Category: Sex education

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) have recently increased among young people in Australia between the ages of 15 to 24 years old. This exemplified that chlamydia is the most common STI contracted by young people. The rate of chlamydia has tripled since 2001, increasing from 130 notifications per 100,000 to 435 cases per 100,000 (ABS, 2012). This population accounts for 50% of all STDs, despite representing approximately 25 percent of the sexually active population (CDC, 2017). STDs are an infection transmitted through unprotected sexual contact and subsequently, have severe consequences beyond the immediate impact of the infection itself (WHO, 2019). With 1 in 4 young people contracting an STD, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates by the time individuals are 25 years old, half the sexually active population will have an STD (WHO, 2019). This epidemic has been caused due to the lack of awareness in adolescents who have been insufficiently educated about safe sex practices and the risks associated with sexual intercourse. The WHO asserts that young people need access to a sex education, specifically regarding STDs, to gain this skills-based education in order to care for their sexual health. However, the Australian schooling system is failing to address this issue. Thus, schools need to implement a more effective targeted intervention to approaches sexual health to adolescents within the education system. This lack of education, coupled with a societal attitude that is becoming increasing liberal, has led to more of the young-adult demographic taking greater risks with regards to not practicing safe sex (Rissel, 2012). This was demonstrated in a recent study by Rissel et al., who found that sexual attitudes of Australians largely approve of premarital sex and this is consistent with the age of first intercourse in Australia being lower than ever before. This correlates with higher levels of liberalism, which are associated with greater sexual adventurism and health risk taking, for example, only 36.7% of women aged 16-19 believe that oral sex is equivalent to vaginal intercourse versus 75.4% of women aged 50-59. This change in attitudes regarding sexual behavior can be attributed to different historical upbringings and changing social norms (Rissel, 2012).

STDs occur through contact with infected bodily fluids, usually through sexual interaction, for example, vaginal, anal or oral sex. Many STDs are non-symptomatic and are easily spread due to lack of knowledge or detection, such as HPV and HSV, which are estimated to affect 300 million and 500 million people worldwide, respectively and 240 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B globally. STDs have a profound impact on sexual and reproductive health worldwide and while many STDs have few short-term effects, the long-term effects can be devastating. For example, it is estimated that undiagnosed STDs cause 24,000 women to become infertile each year, and the HPV virus is the leading cause of cervical cancer in women (ABS, 2018). Syphilis is a type of STD that in 2016 affected 88 000 pregnant women, resulting in over 350 000 adverse birth outcomes, including 200 000 stillbirths and newborn deaths (ABS, 2019). In conjunction, in 2012, the highest gonorrhea rates were highest among adolescents and young adults, with six in 10 chlamydia and gonorrhea diagnoses are in those under 25 years of age (AYAC, 2018). With one in two sexually active people will contract an SDI by age 25 (Cates JR, 2004). These world and Australian health issues are having a large impact on adolescent’s sexual health. STD statistics in Australia are increasing each year, since less than half of adults ages 18 to 44 have never been tested for an STD and more young people are engaging in sexual activity than ever before. A national survey by La Trobe University is carried out every six years and found that the sexual activity of Australian teenagers has increased to 27.4% for Year 10 students and 56.1% for Year 12 students, from 25.8% of Year 10 students and 46.8% of Tear 12 students six years earlier. Therefore, the lack of sex education in Pacific to STDs is the primary cause for this epidemic.

With Australian society’s attitudes towards young people’s sexual relationships becoming increasingly liberal, young people are at an increased risk of participating within risk taking activity. These risk-taking behaviors include unprotected sex and multiple sex partners as a result of a lack of sufficient sex education and relaxed liberalistic attitudes towards sexual relationships. Thus, placing them at a higher susceptibility to contracting an STD than any other societal group. For example, in Australia 18,588 cases of gonorrhea were detected in 2015, up from 8,388 cases in 2006, the Kirby group has suggested that the increase in STD transmission is largely due to incorrect or lack of condom use and a lack of treatment seeking behaviors (Mayo Clinic, 2018). A report from the Centre for Social Research in Health found 68 percent of gay and bisexual men in this age group surveyed in 2013 always used condoms, compared to 47 percent in 2016 (Mayo Clinic, 2018). The lack of treatment seeking behaviors can also be linked to the social stigma surrounding STDs, that causes adolescents to feel abnormal and embarrassed, resulting in young people not seeking treatment due to the fear of being judged. Young people account for half of new STD cases, however only 12% were tested for STDs in the last year (CDC, 2018). As a consequence, STDs are vastly spread due to lack of treatment being access, hence why more than 1 million STD are acquired every day worldwide (WHO, 2019).

Liberal attitude changes have also led to an increase in alcohol and drug use. Substance abuse has consistently been linked with sexual risk taking, with recent study demonstrating that one third of adolescents reported experiencing unwanted sex as a consequence of the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. It is important to note that 80 percent of sexually active students stated that the last time they had sex they were either drunk or high (May, 2013). Thus, the effect of alcohol and drug intoxication leads to individuals making decisions that they wouldn’t usually be inclined to make. Henceforth, adolescents are partaking in risk taking behavior that are detrimental to their sexual health. In surveys conducted recently, 78 percent of students stated they are sexually active, however when questioned about the last time they had sexual intercourse, less than half the students reported using a condom as a form of contraception (May, 2013). Sexual health care services advice people engaging in sexually active, should use a barrier contraceptive such as a condom, as when used correctly and consistently, condoms offer one of the most effective methods of protection against STDs, including HIV (WHO, 2019). However, “68 percent of young people don’t use condoms, and those who used condoms were much more likely to cite pregnancy than STDs as their main concern; 54 percent said that their single reason for using protection was birth control, while just 6 percent cited STDs as their sole reason” (Steinmetz, 2013). Today’s society are much freer to experiment sexually, with the majority of young girls becoming sexually active by the age of 16 (Rissel, 2012). Consequently, young people are partaking in risks that they do not know the consequence off, leading young people to be at heightened risk than any other societal group of contracting an STD because young people account for 50% of all STDs (Bhargava, 2018). With STDs sharply rising amongst Australian youth there is a need for a more effective and targeted approach to sexual health education in schools to utilize the reach of the target audience that can be archived within a school.

