between teen pregnancy prevention and the workforce investment act).

Conclusion

According to National Campaign to Prevent Teen pregnancy, there is a recent decline in teen pregnancies. The programs impacts on the lives of teens by making them feel appreciated. They are able to interact with adults and peers. The activities make them feel that they are also capable of making a difference in other peoples lives. These programs have seen to the productive lives of teens (Promising Partnerships between teen pregnancy prevention and the workforce investment act). However, statistics show that out of every ten girls in the United States, four become pregnant at least one time before they reach twenty (Memphis and Shelby Health Department).

References

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield helps area schools address teen pregnancy. 2004. Web.

Promising partnerships between teen pregnancy prevention and the workforce investment act.. 2009. Web.

Sex education is one of the main preventive forms aimed to protect children from undesirable pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Thus, critics admit that sex education promotes sexual practices and informs children about sex. The impulse to regulate sex venues under the sign of HIV prevention has serious political implications for the future of AIDS activism. These implications must be articulated in order to expose the false equation of sex while preserving the culture of sex as an arena for disseminating safer sex information. Thesis Sex education does not promote sex but helps to inform children about the precautions and possible consequences of sex.

The main layer of literature on this topic argues that mass media and peer pressure has a great impact on views and values of children promoting sexual practices and sex. Mcclain (2006) and Williams and Bonner (2006) underline that sex education corrects false views popularized by mass media and unveils false assumptions about sex. Mcclain (2006) states that the real link between public sex and STDs prevention is its potential to educate children about the multiplicities of non-penetrative sex. The most treacherous aspect of taking up regulation as a prevention strategy may be that the need to continue to develop safer sex education becomes virtually eclipsed in the interests of eradicating non-monogamy.

More is at stake, however, than safer sex education alone: regulation poses a false set of connections that threaten the well-being of counter-normative sexualities. While such unproductive responses certainly reflect the feelings of some, an historical and psychological examination of sex education suggests that failures are very often not failures of primary prevention, but failures to accurately conceptualize the nature of primary prevention. The research study conducted by Williams and Bonner (2006) finds that Women benefit from and prefer a more expansive presentation of sex education, including instruction from a variety of sources, over a single type or modality. School sex education plays a significant role in reducing unplanned pregnancies and abortion (p. 15).

Another layer of literature proves that other forms of disease and pregnancy prevention are undifferentiated and ineffective. Somers and Surmann (2004) and Schaalma (2004) find that mass media education creates confused identifications between uninfected and infected men, and thus exacerbates largely unconscious feelings that contracting HIV is inevitable; it cannot identify and specifically address the distinct psychosocial issues of sex; and, finally, undifferentiated education cannot explicitly support distinct benefits for remaining uninfected. Undifferentiated education often exacerbates psychological conflicts that work against the primary prevention purpose of keeping children from sex.

Schaalma (2004) proves that evidence-based sexual health promotion in schools is only possible within certain political contexts and, where these do not exist, health promoters are faced with a choice of becoming political activists or renouncing evidence-based practice (p. 259). These results show that information coming from mass media and friends promotes sexual practices and behavior, but do not prevent children from pregnancy and STDs.

Some authors (Mcclain 2006; Glazer 2004) analyze and evaluate the role of abstinence in sex education. Glazer proves that abstinence cannot solve the problems of sexual relations, because the institute of marriage cannot exist without sexual relations between spouses. On the other hand, abstinence messages are very important, but clearly the coverage of contraceptive topics is also crucial in helping our youth prevent unplanned pregnancy and STDs (Abstinence  Only Sex Education Is Not Enough, 2004).

It is often precisely the fact that children were born into the epidemic that creates a plausible and seamless integration of AIDS and HIV into their lives, and makes them vulnerable to infection. Sex education is needed and helpful because it allows children to make right choices and obtain correct information about sex. One of the most peculiar characteristics of undifferentiated prevention is an almost exclusive focus on the process of prevention, with rarely a mention of the benefits or results that might be obtained. Statistical results show that the USA has the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) of any industrialized nation, and sexually active youth account for about half the new cases of infection occurring annually (Glazer, 2004).

The focus on process rather than results is understandable. If educators tell children simply to put on condoms, educators can talk to all. But if they wish to talk about the complex psychosocial reasons men are not putting on condoms, the discussion will have to be very different for girls and boys. Because undifferentiated prevention cannot acknowledge discrete identities, issues, and needs of girls and boys, it cannot acknowledge that the outcome of successful primary prevention would be quite different for the two groups. Regarding protected sex, motivation for each of the two groups is very different.

In sum, the correct literature and research studies prove that sex education helps both children and community to destroy myths and false images of sexual practices and educate them about contraception and STDs. Sex education gives children a possibility to choose between abstinence and sexual relations. Sex education becomes true primary prevention easily recognizable because it will name and speak explicitly to and about its outcome population of children. Denial of the importance of these differences is an expression of disrespect for the lives and sexuality of children. The most obvious benefit of such simple changes is that prevention will be more effective, because the outcome population will know it is being spoken to and about what. Such changes will also help correct two other important problems contributing to HIV transmission.

Works Cited

1. Abstinence  Only Sex Education Is Not Enough. USA Today 129 (2668) (2001): 7.
2. Glazer, S. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. The CQ Researcher, 3 (14),(2004): 997-1020.
3. Mcclain, L. C. Some ABCs of Feminist Sex Education. Columbia Journal of Gender and Law 15 (1), (2006): 34.
4. Schaalma, H. P., Abraham, Ch., Gillmore, M. R., Kok, G. Sex Education as Health Promotion: What Does It Take? Archives of Sexual Behavior 33 (3), (2004): 259-261.
5. Somers, Ch. L., Surmann, A. T. Adolescents Preferences for Source of Sex Education. Child Study Journal, 34 (1) (2004): 47.
6. Williams, M. T., Bonner, L. Sex Education Attitudes and Outcomes among North American Women Adolescence 41 (162), (2006): 1-16.

Sex education refers to the process in a human life where one acquires information and forms, values, attitudes and beliefs about intimacy, identity and relationships. It includes reproductive health, sexual development, affection, relationships amongst people, roles of different genders and body image. It addresses all aspects of life; psychological, spiritual, social and cultural dimensions.

The article on Effects of sex education on adolescent behavior by Deborah Dawson gives different percentages of adolescents in regard to the type of sex information they receive in United States of America; especially on pregnancy and contraceptives. It is a professional journal on sex education. The main effect of sex education on adolescent behavior is reduced adolescent pregnancies and induced abortions.