With STD rates on the rise, the need to implement a mandatory education in schools which includes safe sex and STDs has become apparent. As it stands, sexual education is included in the current Australian curriculum, but it is not mandatory for all schools (AFAO, 2013). This intervention is critical as it brings awareness to students concerning symptoms and prevention options. This will have a more significant effect on the awareness of safe sexual practices in today’s society due to a large portion of the population becoming educated on STDs. Educational interventions are vital as Susanne Legena CEO of Plan International states, “adolescent girls around the world are at a heightened risk for sexually transmitted diseases” (Legena, 2018) as one in four sexually active adolescent females has an STD (CDC). Australian young people are already experiencing sexual health crisis of epidemic scale, with 75% of all STDs in Australia occurring amongst young people, and a 20% increase in the rate of STDs diagnosed amongst people aged 15–29 in the past three years (AYAC, 2018). As such, unsafe sex remains the primary route of infection for this population. With prevention methods and STD content not being mandatory within the Australia curriculum, there is an increased rate of STDs seen throughout young people. To address this issue to the targeted to this audient, the National HIV/AIDS Strategy urges the importance for implemented education regarding STDs, transmission, and prevention options to be incorporated into all educational environments. WHO asserts that young people need access to specific skills-based education in order to care for their sexual health (WHO, 2019). Research shows that Australian young people are generally sexually experienced and need sexuality education programs to reflect what is going on in their lives (May, 2013). By implementing an education program that covers the skill-based education that provides students by promoting student learning on their health, and their current and future relationships will not be hindered across their lifespan. With the current lack of literacy on inclusive sex education, students are at a higher risk of STDs, unplanned pregnancy, risky sexual behavior, across their relationship lifespan. Recent studies measured the impact of curriculum-based sex education and STD prevention programs on sexual behavior and mediating factors among youth under 25 years. The principles of STDs, awareness and prevention methods need to be supported by education authorities in Australia, since studies suggest that they are not being taught consistently to all students, thus not being effective as research indicates that young people’s knowledge about STDs and how they are transmitted remains inadequate. It was found the 65% of the programs had significantly improved sexual decision-making skills (Widman, 2018). Henceforth, the evidence is strong that programs delay and decrease sexual behavior, as well as increasing the use of condom and other contraceptive use (Hagerman, 2015). In conjunction, an adolescent who received the skill-based intervention were significantly less likely to have an STD. Despite the sexual health level of value to young people, sexuality education in Australia has been described as ‘inconsistent and ad hoc’ and poorly resourced within education departments (May, 2013). Therefore, it is essential to provide an adequate level of sexuality education in schools to promote a positive sexual health to all young Australians, to further see a decrease in STDs among Australian adolescents. The 2003 study by Rissel found that higher levels of education were associated with increased liberalist values, as was having had more than one sexual partner in the year before interview, having had heterosexual anal intercourse, smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol and taking drugs. It is therefore important to note that a higher quality and more consistent sexual education program could lead to better health outcomes for young people in the future (Rissel, 2012)

Young people are at an increased risk of participating within risk taking activity, including unprotected sex and mutable sex partners, due to a lack of sufficient sex education and societal sexual freedom. Thus, placing them at a higher susceptibility to contracting an STD than any other societal group, as 20 million new STDs occur each year and half of those are amongst young people aged 15–24. With young people being at a heightened risk for having an STD, specific skills-based education must be implemented in order to care for young people’s sexual health and consequently see a decrease of STDs.

Seeing teenage pregnancy being normalized on social media by some people should be stopped and should not be encouraged. It takes so much responsibility to be a mother, and it is not easy to bear a child at a young age. These careless young parents don’t know how difficult it is to raise a child.

Back in 2019, the ‘BatangIna Challenge’ was a trend on social media, particularly on Facebook. Surprisingly, many young women participated in the trend, which was very concerning. This proves that sex education is lacking.

Some people view sex education as inappropriate because they think it teaches children and teenagers how to have sexual activity when, in fact, it doesn’t. Sex education teaches us about our reproductive system’s health, sexuality, our bodies, and more related to ourselves. Educating teenagers about sexual health should not be considered disgusting or inappropriate. Sexual health should be first taught by our parents, as they should be involved in educating their children regarding their sexuality. However, most parents still avoid topics relating to something sexual in their household. They are not open to this type of discussion with their teenagers, and as a result, these teenagers lack sexual health understanding.

To address this issue, we must raise awareness among our fellow citizens. We should assist in teaching those who do not have access to sexual health education. We could do it by sharing reliable information and promoting sex education through social media platforms, as it is accessible to everyone. Also, by arranging small events or programs for sexual education in various places where education is hard to access, we can provide them with helpful pieces of educational information they should know and encourage them to be responsible.

As for the government, since teenage pregnancy is one of the biggest problems in our country, it is their responsibility to spread awareness as well. They must take immediate action to reduce unwanted pregnancies and prevent overpopulation. The only solution that I think the government could do is to implement sexual health education in all schools. The government is still facing challenges in implementing this education due to some barriers. For the time being, let us anticipate the government’s implementation of sexual health education.

Our society needs urgent sex education. We need to help these teenagers understand that early pregnancy should not be normalized nor considered a trend because it is a serious matter. Instead, we should normalize studying and discussing our reproductive systems and health; it is our responsibility to care for ourselves. We should encourage everyone to spread awareness and educate one another to prevent the country’s high numbers of teenage pregnancies and overpopulation. Others need to accept that sexual health education will help a lot of adolescents; it does not teach them to engage in sexual activity. It is an education that expands our understanding of sexual health and teaches us how to care for it. We need to normalize sex education, not normalize and encourage the idea of teenagers engaging in sexual activities and bringing another life into this world at a very young age.

Literature Review

In our society nowadays, where teen pregnancies and sexual empowerment exist, there is a need for sex education to be brought about. There are too many people that would benefit greatly from those lessons and that would teach a nice and healthy lifestyle. But then the battle of what topics should be taught comes about if it is even being taught at all. The following review of the literature shows evidence on whether sex education is even being taught, and if it is, is abstinence and/or contraceptive use are the topics.

Sex education has been thoroughly talked about throughout the years. Should it be taught? What should be taught? This has not only been a relative topic in the states but also around the world. In Nigeria, teen pregnancies had brought about consideration of sex education. Akanbi et al.(2013) examined undergraduates’ perspectives on sex education and teenage pregnancy in Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria to test their hypothesis that teenagers should be exposed to basic sex education in both primary and secondary schools so that contraceptive methods and their usage will not be strange to them. They concluded that a higher proportion of University undergraduates teenagers has never done an abortion and the majority of respondents are of the opinion that awareness of sex education can help reduce teenage pregnancy. This study supports the idea that sex education should be taught and not shunned.

Now, in the U.S. specifically, sex education has been a huge topic over the years on whether it should be in schools. There are still some schools that do not teach it and there are some schools that do. With that comes some arguments, such as, is something that is religiously ethical. Bleakley et al.(2010) used structural equation modeling to analyze survey data from a nationally representative sample of adults 18 years of age and older to test their hypothesis for how support for abstinence-only education, comprehensive sex education, and condom instruction in US schools was related to beliefs about their respective efficacy, as well as how policy preferences were related to demographic, political, and social variables such as political orientation, attendance at religious services, and having an adolescent in the household. They conclude that Religious and political factors emerged as key characteristics in explaining support or opposition to different sex education approaches in the United States. This study examines the different types of sex education and their efficiency.

There have even been questions on what would be the best way to teach sex education. Are there any consequences? Will an influx of pregnancies happen? This became apparent from a study about the sexual behaviors that can come about. Lindberg & Maddow (2012) used data from 4,691 male and female individuals aged 15-24 years from the 2006-2008 National Survey of Family Growth to test their hypothesis that formal sex education is associated with sexual health behaviors and outcomes. They concluded that sex education about abstinence and birth control was associated with healthier sexual behaviors and outcomes as compared with no instruction. This not only shows how beneficial sex education would be for our society, but it also shows how effective one of the types of sex education is. This shows that sex education is an important thing for people to know and there is even more evidence to show that.

Williams and Bonner (2006) examined the attitudes and outcomes of sex education received by North American women via an Internet survey (N = 1,400) to test their hypothesis that sex education seems to play a significant role in reducing unplanned pregnancy and abortion. They concluded that the a lower rate of unplanned pregnancy among those who had received sex education, which included a focus on abstinence, compared with those educated primarily about contraceptives or no forms of birth control. This study also supports the importance of sex education.

Now that we know the effects of sex education on sexual behaviors, what type of sex education is more common? Lindberg and Maddow (2012) sought out which type was more effective, but not everyone is doing the same combination. Baker and Stoss (2015) used data compiled from multiple sources, including Census counts, national surveys, previous academic literature, political characteristics, and policy reports to test their hypothesis that states that have a higher presence of religious followings will have sex education that stresses abstinence while states with a lower religious presence will have a higher likelihood of sex education taught that mandates the coverage of contraception. Their results show that population religious characteristics are not a sufficient condition of specific sex education policy outcomes but rather necessary pre-conditions that structure where specific changes occur as the political landscape evolves This study clearly answers the question of if religion mandates whether sex education will even be taught or taught with contraception in mind.

When we take a deeper dive into the different types of sex education, abstinence seems to be the one taught the most. It’s known as the most ethical in terms of religion. How effective is it though? After the study of Lindberg and Maddox (2012), it explained that the combination of abstinence and contraceptives was the most effective. Does that mean that any other combination is not? Sherr and Dyer (2010) found out otherwise. Sherr and Dyer (2010) used a time-limited nonequivalent control group design to analyze preliminary data drawn from an unduplicated sample of 620 youth completing the program in churches (n=248) and in public school settings (n=372) to test whether sex education at church was better than the sex education taught at public schools. They concluded that there were significant reductions in the number of youth that had sexual intercourse within the last three weeks for both groups at the post-test. This study analyzes the efficiency of sex education when actively taught.

Then we have the topic of what everyone would think of as acceptable to be taught in schools. What would be the most relevant topics for everyone to have a healthy sex life? Canan & Jozkowski (2017) recruited college students (N=560) from entry-level health courses to participate in this study to test whether political affiliation had the strongest relationship with an overall endorsement of topics followed by religious commitment. They concluded that individuals would like a wide variety of topics to be included in sexual health education. This gives us more of an insight on what should possibly be taught.

Now the topic on if sex education should just be taught at school. Schools tend to wait until the child gets into high school and such to go further in-depth on the subject of sex education. Why? Because many believe that children shouldn’t be learning such a thing. So, if the schools won’t start teaching the child effectively, will the parents? Peter et al. (2015) used data from Illinois parents of adolescents (n =301) indicating their knowledge about and attitudes toward sexuality education programs and 18 sexual health topics via an online survey to examine two different approaches to measuring parents’ attitudes toward sexuality information. They concluded that parents were uncertain about what form of sex education was offered but most were equally comfortable with both abstinence-only and comprehensive programs.

Some parents are a bit apprehensive about talking with their children about the topic. It’s a little off-putting for some and that could be understood by the stigma our society has about sex. So, if the parent can overcome such a thing, when is the right time to start talking about the subject with their children? Pariera & Brody (2018) conducted a mixed-methods study on emerging adults’ (N = 441) beliefs about the ideal age and frequency for parents to discuss sex-related topics, and about their parents’ strengths and weaknesses in sexual communication. They concluded that most participants reported that parents should talk about sex frequently, early, and on a wide variety of topics. And what would talk to their children as early as possible prove? It’ll help towards their sexual maturity. Bolland et al. (2019), using a growth curve framework, data from the Mobile Youth and Poverty Study are used to model how sexual immaturity develops across adolescence as a function of age, gender, and sex education to test their hypothesis that sexual immaturity may influence sexual initiation and trajectories of sexual behavior. They concluded that school-based sex education curricula should take into consideration how sexual maturity is portrayed among adolescents.

Conclusion

The need for sex education to become a not stigmatized topic will only increase as we go on. It’s an essential way to make sure everyone has healthy sexual health and a clear understanding of the topic. The research has been expansive and very informative, but our society has yet to really change in terms of the topic. We will have to continue to push forward and come to an understanding that it is an important matter. I will also do my best to help the expansion of this topic to help break the stigma around it.

References

1. Akanbi, M. A., Adetoro, G. W., & Okoya, O. O. (2013). Undergraduates’ perspectives on sex education and teenage pregnancy in covenant university, ota, Ogun state, Nigeria. Gender & Behaviour, 11(1), 5146-5152. Retrieved from https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/docview/1431278634?accountid=10003
2. Baker, J. O., Smith, K. K., & Stoss, Y. A. (2015). Theism, secularism, and sexual education in the united states. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 12(3), 236-247. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1007/s13178-015-0187-8
3. Bleakley, A., Hennessy, M., & Fishbein, M. (2010). Predicting preferences for types of sex education in US schools. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 7(1), 50-57. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1007/s13178-010-0008-z
4. Bolland, A. C., Schlichting, E., Mitchell, Q., Ward, J., & Bolland, J. M. (2019). Let’s talk about sexual immaturity in adolescence: Implications for school-based sex education. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 16(3), 357-372. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1007/s13178-018-0348-7
5. Canan, S. N., & Jozkowski, K. N. (2017). Sexual health education topics in schools: Inclusion and timing preferences of a sample of southern U.S. college students. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 14(2), 143-156. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1007/s13178-016-0251-z
6. Lindberg, L. D., & Maddow-Zimet, I. (2012). Consequences of sex education on teen and young adult sexual behaviors and outcomes. Journal of Adolescent Health, 51(4), 332-338. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.12.028
7. Pariera, K. L., & Brody, E. (2018). “Talk more about it”: Emerging adults’ attitudes about how and when parents should talk about sex. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 15(2), 219-229. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1007/s13178-017-0314-9
8. Peter, C. R., Tasker, T. B., & Horn, S. S. (2015). Parents’ attitudes toward comprehensive and inclusive sexuality education. Health Education, 115(1), 71-92. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1108/HE-01-2014-0003
9. Sherr, M. E., & Dyer, P. M. (2010). Evaluating a comprehensive abstinence-based program for minority youth: Comparing church and public school outcomes. Social Work and Christianity, 37(1), 28-44. Retrieved from https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/docview/230161861?accountid=10003
10. Williams, M. T., & Bonner, L. (2006). SEX EDUCATION ATTITUDES AND OUTCOMES AMONG NORTH AMERICAN WOMEN. Adolescence, 41(161), 1-14. Retrieved from https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/docview/195945434?accountid=10003

Abstract

Sex education has only truly been a topic of study for roughly the last 100 years. In its lifetime, thus far, it has morphed and changed into what we know today as information regarding intercourse, reproductive systems, and the consequences of having intercourse-positive or negative. What started after World War I when soldiers were suffering from diseases such as syphilis and gonorrhea, became a government-funded nightmare for educators and sexual health advocates. With the many changes and mandates from government entities, sex education has gone through over the last 100 years, the origin of sex education was to inform young people of the dangers of STIs and STDs and how to prevent them. Instead of growing on this concept and arming students of today with the correct, factual, and scientifically proven information to help them navigate today’s sexual climate, they have been faced with a heavy moral hand and potential misinformation in recent years. The evidence that abstinence-only sex education is not effective is apparent in nearly every study conducted and included in this paper, and only strengthens the paper’s author’s opinion that comprehensive sex education is necessary.