I like this article because it emphasizes the need to educate the adolescents on sexual issues. The article is an excellent piece of work. I believe sex education impacts greatly on adolescents. Sex education is the tool to ensure the change of attitudes and thoughts amongst teenagers concerning sex, pregnancy and birth control. Sex education helps the participants to gain knowledge on their reproductive health and methods of birth control.

Sex education is essential to adolescents. It changes their attitude towards other peoples sexual behavior. It is important to measure the behavioral impacts of sex education. I think the program has great effect on values and attitude of teenagers in regards to sex.

Somehow the program could be having no impact on levels of sexual activity amongst teens. All the same, sex education has increased the sense of responsibility among teenagers. There is a positive relationship between use of contraceptives and sex education, which in my view shows responsibility.

I believe the levels of sexual activity may remain high, but sex education helps in reducing cases of teenage pregnancy and abortions. The article is an excellent piece of work, but it has a few gaps. The sex education program presented in this case is more of theory than interactive. Students should play active roles, be involved in groups and watch videos for them to see the reality. This will improve its effectiveness.

Daniel Wights article on Limits of teacher delivered sex education highlights some of the challenges which face sex education program in schools. In his study he involves 25 schools in East Scotland with and his main objective was to establish whether sex education delivered in schools or by teachers reduced unsafe sexual intercourse among adolescents.

I like this article because it offers a comprehensive report on limitations of sex education offered at schools. I adolescents spend most of their time at school, which means that teachers should ac like guardians. Also teachers should be able to deliver sex education effectively.

The main aim of sex education in schools is to reduce cases of risky sexual behavior among adolescents. The quality of education they get matters most. Such gaps in delivering of sex education calls for other interventions like SHARE which means; Sexual Health Relationships: Safe, Happy and Responsible.

In my opinion I would encourage such a programme to complement the school based curriculum. The program proves to be more effective in improving the quality of sexual relationships, reducing unsafe sexual activities and unwanted pregnancies. Sex education should not be a theoretical class work only, but should take a pro-active view in order to be effective.

Effective sex education program includes, working in small groups and games, providing sexual health leaflets, using interactive video and playing of different roles in order to develop skills. Including all these aspects in the program ensures that the program is effective.

When the interactive program is put in practice, a considerable change of behavior is noticed. This is an excellent article to close up the gaps occurring in sex education delivered by teachers. It shows how delivering of sex education has changed and the results which come with the changes.

Works Cited

Dawson, D. (1986). The effects of sex education on adolescent behavior. Family Planning Perspectives, 162-170. Print

Wight, D., Raab, G., Henderson, M., Abraham, C., Buston, K., Hart, G. & Scott, S. (2002). Limits of teacher delivered sex education: interim behavioral outcomes from randomized trial. BMJ, 324 7351, 1430. Print.

Introduction

Sex education refers to the education about human sexuality. The education normally covers topics that are related to sex such as sex organs, reproduction, sexual intercourse, abstinence and emotional relations among others. Schools have been one of the identified locations where sexual education can be conducted.

This paper seeks to discuss the difference in coverage of the subject of sexual education by district schools. The paper will undertake the identification of the difference in the extent to which sexual education is being included in the curriculum of different school districts.

Importance of sex education

With the development of advanced media technology such as the internet and social networks, there is exposure to sexuality that carries a variety of sexual contents. The youth from tender ages are therefore exposed to diverse information about sex that calls for guidance into sexuality. This has called for the need to include sex education in schools curriculum in district schools. This will be very important as it will help in controlling misinformation on sex over the young age group.

Sex education lays facts about sexuality information based on academic research thus taking students from myths or false beliefs created by individuals. Adoption of sex education in school syllabus has also been identified to be beneficial to students.

According to Carroll, sex education drives away curiosity among students and students who engage in sexual education are reported to be less permissive to sex activities before marriage. The level of sex education availed to a student has also been associated with self image and self acceptance besides interpersonal behavior that include how the students may relate with people in future (Carroll 211).

Sex Education in School Districts

The level of sex education as reported by students indicates a variation depending on factors such as the level of study of the students as well as their schools. According to a research, high school students are more informed about sexuality as compared to students in middle schools. Such differences were also realized in the elements of sex education that the students are offered.

It is for example noted that more education is offered to students regarding abstinence and the control of sexually transmitted diseases as compared to education over contraceptives. Apart from the disparity in the elements of sex education with respect to study level, gender determines the level of sex education. Consideration of the use of contraceptives for example reveals more education being offered to girls as compared to boys (Guttmacher 1).

A study of sex education as was conducted in the late twentieth century reveals the same trend in the level of education with respect to level of study. During the period, it was noted that not all school districts were offering sex education as a significant number of students; about twenty percent never received sex education.

The topics that are included in the sex education syllabus also vary with some schools omitting topics such as sexual relationships, communication and decision making, intercourse and pregnancy (Sonenstein and Pittman 1). An analysis that was conducted by Dailard Cynthia revealed that about seventy percent of school districts have policies over sexual education.

The partial adoption of the policies by school districts is an indication that there is a varied level of adoption of the subject of sex in the schools with some schools having absolutely no policy for ensuring sex education. The number of school districts that offers sex education also varies from region to region. The identified regions, northeast, south, Midwest and west, are identified to have only a few schools offering comprehensive sex education and the number of schools that offer such educations vary from region to region (Dailard 11).

The variation is recognized with a higher percentage of schools in the northeast region offering comprehensive sex education while more schools in the south region offers more of abstinence based education and less on comprehensive sex education (Dailard 11). Instructors in schools are also a factor to the provision of sex education to students in schools. The basis of variation by region of sex education reveals a general opinion of the regions of what ought to be taught regarding sex.

This could be in relation to conservative believes that such topics as sex should not be taught to students (Dailard 11). This opinion is supported by the fact that legislations in different states over laws regarding sex education also vary. Since such laws are enacted by political representatives, it can be concluded that different regions have adopted different laws to regulate sex education. Variation in the education is also reported within states (Rigsby 1).

Conclusion

The application of sex education in among school districts varies depending on a number of factors. Some of the factors include regions, regional legislations and instructors. The variation in sex education is therefore driven by the level of conservativeness among societies according to regions.

Works Cited

Carroll, Janell. Sexuality Now: Embracing Diversity. New York, NY: Cengage Learning, 2009. Print.

Dailard, Cynthia. Sex education: politicians, parents, Teachers and teens. Guttmacher, 2001. Web.

Guttmacher. Facts on American Teens sources of information about sex. Guttmacher Institute, 2011. Web.

Rigsby, David. Education law chapter: sex education in schools. The Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law, 2011. Web.