Whereas some may argue that comprehensive sex education opens doors for earlier sexual encounters, comprehensive sex education is necessary given that while parents should be included in the teaching of sex education, sex education should be comprehensive and thorough and not give students all of the information that is reasonably necessary can have consequences such as teen pregnancy, higher STI and STD rates, and enforces potentially dangerous stereotypes. Currently, sex education within the state of Indiana, specifically, is teaching a curriculum that barely goes beyond reproductive systems, development up to adulthood, and how to say no to peer pressure and sex in general. It puts an unhealthy emphasis on abstinence and fails to teach students of any grade about safe sex practices, birth control, or the plethora of issues that can arise from the contraction of an STI or an STD. Nor does it teach how to handle these situations in the event a student is faced with one of these scenarios. Sex education has not always been this way, in fact, the original goal was indeed to inform students and prepare them for a world that has a lot to do with sex and the instances involved in maturing and dealing with the outcomes of having sex.

When World War I broke out in 1914, nearly 5 million troops were deployed to Europe to fight in the war. Oftentimes, soldiers from several fronts would find themselves on leave near small towns and would travel short distances to take time off when they had the time available. With plenty of young men to go around, brothels, prostitutes, and “good-time girls” found themselves busier than ever. This meant that there was a whole new breeding ground for diseases such as gonorrhea and syphilis could find new hosts and would travel throughout the trenches, and since these diseases were not immediately noticeable, one could go weeks without knowing they were infected or that they were passing on the disease to others. Syphilis would come about as a painless chancre sore and would resolve itself spontaneously, whereas gonorrhea symptoms were painful and essentially would render a soldier unable to fight once these symptoms appeared. Instead of treating this as a health issue, the United States Government decided to treat these ailments as moral issues, thus making their prevention and treatment difficult to achieve (“Venereal Diseases · Medicine in World War I · Online Exhibits@Yale,” 2019). The response from the government also included morally shaming soldiers who associated themselves with sex workers with posters, pamphlets, and other publications and enforcing an agenda that included such shaming and abstinence. Unfortunately, many of their reactions came too late and the damage had been done. The Chamberlain-Kahn Act did several things, including imprisoning women for simply having a venereal disease, as STIs and STDs were called at the time. However, its most important function was allocating funds to sex education, which was now being viewed as a public health issue by Americans.

A few years after starting with the American Troops, sex education moved into American high schools as well. Materials were produced in order to give teachers the needed information to instruct students in this new and almost foreign topic. Educators experimented with the best way to introduce the curriculum to students, using film and literature to explore this emerging topic with students not too many years younger than some of the Troops returning from war (Johannah Cornblatt, 2009). Students were also warned about masturbation, with materials stating that their growth would be stunted, and they would not mature into young adults and be contributing members of society. Over the next two decades, sex education exploded, and students in college were able to sign up for Human Sexuality classes. However, the focus of these programs was to quell the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and sexually transmitted infections, put an end to prostitution, and keep sexual exploration safely within the confines of marriage (CorreJen, 2012).

In the 1960s, there was a large push for proper training from teachers and sex education instructors. It was around this time that pushback from religious organizations was also beginning to form. Sex education went from being a public health issue to being an issue of political leaning and treatment. The unfortunate bit of this matter is that the pushback had religious founding. In 1968, a group named Christian Crusade released a pamphlet asking if the public school setting was the right place to teach “raw sex” (“Sex Education in The United States, 1835 Through Today – Digg,” 2015). Other Christian organizations touted sex education as a plot for Communism.

With the introduction of a new kind of contraceptive, the birth control pill, sex without the concern of unwanted pregnancy became a new idea in an era known for its freedom of thought and free love (Huber & Firmin, 2014). Hippies and other free-thinkers expressed the idea that sex was a part of life and therefore it should have no constraints with consenting adults. Sex became less of a taboo topic and something that was discussed more openly, but not at all open by today’s standards. However, a push for “values-neutral” sex education was created by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) and was partially funded by Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Foundation. Parents were still concerned and voicing their opinions, though, and sexual education remained a hot topic of debate with educators and parents over what was appropriate in schools.

With the finding that penicillin would treat syphilis and gonorrhea, sexually transmitted diseases and infections were treatable and, while still a moral nuisance, usually not regarded as dangerous unless an infection went untreated. Thus, the discussions involving these infections were usually brief and a bullet point on a short list versus being an entire list in itself. In the early 1980s, a new disease erupted through the medical community and became a household topic of discussion. HIV, and subsequently AIDS quickly spread both in infection and fear of the diseases as well. People who were infected with HIV could go months, or potentially years without even knowing they were carrying the disease (“A brief history of sex education,” 2019). It was so new that no one had been able to study this new disease and new findings come about even today. The way information about how HIV and AIDS spread and who could even contract the disease was a wonderful example of an early case of the spreading of misinformation. HIV and AIDS earned monikers such as “The Gay Disease” and was thought by some to only be contracted by men who had male sex partners. However, this spread of misinformation also created a push for more comprehensive information and strengthened advocates’ arguments for comprehensive sex education. However, the thought process that ruled seemed to be tied to the idea that comprehensive sex education would open the floodgates for teens to have sex, rather than prepare them for the potential, and now possibly fatal, outcomes.

In 1981, the Adolescent Family Life Act was passed, funding “chastity” and abstinence-only education. The act had strong religious undertones and called abstinence the only way to avoid the possibility of HIV and AIDS altogether. This was found, however, to not be entirely true, as people who received blood transfusions were at risk as well. One famous case was of course Ryan White, who at 13 years old was diagnosed with AIDS after receiving a transfusion for his hemophilia. While some still tried to spread rumors of his suspected sexuality, medical experts were quick to defend Ryan and his family. Granted, this doesn’t mean a quick resolution and acceptance was reached. It took nearly 2 years for Ryan to be able to return to school, even with proper education (“Ryan’s Story,” 2009).