Sonenstein, Felix and Pittman, Ken. The availability of sex education in large city schools. NCBI. Web.

Introduction

To begin with, it should be stated that the highest responsibility for teaching children sexuality and all the issues, associated with sex is on parents. The fact is that school and teachers can give only the basis, and the biological factors of sexuality, while parents assignment is to explain the emotional, moral, and psychological factors of sexuality and behavior, basing on their own knowledge and life experience.

Discussion

First of all, it should be stated that most parents are afraid of talking with their children about sex as they just do not know what to start with. Then, the kid grows and gets all the knowledge from literature, TV, and media. Surely, all the imaginations and information are distorted by childish comprehension and mass media prejudice. Everything that parents may do in these circumstances is to try to change the kids views on sex, while the point of view has been already shaped.

There are no strict rules when the talks should be started, nevertheless, it is necessary to take into consideration that high trust should be between kid and parent to talk about sex, as this topic is very delicate, and requires gentle and careful behavior, especially if the kids are in their teens.

As a mother of two boys, I claim that education should be started from the toddler period when you teach your kids this is your nose, and this is your finger, add, This is your penis etc. This little human should clearly realize what and where he or she does have, consequently, there is no necessity to conceal some obvious things. As the child grows, parents may add some material to their education, read corresponding books, show educational movies, and initiate explaining dialogues.

It has been already stated, that the biological factors of sexuality are generally taught in school, nevertheless, it is necessary to give at least basic knowledge on the biological processes in the organism, and, surely hygiene.

A very important thing that should be properly emphasized in dialogues, dedicated to sexuality and sexual behavior is that children should understand that sexual relations entail not only sexual contact but also caring concern and responsibility. If a child is in pre-teenage, the messages on responsibilities and consequences of sexual activity should be included. The conversations with kids in their 11 12 should also entail discussions and talks on the matters of unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and the ways of contraception.

All these issues may be discussed only with close people. The fact is that the most difficult period is the teenage when the body of adolescents starts transforming, and the acceptance of their personality by themselves changes essentially. It is necessary to maintain trust and be careful in notifications, messages, etc. Parents should stay the No One persons, who the adolescent may address for help, advice or just to share his or her feelings and considerations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is necessary to emphasize that only parents are responsible for the sexual education of their children. The fact is that this aspect of life can not be studied by manuals, as it is the school of life. That is why, the experience of sexuality and behavior should be explained by the closest people  parents.

This paper discusses what is sex education, its types and the importance of sex education in Kyrgyzstan. It examines the fundamentals of sexuality education of society and sexuality education practice in Kyrgyz society.

Introduction

Every child has thought about how children appear from mothers’ belly, and often, when a child asks an adult such question, the adult feels uncomfortable, ashamed, and even sometimes angry and can shame the child for interest. Often, when children are already studying at school, in biology or anatomy classes, teachers often skip the topic of the structure of the human reproductive system, human development and reproduction, and often give these sections for self-study. The issue of the sex taboo has been increasing. Because of this, there are significant problems that now exist in Central Asian society such as increasing level of the incidence of HIV / AIDS every year, increasing level of teenage pregnancies, abortions, problems of tolerance to discriminated groups, LGBT communities. All this show that the problem is not only in the educational or family spheres. This is a problem of the state level, about the health and well-being of the population. I think that this topic is extremely important, and still relevant since it applies to all of us. This paper will find out what is sexual education, types of sexual education and why it is important to have sexual education in Kyrgyzstan.

Literature Review

Gerald S. Oettinger ‘The Effects of Sex Education on Teen Sexual Activity and Teen Pregnancy’ (1999). This article examines the relationship between enroll- ment in sex education and subsequent sexual behavior for U.S. teenagers during the 1970s. The estimates indicate that enrollment in sex education was associated with earlier sexual activity for fe- males in this cohort . In contrast, sex education had much less impact on male transitions into sexual activity. Within-family analyses using sibling data reveal qualita- tively similar patterns. Overall, the evidence suggests that sex education in the 1970s had some causal impact on teen sexual behav- ior, probably in significant part by providing information that enabled teens to alter the risks of sexual activity.

Odekunmi Funke Beatrice ‘The Effect of Sex Education on Teenage Pregnancy among Secondary School Students in Ibadan Metropolis’ (2013). Unplanned pregnancies among Nigerian teenagers and young women have risen despite improvements in educational levels. Though, over the same period the use of modern contraceptive methods among sexually active adolescent women in Nigeria had changed, yet this has not slowed down the rate of teenage pregnancy among the adolescents in Nigeria. The study utilized the survey research method using a self report questionnaire to gather the data. The revalidated Adolescent Sex Education, the authors reconmmend some beginning steps for teacher-preparation institutions.

GAFAR T. IJAIYA, USMAN A. RAHEEM, ABDUL WAHEED O. OLATINWO, MUNIR IJAIYA and RAJI A. BELLO ‘HIV/AIDS AND WELL-BEING IN SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA’ (2010) this paper examines the impact of HIV/AIDS on the well-being of the people in these sub-regions. Holding the incidence of tuberculosis constant, the result indicates that the prevalence of HIV/AIDS has little or no significant impact on well-being. A situation that can be linked to efforts put in place by the governments of the countries in the sub-regions in curtailing the menace of HIV/AIDS. This result notwithstanding, the paper still suggests measures that can be used to curtail the spread and the treatment of the disease in the sub-regions.

International technical guidance on sexuality education is an evidence-informed approach, published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2018. This paper examines the nature of sex education, he International technical guidance on sexuality education (the Guidance) was developed to assist education, health and other relevant authorities in the development and implementation of school-based and out-of-school comprehensive sexuality education programs and materials.

Sexuality education – what is it? (2016) European Expert Group on Sexuality Education, this group’s work provides an overview of key issues in sexuality education. It focuses primarily on sexuality education in Europe and Central Asia. In this article I used for understanding of benefits of sxualeducatio

What is sex education? And What are the types of it? Sexuality education aims to develop and strengthen the ability of children and young people to make conscious, satisfying, healthy and respectful choices regarding relationships, sexuality and emotional and physical health. Sexuality education does not encourage children and young people to have sex (European Expert Group on Sexuality Education, 2016, p. 427). Authors want to say that education can be not only in one sphere as reproductive system but also covers other spheres. Thus, sexuality education is divided into two common types. Abstinence-only sex education is a way that teaches children to wait until they get married or will be adults to get into sexual relationships. According to UNESCO, “Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a curriculum-based process of teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality. It aims to equip children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that will empower them to: realize their health, well-being and dignity; develop respectful social and sexual relationships; consider how their choices affect their own well-being and that of others; and, understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives” (UNESCO, 2018, P. 16).