In the 1990s, in response to AIDS, every state had mandates for, at the very least, HIV and AIDS education in response to the sweeping misinformation moving across the nation. This shifted the curriculum from being one based on morals and emphasis on marital status, as well as a shift away from abstinence-only education to a curriculum based on prevention education, sexually transmitted diseases, the benefits of condoms and contraception (“Curriculum Changes of Sex Education Through The Years – Educ 300: Education Reform, Past and Present,” 2016). In 1993, the Supreme Court of the United States also decided that federally-funded sex education programs must remove direct references to religion (Rivkind Shatz, n.d.). While references to religion and religious bases for not having sex before marriage were removed, this didn’t mean that the push for moral standards being used against comprehensive sex education were removed entirely. Title V of the Welfare Reform Act otherwise known as TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), created a new system of grants to abstinence-only sex education curriculum, using a specific pointed guide, known as “A-H definition”:

• A) has as its exclusive purpose teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity;
• B) teaches abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage as the expected standard for all school-age children;
• C) teaches that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems;
• D) teaches that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the expected standard of sexual activity;
• E) teaches that sexual activity outside of the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects;
• F) teaches that bearing children out-of-wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for the child, the child’s parents, and society;
• G) teaches young people how to reject sexual advances and how alcohol and drug use increase vulnerability to sexual advances, and
• H) teaches the importance of attaining self-sufficiency before engaging in sexual activity. (NCAC Staff, 2019)

Once again, abstinence-only programs were gaining traction, and the potential for funding drove states to adopt these programs. Roughly 4 years later, in 2000, The Special Projects of Regional and National Significance–Community-Based Abstinence Education added $31 million to the federal funding bank for abstinence-only programs (“The CSE’s National Sex Ed Conference » April 3-6, Newark, NJ » The History of Sex Education,” 2019). Even more, money was being poured into these programs, and no one was thinking to fact-check the information being released in these programs.

The welcome crusade on misinformation came in December of 2004 with the release of the Waxman Report (The Content of Federally Funded Abstinence-Only Education Programs) and shows just how skewed and misrepresented the information in abstinence-only programs. Numerous errors in the various curriculum’s that were included in the audit included false information about contraceptives, the risks of abortion, and had several scientific errors. Other findings were the blurring of religion and science, as well as the treatment of gender stereotypes as fact, stating that:

One curriculum teaches that women need “financial support,” while men need “admiration.” Another instructs: “Women gauge their happiness and judge their success on their relationships. Men’s happiness and success hinge on their accomplishments.”

One famous movie poked fun at sex education in the mid 200’s. In the sex education scene in the film Mean Girls (2004):

“Don’t have sex, because you will get pregnant and die! Don’t have sex in the missionary position, don’t have sex standing up, just don’t do it, OK, promise? OK, now everybody take some rubbers. “(Waters, 2004)

While humorous, this scene was reminiscent of how sex education was approached in the 2000s. That being said, in 2006, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the grantees of abstinence-only programs were not required to review their materials for scientific accuracy. In theory, the information being presented as fact was true, but since no reviews were performed by scientific peers, the information given to educators may not have been factual and therefore, was still spreading information that was potentially incorrect.

References

1. A brief history of sex education. (2019). Retrieved December 9, 2019, from OpenLearn website: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/body-mind/health/health-studies/brief-history-sex-education
2. CorreJen. (2012). Sex Education in the United States HISTORY OF SEX EDUCATION IN THE U.S. Retrieved from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/3713/9611/7930/Sex_Ed_in_the_US.pdf
3. Curriculum Changes of Sex Education Through The Years – Educ 300: Education Reform, Past and Present. (2016, May 6). Retrieved November 8, 2019, from Trincoll.edu website: https://commons.trincoll.edu/edreform/2016/05/curriculum-changes-of-sex-education-through-the-years/
4. Huber, V. J., & Firmin, M. W. (2014). A History of Sex Education in the United States since 1900. International Journal of Educational Reform, 23(1), 25–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/105678791402300102
5. Johannah Cornblatt. (2009, October 28). A Brief History of Sex Ed in America. Retrieved November 8, 2019, from Newsweek website: https://www.newsweek.com/brief-history-sex-ed-america-81001
6. NCAC Staff. (2019). Timeline of Abstinence-Only Education in U.S. Classrooms – National Coalition Against Censorship. Retrieved from National Coalition Against Censorship website: https://ncac.org/resource/timeline-of-abstinence-only-education-in-u-s-classrooms
7. Rivkind Shatz, N. (n.d.). Unconstitutional Entanglements: The Religious Right, the Federal Government, and Abstinence Education in the Schools. Yale Journal of Law & Feminism, 19. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1274&context=yjlf
8. Ryan’s Story. (2009). Retrieved from Ryanwhite.com website: https://ryanwhite.com/Ryans_Story.html
9. Sex Education In The United States, 1835 Through Today – Digg. (2015, July 27). Retrieved December 9, 2019, from Digg.com website: https://digg.com/2015/sex-education-history
10. The CSE’s National Sex Ed Conference » April 3-6, Newark, NJ » The History of Sex Education. (2019). Retrieved December 9, 2019, from Sexedconference.com website: https://sexedconference.com/the-history-of-sex-education/
11. UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM -MINORITY STAFF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION THE CONTENT OF FEDERALLY FUNDED ABSTINENCE-ONLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS PREPARED FOR. (2004). Retrieved from https://spot.colorado.edu/~tooley/HenryWaxman.pdf
12. Venereal Diseases. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://exhibits.library.yale.edu/exhibits/show/wwimedicine/venereal-diseases
13. Waters, M. (Director). (2004). Mean Girls [Film]. California: Paramount Pictures.
14. “Don’t have sex, because you will get pregnant and die! Don’t have sex in the missionary position, don’t have sex standing up, just don’t do it, OK, promise? OK, now everybody take some rubbers.”

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) have recently increased among young people in Australia between the ages of 15 to 24 years old. This exemplified that chlamydia is the most common STI contracted by young people. The rate of chlamydia has tripled since 2001, increasing from 130 notifications per 100,000 to 435 cases per 100,000 (ABS, 2012). This population accounts for 50% of all STDs, despite representing approximately 25 percent of the sexually active population (CDC, 2017). STDs are an infection transmitted through unprotected sexual contact and subsequently, have severe consequences beyond the immediate impact of the infection itself (WHO, 2019). With 1 in 4 young people contracting an STD, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates by the time individuals are 25 years old, half the sexually active population will have an STD (WHO, 2019). This epidemic has been caused due to the lack of awareness in adolescents who have been insufficiently educated about safe sex practices and the risks associated with sexual intercourse. The WHO asserts that young people need access to a sex education, specifically regarding STDs, to gain this skills-based education in order to care for their sexual health. However, the Australian schooling system is failing to address this issue. Thus, schools need to implement a more effective targeted intervention to approaches sexual health to adolescents within the education system. This lack of education, coupled with a societal attitude that is becoming increasing liberal, has led to more of the young-adult demographic taking greater risks with regards to not practicing safe sex (Rissel, 2012). This was demonstrated in a recent study by Rissel et al., who found that sexual attitudes of Australians largely approve of premarital sex and this is consistent with the age of first intercourse in Australia being lower than ever before. This correlates with higher levels of liberalism, which are associated with greater sexual adventurism and health risk taking, for example, only 36.7% of women aged 16-19 believe that oral sex is equivalent to vaginal intercourse versus 75.4% of women aged 50-59. This change in attitudes regarding sexual behavior can be attributed to different historical upbringings and changing social norms (Rissel, 2012).