Why it is important to have sexual education? According to European Expert Group on Sexuality Education (2016) “Sexuality education delivered within a safe and enabling learning environment and along- side access to health services has a positive and life-long effect on the health and well-being of young people” (European Expert Group on Sexuality Education, 2016, p. 428). Authors of this book say that they have made a research on long-term sexual education in different countries of Europe and it led to reduction of teenage pregnancies, teenage abortions, and HIV/ AIDs infections among young. Adolescents become more conscious and come to sexual relationship later. Another reason why sexual education in Kyrgyzstan is important, that numbers of HIV/ AIDs, teenage abortion and pregnancy have been increasing. The battle has always been between sex education and abstinence-only. Some experts argue that abstinence education is the only way to prevent teenagers from having sex, while others insist that teenagers will have sex no matter what, and it is better for them to be equipped with solid educational information about sex. Such will enable them to limit HIV infections and prevent many unplanned teen pregnancies (Guttmacher Institute, 2008).

Sex education in Kyrgyzstan. “According to the Ministry of Health, 1408 young girls aged under 20 years old had abortions in the year 2015. In 2015, there were 297 registered cases of sexually trans- mitted infections among young people aged 15 – 19 years” (to Federal Centre for Health Education, 2018, p. 3). In Kyrgyzstan, as we know it is not customary to talk about such things as sex, and many teenage girls face problems such as being not able to tell to their parents about first menstruation, on how to correctly use Intime hygienic products. All this fear leads to search information about it in internet which is often not accurate for their age and can somehow harm their psychology. Adolescents not knowing much correct information go into sexual relationship with their partners and might get infected with different sexually transmitted infections.

Traditionally in Kyrgyz society sex education is not taught as it should be, called abstinence-only, which teaches children to wait until they are either married or adults to engage in sexual relationships. According to Federal Centre for Health Education (2018), sex education practices in Kyrgyzstan has been integrated in 2015, and was given as a subject ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ for students starting from 12 years and older. As practice showed this subject is not mandatory and taught at schools differently depending on the region, the preparedness of teachers and other administrative factors.

In Sexuality Education in the WHO European Region it is said that “The subject covers a variety of topics, e.g. hygiene, family planning, teenage pregnancy, early marriage and bride-kidnapping, violence, reproductive rights, sexual development and gender, spread over different grades” (Federal Centre for Health Education, 2018). In this article it says that the Ministry of Education of Kyrgyzstan and the Ministry of Health have approved methodological guidelines for teachers which were created and developed by United Nations Population Fund and the ‘Deutsche Gesellschaft fur international Zusammenarbeit’ (GIZ). However, no special trainings for teachers were organized. According to article,

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7. UNESCO (2018). International technical guidance on sexuality education https://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/ITGSE_en.pdf

Sex, it’s one of the most taboo topics within all of the United States, and Americans are obsessed with it: pornography, music, tv shows, even burger commercials seem to contain a certain sex appeal, these elements are seen in everyday life and yet addressing it in any way, especially to our children, seems to mean the deathwatch beetle of moral and civil society as we know it. Cinema is the most visible example of this belief system, with Americans being perfectly comfortable showing gunfire, violent deaths and explosions to their kids but any indication of romanticism beyond one kiss or short moments of nudity are met with extreme criticism at best and a boycott with conversations about the morals and what type of material parents will not allow their children to watch. Sex and the subjects relating to it are typically had at home, at school or never at all, and for the past several generations society has been comfortable with this status quo, seemingly without realizing the drastic effects not having a proper sex education has on young people. The current sex education students get in the United States is appalling and the consequences of an improper education are something that is not only faced by the individual but by the communities that these individuals reside. It’s time to come face to face with the state of America’s sex education system and understand the necessity of a comprehensive curriculum, for that exposure allows young people to take control of their bodies, their health and their right to education.

Sexual Education

The American public education system is a stepping stone for young Americans across the country. Over a decade of a child’s life is dedicated to acquiring and cultivating academic, philosophic and social skills all with the aims to prepare the individual for being a future productive adult, living within the current century, and thus it would seem logical that our education systems have a well-balanced inventory of academia, including a capable sex/health curriculum. According to the World Population Review, it is one of the world’s most educated countries ranking at #6 with 45.6% of the entire population having at least received a high school Diploma. The United states have one of the best education systems in the world and it has historically been something our country has been very proud of…so if this is the case why does the institution have such major flaws and why are educators, medical professionals and historians alike claiming that public education is decreasing in quality not growing?

This is the first major question that should be answered, for, in order to look at the state of education and where to go from there, one must see the starting point. There is a growing understanding that public schools in America are intended to be the blueprint for a developing generation. An institution that prides itself on its dedication to the art of teaching and learning, a place that will ensure the growth and productivity of its country and the people who reside within it. However, the fact is known and the message is clear, public schooling has steadily become a system riddled with flaws and long term consequences. With curriculum standards being different within every school district, the guarantee of a quality education, no matter where in the 50 states a child resides in, is an unsupported notion.

While there are so many areas that one can focus in on and dissect, so many areas that are falling behind, sex education and health class in general is often overlooked or outright ignored completely. With such a controversial history, the origins of sexual education is an extensive subject matter. Sex Education first emerged as a public concern in the United States in the early to mid 1800s. The YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) and the American Purity Alliance was one of the first organizations to recognize the need for education and teaching of that variety and the need only grew from there. In the 1910s when soldiers I kept returning home from the war with easily contractable STI such as chylamida and gonohrhea the action for creating curricula became much more fast acting and by the early 1920s, “sex ed” was officially a subject matter that was capable of being taught in schools.

Morality Based Arguments And How They Affect Curriculum

At its most abstract level, the very way that sex education is taught seems to have some fundamental flaw, there is the rising observation that many educators teaching health and sex classes are not comfortable with the curriculum. Over the past several decades sex education in the classroom has changed, more and more school systems are talking about the act of consent and different forms of birth control along with the standard anatomy and general overview of sex and sexual related health. These changes however haven’t equated the difference in the things the curriculum is lacking. Sex ed and health classes in general are unlike a typical academic classes, there isn’t a specific teacher there to teach the subject matter, and thus many teachers become awkward when teaching the lessons. Even some educators have been outspoken about the issue, Gaye Chapman, a public school teacher at Cleveland high school in Oregon, believes that public schools need to address LGBT subject matters in a far more comprehensive way. Back to the concept of teacher comfort, the reason Chapman says it is so important is because an uncomfortable teacher is ineffective.“The kids are going to pick up on it right away if you’re not comfortable, then they’re not going to have fun, they’re not going to be comfortable if you’re not comfortable.” The entire environment surrounding sex effects the students’ ability to learn, since the subject matter is often talking about bodies many can find the nature of class uncomfortable, but in order for the information to properly reach students there can be no level of judgement or disinterest, when a educational filiatator doesn’t treat the subject seriously, the likeliness a student can relate to a class diminishes.