STDs occur through contact with infected bodily fluids, usually through sexual interaction, for example, vaginal, anal or oral sex. Many STDs are non-symptomatic and are easily spread due to lack of knowledge or detection, such as HPV and HSV, which are estimated to affect 300 million and 500 million people worldwide, respectively and 240 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B globally. STDs have a profound impact on sexual and reproductive health worldwide and while many STDs have few short-term effects, the long-term effects can be devastating. For example, it is estimated that undiagnosed STDs cause 24,000 women to become infertile each year, and the HPV virus is the leading cause of cervical cancer in women (ABS, 2018). Syphilis is a type of STD that in 2016 affected 88 000 pregnant women, resulting in over 350 000 adverse birth outcomes, including 200 000 stillbirths and newborn deaths (ABS, 2019). In conjunction, in 2012, the highest gonorrhea rates were highest among adolescents and young adults, with six in 10 chlamydia and gonorrhea diagnoses are in those under 25 years of age (AYAC, 2018). With one in two sexually active people will contract an SDI by age 25 (Cates JR, 2004). These world and Australian health issues are having a large impact on adolescent’s sexual health. STD statistics in Australia are increasing each year, since less than half of adults ages 18 to 44 have never been tested for an STD and more young people are engaging in sexual activity than ever before. A national survey by La Trobe University is carried out every six years and found that the sexual activity of Australian teenagers has increased to 27.4% for Year 10 students and 56.1% for Year 12 students, from 25.8% of Year 10 students and 46.8% of Tear 12 students six years earlier. Therefore, the lack of sex education in Pacific to STDs is the primary cause for this epidemic.

With Australian society’s attitudes towards young people’s sexual relationships becoming increasingly liberal, young people are at an increased risk of participating within risk taking activity. These risk-taking behaviors include unprotected sex and multiple sex partners as a result of a lack of sufficient sex education and relaxed liberalistic attitudes towards sexual relationships. Thus, placing them at a higher susceptibility to contracting an STD than any other societal group. For example, in Australia 18,588 cases of gonorrhea were detected in 2015, up from 8,388 cases in 2006, the Kirby group has suggested that the increase in STD transmission is largely due to incorrect or lack of condom use and a lack of treatment seeking behaviors (Mayo Clinic, 2018). A report from the Centre for Social Research in Health found 68 percent of gay and bisexual men in this age group surveyed in 2013 always used condoms, compared to 47 percent in 2016 (Mayo Clinic, 2018). The lack of treatment seeking behaviors can also be linked to the social stigma surrounding STDs, that causes adolescents to feel abnormal and embarrassed, resulting in young people not seeking treatment due to the fear of being judged. Young people account for half of new STD cases, however only 12% were tested for STDs in the last year (CDC, 2018). As a consequence, STDs are vastly spread due to lack of treatment being access, hence why more than 1 million STD are acquired every day worldwide (WHO, 2019).

Liberal attitude changes have also led to an increase in alcohol and drug use. Substance abuse has consistently been linked with sexual risk taking, with recent study demonstrating that one third of adolescents reported experiencing unwanted sex as a consequence of the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. It is important to note that 80 percent of sexually active students stated that the last time they had sex they were either drunk or high (May, 2013). Thus, the effect of alcohol and drug intoxication leads to individuals making decisions that they wouldn’t usually be inclined to make. Henceforth, adolescents are partaking in risk taking behavior that are detrimental to their sexual health. In surveys conducted recently, 78 percent of students stated they are sexually active, however when questioned about the last time they had sexual intercourse, less than half the students reported using a condom as a form of contraception (May, 2013). Sexual health care services advice people engaging in sexually active, should use a barrier contraceptive such as a condom, as when used correctly and consistently, condoms offer one of the most effective methods of protection against STDs, including HIV (WHO, 2019). However, “68 percent of young people don’t use condoms, and those who used condoms were much more likely to cite pregnancy than STDs as their main concern; 54 percent said that their single reason for using protection was birth control, while just 6 percent cited STDs as their sole reason” (Steinmetz, 2013). Today’s society are much freer to experiment sexually, with the majority of young girls becoming sexually active by the age of 16 (Rissel, 2012). Consequently, young people are partaking in risks that they do not know the consequence off, leading young people to be at heightened risk than any other societal group of contracting an STD because young people account for 50% of all STDs (Bhargava, 2018). With STDs sharply rising amongst Australian youth there is a need for a more effective and targeted approach to sexual health education in schools to utilize the reach of the target audience that can be archived within a school.

With STD rates on the rise, the need to implement a mandatory education in schools which includes safe sex and STDs has become apparent. As it stands, sexual education is included in the current Australian curriculum, but it is not mandatory for all schools (AFAO, 2013). This intervention is critical as it brings awareness to students concerning symptoms and prevention options. This will have a more significant effect on the awareness of safe sexual practices in today’s society due to a large portion of the population becoming educated on STDs. Educational interventions are vital as Susanne Legena CEO of Plan International states, “adolescent girls around the world are at a heightened risk for sexually transmitted diseases” (Legena, 2018) as one in four sexually active adolescent females has an STD (CDC). Australian young people are already experiencing sexual health crisis of epidemic scale, with 75% of all STDs in Australia occurring amongst young people, and a 20% increase in the rate of STDs diagnosed amongst people aged 15–29 in the past three years (AYAC, 2018). As such, unsafe sex remains the primary route of infection for this population. With prevention methods and STD content not being mandatory within the Australia curriculum, there is an increased rate of STDs seen throughout young people. To address this issue to the targeted to this audient, the National HIV/AIDS Strategy urges the importance for implemented education regarding STDs, transmission, and prevention options to be incorporated into all educational environments. WHO asserts that young people need access to specific skills-based education in order to care for their sexual health (WHO, 2019). Research shows that Australian young people are generally sexually experienced and need sexuality education programs to reflect what is going on in their lives (May, 2013). By implementing an education program that covers the skill-based education that provides students by promoting student learning on their health, and their current and future relationships will not be hindered across their lifespan. With the current lack of literacy on inclusive sex education, students are at a higher risk of STDs, unplanned pregnancy, risky sexual behavior, across their relationship lifespan. Recent studies measured the impact of curriculum-based sex education and STD prevention programs on sexual behavior and mediating factors among youth under 25 years. The principles of STDs, awareness and prevention methods need to be supported by education authorities in Australia, since studies suggest that they are not being taught consistently to all students, thus not being effective as research indicates that young people’s knowledge about STDs and how they are transmitted remains inadequate. It was found the 65% of the programs had significantly improved sexual decision-making skills (Widman, 2018). Henceforth, the evidence is strong that programs delay and decrease sexual behavior, as well as increasing the use of condom and other contraceptive use (Hagerman, 2015). In conjunction, an adolescent who received the skill-based intervention were significantly less likely to have an STD. Despite the sexual health level of value to young people, sexuality education in Australia has been described as ‘inconsistent and ad hoc’ and poorly resourced within education departments (May, 2013). Therefore, it is essential to provide an adequate level of sexuality education in schools to promote a positive sexual health to all young Australians, to further see a decrease in STDs among Australian adolescents. The 2003 study by Rissel found that higher levels of education were associated with increased liberalist values, as was having had more than one sexual partner in the year before interview, having had heterosexual anal intercourse, smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol and taking drugs. It is therefore important to note that a higher quality and more consistent sexual education program could lead to better health outcomes for young people in the future (Rissel, 2012)

Young people are at an increased risk of participating within risk taking activity, including unprotected sex and mutable sex partners, due to a lack of sufficient sex education and societal sexual freedom. Thus, placing them at a higher susceptibility to contracting an STD than any other societal group, as 20 million new STDs occur each year and half of those are amongst young people aged 15–24. With young people being at a heightened risk for having an STD, specific skills-based education must be implemented in order to care for young people’s sexual health and consequently see a decrease of STDs.