A question that has yet to been answered is “why haven’t there been major reforms in sex ed?” If the United states has 750,000 women under the age of 20 becoming pregnant each and every year why hasn’t anyone done anything about it? If abstinence only education is failing why haven’t schools addressed the issue? The honest answer: Parents. Parents have the largest say in sex ed and health curriculum. Since there is no federally recognized sexual education / health curriculum for U.S public schools the decision of what is taught within each school district doesn’t come from the state but rather the parents and PTA boards within every town. Many parents fear that their children will be looking at material they deem inappropriate or that if their children learn about sexual topics then they will engage in sexual acts prematurely.

Abstinence only Education

However the use of sexual education throughout North American History has been on a base level about two different things, getting students to understand basic biology, and to promote Abstinence until marriage programs. Since 1982, the federal government has spent over two billion on abstinence-only-until-marriage ‘sex education’ programs. These programs must adhere to a strict regime of what this form of education should look like, with the “exclusive purpose (of) teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity. Abstinence-only-until-marriage sex education came to a brief stop in the year 2010, but has been reanacted within recent years, with funding for these programs increasing threefold from 2015 to 2017. In fact the American Government invests over 175 million dollars annually in ‘abstinence-only-until-marriage’ programs.

Now, abstinence-only-until-marriage advocates have rebranded their programs as sexual risk avoidance (SRA) programs, in order to separate themselves from the backlash of being labeled “Abstinence only education” and to ensure a new stream of federal revenue that will support them. There are several problems with the abstinence-only-until-marriage, First, almost no abstinence-only-until-marriage program has been shown to have any impact on young people’s behavior. In layman’s terms, SRA or abstinence only education, doesn’t work. Despite protests from abstinent until marriage educators, the truth of the matter is that sex education programs that include lessons on both abstinence and birth control have a better track record of helping young people wait to have sex. According to Wolters Kluwer, which isa global provider of professional and medical information, programs like SRAs are required to withhold information on contraception and condom use, except for information on failure rates.Abstinence-only curricula have been found to contain scientifically inaccurate information, distorting data on topics such as condom efficiency and the class material commonly promotes gender stereotypes.

There are lasting affects to not having a proper sex education, ones that go over teenage pregnancy or youth testing positive for STDs. Sex education or lack there of can most definetely affect your adult life. Julie Jesk, a sex educator and professor she sees how this first hand from the clientiel that walk through her office. “I see a lot of people who then end up being embarrassed, or even worse feeling shame,” Jeske said. “Shame is one of the biggest obstacles to a healthy sex life. Shame is immobilizing to people.” Jeske also goes on to say “The biggest thing I see in my office when I work with adults, is bringing in comfort around sex. Some people feel more comfortable having sex than they do talking about sex. Talking about sex can be so uncomfortable for people. I think it starts with who is teaching sex, if they are more comfortable they are modeling how people can be comfortable talking about sex.”

How Comprehensive Sex/ Health Education Could Affect Your Life

Now since each state has their own set of rules for what sexual education looks like, the language for what sex education should look like differs. However going off of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States comprehensive sex ed “includes age-appropriate, medically accurate information on a broad set of topics related to sexuality including human development, relationships, decision-making, abstinence, contraception, and disease prevention.” Research published by the Public Library of Science, shows that when sex education is comprehensive, students feel more informed, make safer choices and have healthier outcomes — resulting in fewer unplanned pregnancies and more protection against sexually transmitted diseases and infections. This is an incredibly important statistic because on a whole, nearly 80% of sexually active teens between ages of 15-17 had no formal education before the first time they had a sexual experience. Whats this means for school systems is that there curriculum would be adding adding lessons on anatomy and anatomy healthy relationships, consent, body image, stds in both a preventative / treatment standpoints and making sure to talk about sex in a multifaceted way.

If Sex Ed Doesn’t Get Reformed, Public Education Has Failed Its Students

When only 15 states in the nation require sex education to be medically accurate, (Connecticut not being one of them) a lot is left up to interpretation in teenage health literacy. This leaves room for an abundance of bias from school administration or singular educator belief, some of these biases can be detrimental to a student’s learning and to more critically to their health. It is not uncommon for schools to show videos or bring in guest speakers when teaching sex ed curriculum and depending on the school district the types of information the student body is being taught can change drastically. For example Human Relations Media, a film company that produces a line of teen health videos has a diverse array of sexual health shorts that schools can show. The company offers schools different versions of the same subject matter, version A being labeled as “non judgmental” while version b is called “abstinence centered” with rhetoric claiming students who are sexually active before marriage are letting not only their future partner down but “you, your school, and your community.” As mentioned previously, school districts will also bring in guest speakers. Presenters, like women Pam Stenzel whose talk is on “The High Cost of Free Love” who within her presentation compares girls who’ve had multiple sexual partners with a chewed piece of gum. Stenzel goes on to say “Now who would ever want a chewed up piece of gum?” This vile statement not only imposes a belief system on youth but also as a statement creates a very dangerous environment when talking about sexual assult and consent, an aspect of sex ed that abstience only doesn’t cover. Elizabeth Smart was 14 years old when she was abducted, raped and held captive outside her home in Salt Lake City Utah. She recalled in an interview with ABC news that after the event she realized “I’m that chewed piece of gum.” This can not be the education young people receive in America, no survivor of sexual assault should be made to think that they are damaged or undesirable, these are lessons that should not be taught in school. Elliot Altomare, a comprehensive sex educator in the state of Connecticut believes schools need to create large amounts of change within the current curriuculum. Altomare sees sex ed as a class that has an insurmountable importance to students, “A large part of understanding the world is understanding our bodies, you can’t do that if you are constantly shamed out of asking questions.”

Comprehensive sexual education must be taken to the forefront of America’s schooling concerns, the current state of the curriculum allows many students to be excluded, shamed or lied to. Our educational requirements would be appalled if teachers were expected to lie in a history or science or math class, sexual education must be viewed in the same way. The United States has already experienced first hand the effects of this failing educational sector, whether it be the deaths of 600,000 people during the 1990s AIDS epidemic, or our rates of sexual abuse or unlawful abortions or spreading of STIs or teen pregnancy, the fact of the matter is without the proper and comprehensive education, people will die. At the end of the day this is an issue about education, power dynamics and belief. Religious groups, independent grassroot movements and lawmakers all believe that the youth of today should not have access to the correct information and will spend millions of dollars annually to keep that status quo. Young people are constantly being undermined, misrepresented and mistreated. It is time that changed, it’s time for young people to claim their right to autonomy and respect and accurate information. In instances like these, education has always been the solution, so let it be the solution for this movement too.

Introduction

Since the early days, sex education as a topic has brought up several heated debates in our society. There have been controversies in schools related to the morals behind sex education and how they need to be portrayed in the classroom. However, with the progressive changes in the society we have seen changes in the ways sex education is taught in schools over time.

In the early 90’s, the main focus of sex education was inclined towards the concept revolving around marriage and role of family members. However, with time the definition behind sex education has changed to a great extent. The school nowadays are more focused towards educating teenagers about prevention of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. There has been a significant shift in the concept revolving around sex education from marriage and family members to personal preventive health.

Being sexually literate is very essential as it helps society change their views on the concept of sex education and develop a broader perspective about the same. These changes occurring around the curriculum of sex education will help the society and school students understand the importance of sex education in their day to day lives.

However, in current times, the society and especially school students make maximum use of technology- sex scenes that are heavily portrayed in some movies and TV shows can have a significant impact on teenagers and their thinking. Internet plays a significant role in the lives of teenagers as well. With the internet being so accessible to all, when one clicks on a particular link to a website, advertisements containing sexual messages and pictures are posted to the side of the pages as if they were normal. Due to this, teenagers can easily stray to such websites and unknowingly receive incorrect information about sex.

In this modern era, sex scenes are portrayed as casual and harmless and seemed to bring no severe consequences, causing the teenagers to view such media to be fooled easily. It is true that without proper knowledge, sex can become irresponsible. Even in the 21stcentaury some parents’ refrain from discussing sex-related issues with their children which drives them to the Internet and other unreliable media sources to find out more about the topic, as they have no other sources to get more information. Hence, it is crucial that sex education is imparted in schools through channels that are most commonly used by teenagers. So that teenagers can receive the information they need from the right sources; namely, teachers who are well informed about the topic.

Teachers can take advantage of this widespread use of technology and integrate sex education lessons and videos to educate students and lastly show ‘sex education’ in their course pedagogy. The Netflix show- “Sex Education” is an excellent example of how students and teenagers can be educated about sex and the stigma around it. Technology can be harmful if not used in the right way. This show portrays different angles of sex and how to deal with it. The concept revolving around the show talks about the benefits of being educated about sex and how to reduce the number of cases of sexually transmitted diseases among teenagers. In this show, the lead character Otis inherits ways of teaching other students of his school about sex, and he gets the guidance from his mother who is a sex therapist herself. This show is very informative, and it is targeting the right kind of audience(teenagers) which is educating teenagers about HIV/AIDS and the required precautions to take before being sexually involved.

Research has proven that by providing the right knowledge on a crucial topic like sex education in the classroom reduces sexual activity amongst teenagers as they are made more aware of the risks of unprotected sex. If not appropriately educated, teenagers tend to be exposed to the lie that sex is harmless, and this further leads to an increase in their sexual activities which can impact their health to a great extent.

Conclusion

To conclude, it’s not about what’s wrong or right with sex but it is about spreading information about taking necessary protective measures. Education should be about preventing irresponsible sex and not sex. It must be in a manner which is more suited to modern era students and teenagers.

Teenage adolescence can be a callous time for parents and guardians. With raging hormones comes voice adjustments, rebellious attitudes, and puberty. Educating teenagers about sex is a distressing conversation for most parents. Some parents briefly cover the topic with their children, while a portion of parents and guardians do not initiate any conversations regarding sex, risks, or contraceptives at all. Meanwhile, other parents view it as inappropriate for their children to be exposed to sex topics within the classroom at all.

Religious beliefs and values play a role in a minority of families regarding their opinions and views on sex education. Sex education is a topic discussed in public school board meetings so parents and teachers can collaborate on the most effective approach in educating students about sex. Sex education is administered and discussed using different methods and approaches across the country and within public school systems. Facts supported by academic research will cover the importance and benefits of sex education, different methods of teaching sex-ed, studies supporting educating the society’s adolescence on sex education, and the positive and negative outcomes of children being educated on sex.

Parents and guardians make the decision to enroll their children in public school to gain a quality education, build social skills, interact with peers, and adapt to a structured public environment. Sex education is typically administered to middle and high-school students between ages ten and sixteen. The average female experiences her first menstruation cycle around age eleven. Although less common, it has been reported some girls experienced menstruation at the early age of six. The average male hits puberty at the age of twelve, but some can experience puberty at the age of nine (Bierich, 1975).

Determining the appropriate age for a child to be educated on sex is a common stress among parents and guardians. Some parents focus on their child’s maturity level, or physical symptoms of puberty. Over the years, society has found that majority of parents agree it is essential for their children to be educated about sex. According to a study done by Kantor and Levitz, over 93% of parents agreed that sex education should be a priority topic of education being discussed in middle and high-school (Kantor, Levitz, 2017). The human body experiences several physical changes throughout our lifespan. Children do not understand how the body operates. When a child’s body is transforming into a teenager’s body it can be scary and confusing for the child. Puberty can be terrifying, especially for girls. It is human nature to seek truth and reasoning behind change. A time arrives in every child’s life when they question the making of their existence. Once their bodies start changing there is no bypassing the subject of puberty and sex.

Sex education is necessary to teach the adolescence of the society about their bodies changing and the reason they change. In addition, children and teenagers need to fully understand the risks associated with being involved in sexual activities, such as sexually transmitted diseases, infections, and unwanted pregnancies. Sex Education is a controversial topic of discussion among parents and teachers when deciphering the most effective method to educate students on the subject. It is important for both, non-sexually active and sexually active teenagers to know about their bodies and the risks they expose themselves to when getting involved sexually with another person.