Seeing teenage pregnancy being normalized on social media by some people should be stopped and should not be encouraged. It takes so much responsibility to be a mother, and it is not easy to bear a child at a young age. These careless young parents don’t know how difficult it is to raise a child.

Back in 2019, the ‘BatangIna Challenge’ was a trend on social media, particularly on Facebook. Surprisingly, many young women participated in the trend, which was very concerning. This proves that sex education is lacking.

Some people view sex education as inappropriate because they think it teaches children and teenagers how to have sexual activity when, in fact, it doesn’t. Sex education teaches us about our reproductive system’s health, sexuality, our bodies, and more related to ourselves. Educating teenagers about sexual health should not be considered disgusting or inappropriate. Sexual health should be first taught by our parents, as they should be involved in educating their children regarding their sexuality. However, most parents still avoid topics relating to something sexual in their household. They are not open to this type of discussion with their teenagers, and as a result, these teenagers lack sexual health understanding.

To address this issue, we must raise awareness among our fellow citizens. We should assist in teaching those who do not have access to sexual health education. We could do it by sharing reliable information and promoting sex education through social media platforms, as it is accessible to everyone. Also, by arranging small events or programs for sexual education in various places where education is hard to access, we can provide them with helpful pieces of educational information they should know and encourage them to be responsible.

As for the government, since teenage pregnancy is one of the biggest problems in our country, it is their responsibility to spread awareness as well. They must take immediate action to reduce unwanted pregnancies and prevent overpopulation. The only solution that I think the government could do is to implement sexual health education in all schools. The government is still facing challenges in implementing this education due to some barriers. For the time being, let us anticipate the government’s implementation of sexual health education.

Our society needs urgent sex education. We need to help these teenagers understand that early pregnancy should not be normalized nor considered a trend because it is a serious matter. Instead, we should normalize studying and discussing our reproductive systems and health; it is our responsibility to care for ourselves. We should encourage everyone to spread awareness and educate one another to prevent the country’s high numbers of teenage pregnancies and overpopulation. Others need to accept that sexual health education will help a lot of adolescents; it does not teach them to engage in sexual activity. It is an education that expands our understanding of sexual health and teaches us how to care for it. We need to normalize sex education, not normalize and encourage the idea of teenagers engaging in sexual activities and bringing another life into this world at a very young age.

Literature Review

In our society nowadays, where teen pregnancies and sexual empowerment exist, there is a need for sex education to be brought about. There are too many people that would benefit greatly from those lessons and that would teach a nice and healthy lifestyle. But then the battle of what topics should be taught comes about if it is even being taught at all. The following review of the literature shows evidence on whether sex education is even being taught, and if it is, is abstinence and/or contraceptive use are the topics.

Sex education has been thoroughly talked about throughout the years. Should it be taught? What should be taught? This has not only been a relative topic in the states but also around the world. In Nigeria, teen pregnancies had brought about consideration of sex education. Akanbi et al.(2013) examined undergraduates’ perspectives on sex education and teenage pregnancy in Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria to test their hypothesis that teenagers should be exposed to basic sex education in both primary and secondary schools so that contraceptive methods and their usage will not be strange to them. They concluded that a higher proportion of University undergraduates teenagers has never done an abortion and the majority of respondents are of the opinion that awareness of sex education can help reduce teenage pregnancy. This study supports the idea that sex education should be taught and not shunned.

Now, in the U.S. specifically, sex education has been a huge topic over the years on whether it should be in schools. There are still some schools that do not teach it and there are some schools that do. With that comes some arguments, such as, is something that is religiously ethical. Bleakley et al.(2010) used structural equation modeling to analyze survey data from a nationally representative sample of adults 18 years of age and older to test their hypothesis for how support for abstinence-only education, comprehensive sex education, and condom instruction in US schools was related to beliefs about their respective efficacy, as well as how policy preferences were related to demographic, political, and social variables such as political orientation, attendance at religious services, and having an adolescent in the household. They conclude that Religious and political factors emerged as key characteristics in explaining support or opposition to different sex education approaches in the United States. This study examines the different types of sex education and their efficiency.

There have even been questions on what would be the best way to teach sex education. Are there any consequences? Will an influx of pregnancies happen? This became apparent from a study about the sexual behaviors that can come about. Lindberg & Maddow (2012) used data from 4,691 male and female individuals aged 15-24 years from the 2006-2008 National Survey of Family Growth to test their hypothesis that formal sex education is associated with sexual health behaviors and outcomes. They concluded that sex education about abstinence and birth control was associated with healthier sexual behaviors and outcomes as compared with no instruction. This not only shows how beneficial sex education would be for our society, but it also shows how effective one of the types of sex education is. This shows that sex education is an important thing for people to know and there is even more evidence to show that.

Williams and Bonner (2006) examined the attitudes and outcomes of sex education received by North American women via an Internet survey (N = 1,400) to test their hypothesis that sex education seems to play a significant role in reducing unplanned pregnancy and abortion. They concluded that the a lower rate of unplanned pregnancy among those who had received sex education, which included a focus on abstinence, compared with those educated primarily about contraceptives or no forms of birth control. This study also supports the importance of sex education.

Now that we know the effects of sex education on sexual behaviors, what type of sex education is more common? Lindberg and Maddow (2012) sought out which type was more effective, but not everyone is doing the same combination. Baker and Stoss (2015) used data compiled from multiple sources, including Census counts, national surveys, previous academic literature, political characteristics, and policy reports to test their hypothesis that states that have a higher presence of religious followings will have sex education that stresses abstinence while states with a lower religious presence will have a higher likelihood of sex education taught that mandates the coverage of contraception. Their results show that population religious characteristics are not a sufficient condition of specific sex education policy outcomes but rather necessary pre-conditions that structure where specific changes occur as the political landscape evolves This study clearly answers the question of if religion mandates whether sex education will even be taught or taught with contraception in mind.

When we take a deeper dive into the different types of sex education, abstinence seems to be the one taught the most. It’s known as the most ethical in terms of religion. How effective is it though? After the study of Lindberg and Maddox (2012), it explained that the combination of abstinence and contraceptives was the most effective. Does that mean that any other combination is not? Sherr and Dyer (2010) found out otherwise. Sherr and Dyer (2010) used a time-limited nonequivalent control group design to analyze preliminary data drawn from an unduplicated sample of 620 youth completing the program in churches (n=248) and in public school settings (n=372) to test whether sex education at church was better than the sex education taught at public schools. They concluded that there were significant reductions in the number of youth that had sexual intercourse within the last three weeks for both groups at the post-test. This study analyzes the efficiency of sex education when actively taught.