Abstinence is described as “the act of refraining from something, such as not participating in sexual intercourse” (Merriam-Webster’s 2016). Abstinence promotes students to remain abstinent from sex until marriage. This is the only method that guarantees a 100% prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, infections, and pregnancy. Considering abstinence is a guaranteed method to prevent STDs and unwanted pregnancies, it is highly favored in a vast majority of communities around the United States. Teaching abstinence is most commonly supported by religious families whose children are enrolled in public school systems. Many religions believe it is a sin to engage in sexual activity before marriage. Although, even if it is made abundantly clear to adolescence that abstinence is the only way to fully prevent transmitted diseases, infections, and pregnancies, children and teens still succumb to curiosity, peer pressure, or rebellion and engage in sexual activity. In 1999, a study was conducted in a public-school district that advocated students to remain abstinent, and abstinent only. Additional methods of contraception were not discussed or acknowledged. The first noted concern of students was the fear of confronting an adult regarding contraception methods. The teens in this study were ashamed of having sex and did not use birth control or condoms and it resulted in higher rates of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases within the community (Landry, Kaeser, & Richards, 1999).

Contraception is, “deliberate prevention of conception or impregnation” (Merriam-Webster’s, 2016). Contraception methods include using birth control and condoms when engaging in sex. Teaching adolescence in public school systems may potentially upset families who do not believe in using contraception methods. Various forms of birth control can be used and some religious families do not find it appropriate for their sons and daughters to be educated and informed about them.

Although some families do not agree with teaching children contraception methods in public school systems, other families support it. Teenagers endure high hormone levels which sometimes escalates to experimenting with sex. Some parents fear if their teenager is not educated on how to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, infections, or unwanted pregnancies they could end up experiencing it first-hand. A study was conducted on teenagers, both males and females who use contraception methods. All of the statistics revealed positive outcomes and had low statistics in teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases and infections in the regional area where the study was conducted. (Landry, Darroch, Singh, & Higgins, 2003). This study supports that education of high school students about the different forms of contraception proved to be beneficial in preventing diseases, infection, and teenage pregnancy.

Another heavily discussed debate regarding public-school system’s board and parents is teaching the students about abortions. An abortion is a procedure that results in purposeful termination of a pregnancy (Merriam-Webster’s 2016). Abortions are against the beliefs of many religions much similar to using various forms of contraception. Some people support the stance that abortion is murder, and it should not be influenced in any form in public-school systems.

An additional view on abortion is it can give a person “a way out” of having a child. Careless teenagers may engage in unprotected sex knowing an abortion could resolve the situation, if it occurred. An abortion may terminate a baby in utero, but it does not prevent sexually transmitted diseases and infection.

The discussion of teaching teens about the morning after pill arises a similar debate as abortion. Abortion is costly, and the morning after pill is affordable. Teaching teenagers about the morning after pill could potentially make them think it is okay to have sex without using a condom or birth control. Although, the morning after pill could be a useful contraception method to know about if a condom were to break or birth control failed a teenager involved in sexual activity. Another contraceptive method subject to controversy related to sex education is allowing schools to have free condoms and birth control available in the nurse’s office at the school. Some parents feel this is giving the teenagers a green light to go engage in sexual activities. Other parents feel it is convenient for their child to have availability to protection from sexually transmitted diseases, infections, and prevention of unwanted teenage pregnancy.

Some parents choose to inform their kids about sex on their own. Others are uncomfortable with discussing sex to their own kids and feel it would be less awkward and more constructive for them to learn in a school environment with peers. The following two studies will show two different forms of educating youth through the public-school system.

The first study is a peer-led sex education class. The study was conducted in a public-school system in the United Kingdom. This concept mimics an “older sibling” effect on the students. The program was designed to improve the younger pupils’ skills in sexual communication and prevention. Older high school students, between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, took a class teaching them how to teach younger middle and high school students between the ages eleven and fifteen about sex. This class is a credited course and applied towards their high school diploma. The older teenagers went into the classrooms of younger students, and taught them about puberty, conception, abstinence, sexually transmitted diseases, infections, pregnancy, abortions and the different forms of contraception methods. This study proved that more students were comfortable discussing the subject, and frequently asked the older students questions. The students engaged in more classroom conversation and activities than compared to a teacher-led sex education course. (Stephenson, Strange, & Allen, 2008). The student-led sex education course revealed to be beneficial for everyone involved. The older high school students teaching the class are able to keep up on their own sex education and practice teaching skills. It is a reminder to the older students teaching the classes of the risks and responsibilities of being sexually active, meanwhile holds them accountable to be a positive role model for the younger students.

The next study is a teaching method using modern technology. A computer-taught course on sex education is available for middle and high-school students. The idea of this approach was based on teenagers’ high interest and usage in today’s modern technology. The intent for the program was to encourage students to become more engaged in the learning material and to take the course seriously. The study concluded positive results and more positive attitudes in teenagers when discussing sex. (Roberto, Zimmerman, Carlyle, & Abner, 2007.) Having a sex education program for middle and high-schoolers can help the student relax in the comfort of their own privacy and learn about their own body and sex. Being behind a computer screen is less intimidating than being face-to-face with an adult. Chatrooms in sex education programs online allow the students to ask any questions they need answered without feeling ashamed or awkward. Although online sex education programs eliminate the awkward moments a face-to-face teaching would, it does interfere with the emotional needs of the student. Learning about sex online doesn’t provide the teen with the emotional support a physical conversation would. Caring tones and gestures are an important factor in a teacher-student relationship. Words can be perceived differently online than in person. In addition, confidentiality can easily be broken over the internet because nobody’s information is entirely secure over the web.

In conclusion, these studies support the importance of parents, teachers, and the adolescence of today’s society to learn and talk about sex. New methods to administer sex education are emerging frequently. Parents and teachers continue to seek the best teaching method to provide the society’s growing population with accurate information. Middle and high school students are society’s upcoming adult generation. Educating the upcoming generations on sex helps prevent the growing numbers of sexually transmitted diseases and infections millions of citizens suffer and die from each day. Teaching sex education prevents unwanted pregnancy and decreases the chance of abortions and neglected babies. Overall, sex education is a crucial subject for every child to be educated about. Students need to know about their own body and the physical changes it makes.

Sex education is the study of understanding the activity, responsibilities, and health of human sexuality. While learning about this topic there are factors that help enhance or diminish the perspective and knowledge of sex education within adolescence. Factors such as the age, school curriculums, and parent’s involvement of an adolescent contributes to the effects and impacts of sexual experiences that an adolescent may encounter. Somers and Eaves (2002) focus on the introduction of sex education and its impact based on age. The relationship between the timing of introduction and encounters with sexual experiences are examined and analyzed. Rabbitte and Enriquez (2018) focus on the policy of school curriculums and their correlation to adolescence. These researches study the importance of the quality of information being passed on from teacher to student. Breaz and Tomita (2017) researched sex education in schools and its general importance. They focused on the outcome of adolescence when received proper sex education in comparison to not. Kantor and Levitz (2017), and Telljohann and Dake (2015) consisted of research based on parental involvement and their perspectives on sex education in schools. Wayne, Masese, Avuvika, Baghazal, Omoni, and Mcclelland (2017) also focused on the matter. These researched conducted their studies separately but ultimately had the same conclusion.

Somers and Eaves (2002) conducted research into examining the relation between the offering of sex education in schools and its effect on students based on their age. Professional guidance of sex education increases the likelihood of strong sexual knowledge. These researchers suggested that sex education is introduced and continues to be introduced to adolescence as they develop. Within development and the continuance of sex education, a wide range of sex education is absorbed and learned. This study was conducted this by utilizing both female and male genders into the study. Participants consisted of a variety of 158 American adolescents being sixty-three boys and ninety-five girls through the ages 14-18 years old. In order to measure the study, the researchers used a questionnaire that would determine a measure of when the individual was taught sex education and a measure of involved sexual experiences. As a result, according to Somers and Eaves (2002) “earlier sex education does not contribute to earlier risk behaviors” (p.30). In fact, it was stated that learning about sex education while at a young age can hold a positive outcome of adolescent experiences if taught professionally. Somers and Eaves (2002) found that school sex education as a whole was not significantly correlated with the adolescent’s frequency of sexual behavior in general or age of first sexual intercourse (p.31).

In addition to the age of the adolescent being an influence to sex education, the school curriculum and topics discussed hold value too. Rabbitte and Enriquez (2018) conducted a research into analyzing the correlation between the quality of sex education and its effect on adolescence. In this study the researchers focused on two different programs offered by schools. Those programs were AOE, Abstinence Only Education and CSE, Comprehensive Sex Education in which the researches compared the effectiveness of each. The United States government has incorporated the AOE into schools more so than the CSE. Depending on the state in which the school is located regulates the type of education the students will receive. In order to direct the effectiveness of both types of education, the researchers examined the sexual health outcomes of teenagers. Studies concluded that there was an increase of birth rate in the states that enforced AOE than CSE. According to Rabbitte and Enriquez (2018 “AOE programs have been shown to be detrimental to teen sexual health outcomes while CSE programd have been shown to decrease birth rates and meet the educational needs of teens” (P.36).

Moreover, not only is the type of sex education an influence but having sex education in schools in general shows an importance. Breaz and Tomita (2017) focused on the outcome of having students involved in taking sex education in school. These researchers used a questionnaire to determine the amount of knowledge adolescence had based on sex education, what type of relation they held with their parents, as well as their personal emotions and thoughts on the matter. The study consisted of one class each year with the range of freshmen to seniors in a high school setting. As a result, according to Breaz and Tomita (2017) half of the teens involved in the study have not discussed or had a conversation about sex education. It has been stated that “most of the information that teens have about sexual education comes from parent’s friends, and the internet” (p.260). Due to this matter, a lot of teens do not get informed about majority of the topic due to the fact that those sharing the information are “based on personal experience” (p.260). This leads to misinformation that transfers from teen to teen leading in a negative outcome. Although schools offer sex education, it comes fourth in the ranking of adolescent information sources. The ranking leads are parents, friends, the internet, in which follows school settings. With that being said since adolescents rely on sources in which share their own experiences or more so share any bit of knowledge that they have and not the full breakdown of the topic, many adolescents can miss out on information needed. Schools provide necessary and authentic information that cover as much as possible and within any range.

Furthermore, parents are another factor that hold a significance in sexual education of adolescence. Their views, perceptions, and involvement of the child has a strong effect. As discussed earlier adolescence rely on parents when needed to discuss their knowledge on the topic. Kantor and Levitz (2017) conducted a study to view the support of sex education in schools. Regardless of political views, both democratic and republican parents participated in the study in which they completed a survey. About 1633 parents accepted the survey via e-mail containing a range from Caucasian, African American, and Latino participants. The survey consisted of questions regarding their emotions on their child learning about sex education in their schools. As a result, according to Kantor and Levitz (2017), “overall, parents, regardless of their race and political view, felt it was important for their child to learn about sex education and supported all topics being included” (p.5). According to the researchers and study “sex education, which includes a wide range of topics, is supported by the majority of parents” (p.7).

Compared to Kantor and Levitz (2017), Telljohann and Dake (2015) share a common study. These researchers studied parents who currently have children in the school system and examined their perceptions based of sex education in schools. Participants were selected at random with the age group of children from 5-12 years old. These participants were also measured by a mailed survey questionnaire. The survey questionnaire focused on demographic characteristics of both genders, ethnicity of Asian, African American, Hispanic, Caucasian, and other, their level of education, and more. As a result of Telljohann and Dake (2015) research “nine out of ten parents believed that sex education in schools should be taught” (p.16). These parents agreed with the topics being offered in schools regarding sexual education in all aspects. Parents believe that learning about sex education during a young age is helpful and has a high effectiveness that ever child should encounter. Although they believe this is true, many feel as though deepening on the age group, it is crucial to handle the information with care.

In comparison to recently discussed researchers, Wanje, Masese, Avuvika, Omoni, and Mcclelland (2017) conducted a similar study. These researchers focused on the relationship between parents and their child on discussing sex education in order to determine how supportive parents are to sex education. It was determined that parents themselves are not fully aware of all topics on sexual education learning. In order to measure their study, these researchers offered free STI screenings for the parent’s child. Most of the parents agreed of the test and showed in interest of their child’s sexual health. Parents accepted learning about the procedure as well as other topics regarding knowledge of sex education. While screenings were occurring many parents asked questions, asked to see the results of their child, and gave their input on how important it is to be aware and informed. As stated in the research of Wanje, Masese, Avuvika, Omoni, and Mcclelland (2017), before the study many were not aware of a lot of general topics regarding sex education. Parents were not interest to talk to their child about it and left the knowledge to teachers. After the screening was done and parents received their child’s results, their views on how important sex education was changed. They knew they had to be more open to discussing all topics of sex education with the child and allow for them to be curious. Parents in this study agreed and supported the importance and significance of being educated on the manner was not only to their child but to themselves as well.

In conclusion, sex education is a controversial topic in many states all over the world. Based on where one lives depend on how strongly supportive a parent may feel or how disconnected a parent may feel towards sex education in schools as a whole. Offering sex education in schools has more advantages than disadvantages. As long as there is care, authenticity, and necessary information, parents are on full board for their child receiving sex education in the school curriculum. Many parents all over the world agree that at some point in age it is essential to learn about sex education and with all of the topics it includes. More so, parents themselves feel they have a small grasp of sex education and have learned throughout all of the studies conducted. All in all, parents feel their children could lack an important aspect of life if not given the opportunity to learn sex education throughout