Then we have the topic of what everyone would think of as acceptable to be taught in schools. What would be the most relevant topics for everyone to have a healthy sex life? Canan & Jozkowski (2017) recruited college students (N=560) from entry-level health courses to participate in this study to test whether political affiliation had the strongest relationship with an overall endorsement of topics followed by religious commitment. They concluded that individuals would like a wide variety of topics to be included in sexual health education. This gives us more of an insight on what should possibly be taught.

Now the topic on if sex education should just be taught at school. Schools tend to wait until the child gets into high school and such to go further in-depth on the subject of sex education. Why? Because many believe that children shouldn’t be learning such a thing. So, if the schools won’t start teaching the child effectively, will the parents? Peter et al. (2015) used data from Illinois parents of adolescents (n =301) indicating their knowledge about and attitudes toward sexuality education programs and 18 sexual health topics via an online survey to examine two different approaches to measuring parents’ attitudes toward sexuality information. They concluded that parents were uncertain about what form of sex education was offered but most were equally comfortable with both abstinence-only and comprehensive programs.

Some parents are a bit apprehensive about talking with their children about the topic. It’s a little off-putting for some and that could be understood by the stigma our society has about sex. So, if the parent can overcome such a thing, when is the right time to start talking about the subject with their children? Pariera & Brody (2018) conducted a mixed-methods study on emerging adults’ (N = 441) beliefs about the ideal age and frequency for parents to discuss sex-related topics, and about their parents’ strengths and weaknesses in sexual communication. They concluded that most participants reported that parents should talk about sex frequently, early, and on a wide variety of topics. And what would talk to their children as early as possible prove? It’ll help towards their sexual maturity. Bolland et al. (2019), using a growth curve framework, data from the Mobile Youth and Poverty Study are used to model how sexual immaturity develops across adolescence as a function of age, gender, and sex education to test their hypothesis that sexual immaturity may influence sexual initiation and trajectories of sexual behavior. They concluded that school-based sex education curricula should take into consideration how sexual maturity is portrayed among adolescents.

Conclusion

The need for sex education to become a not stigmatized topic will only increase as we go on. It’s an essential way to make sure everyone has healthy sexual health and a clear understanding of the topic. The research has been expansive and very informative, but our society has yet to really change in terms of the topic. We will have to continue to push forward and come to an understanding that it is an important matter. I will also do my best to help the expansion of this topic to help break the stigma around it.

References

1. Akanbi, M. A., Adetoro, G. W., & Okoya, O. O. (2013). Undergraduates’ perspectives on sex education and teenage pregnancy in covenant university, ota, Ogun state, Nigeria. Gender & Behaviour, 11(1), 5146-5152. Retrieved from https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/docview/1431278634?accountid=10003
2. Baker, J. O., Smith, K. K., & Stoss, Y. A. (2015). Theism, secularism, and sexual education in the united states. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 12(3), 236-247. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1007/s13178-015-0187-8
3. Bleakley, A., Hennessy, M., & Fishbein, M. (2010). Predicting preferences for types of sex education in US schools. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 7(1), 50-57. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1007/s13178-010-0008-z
4. Bolland, A. C., Schlichting, E., Mitchell, Q., Ward, J., & Bolland, J. M. (2019). Let’s talk about sexual immaturity in adolescence: Implications for school-based sex education. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 16(3), 357-372. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1007/s13178-018-0348-7
5. Canan, S. N., & Jozkowski, K. N. (2017). Sexual health education topics in schools: Inclusion and timing preferences of a sample of southern U.S. college students. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 14(2), 143-156. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1007/s13178-016-0251-z
6. Lindberg, L. D., & Maddow-Zimet, I. (2012). Consequences of sex education on teen and young adult sexual behaviors and outcomes. Journal of Adolescent Health, 51(4), 332-338. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.12.028
7. Pariera, K. L., & Brody, E. (2018). “Talk more about it”: Emerging adults’ attitudes about how and when parents should talk about sex. Sexuality Research & Social Policy, 15(2), 219-229. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1007/s13178-017-0314-9
8. Peter, C. R., Tasker, T. B., & Horn, S. S. (2015). Parents’ attitudes toward comprehensive and inclusive sexuality education. Health Education, 115(1), 71-92. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/10.1108/HE-01-2014-0003
9. Sherr, M. E., & Dyer, P. M. (2010). Evaluating a comprehensive abstinence-based program for minority youth: Comparing church and public school outcomes. Social Work and Christianity, 37(1), 28-44. Retrieved from https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/docview/230161861?accountid=10003
10. Williams, M. T., & Bonner, L. (2006). SEX EDUCATION ATTITUDES AND OUTCOMES AMONG NORTH AMERICAN WOMEN. Adolescence, 41(161), 1-14. Retrieved from https://login.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.net.ucf.edu/docview/195945434?accountid=10003

Abstract

Sex education has only truly been a topic of study for roughly the last 100 years. In its lifetime, thus far, it has morphed and changed into what we know today as information regarding intercourse, reproductive systems, and the consequences of having intercourse-positive or negative. What started after World War I when soldiers were suffering from diseases such as syphilis and gonorrhea, became a government-funded nightmare for educators and sexual health advocates. With the many changes and mandates from government entities, sex education has gone through over the last 100 years, the origin of sex education was to inform young people of the dangers of STIs and STDs and how to prevent them. Instead of growing on this concept and arming students of today with the correct, factual, and scientifically proven information to help them navigate today’s sexual climate, they have been faced with a heavy moral hand and potential misinformation in recent years. The evidence that abstinence-only sex education is not effective is apparent in nearly every study conducted and included in this paper, and only strengthens the paper’s author’s opinion that comprehensive sex education is necessary.

Whereas some may argue that comprehensive sex education opens doors for earlier sexual encounters, comprehensive sex education is necessary given that while parents should be included in the teaching of sex education, sex education should be comprehensive and thorough and not give students all of the information that is reasonably necessary can have consequences such as teen pregnancy, higher STI and STD rates, and enforces potentially dangerous stereotypes. Currently, sex education within the state of Indiana, specifically, is teaching a curriculum that barely goes beyond reproductive systems, development up to adulthood, and how to say no to peer pressure and sex in general. It puts an unhealthy emphasis on abstinence and fails to teach students of any grade about safe sex practices, birth control, or the plethora of issues that can arise from the contraction of an STI or an STD. Nor does it teach how to handle these situations in the event a student is faced with one of these scenarios. Sex education has not always been this way, in fact, the original goal was indeed to inform students and prepare them for a world that has a lot to do with sex and the instances involved in maturing and dealing with the outcomes of having sex.

When World War I broke out in 1914, nearly 5 million troops were deployed to Europe to fight in the war. Oftentimes, soldiers from several fronts would find themselves on leave near small towns and would travel short distances to take time off when they had the time available. With plenty of young men to go around, brothels, prostitutes, and “good-time girls” found themselves busier than ever. This meant that there was a whole new breeding ground for diseases such as gonorrhea and syphilis could find new hosts and would travel throughout the trenches, and since these diseases were not immediately noticeable, one could go weeks without knowing they were infected or that they were passing on the disease to others. Syphilis would come about as a painless chancre sore and would resolve itself spontaneously, whereas gonorrhea symptoms were painful and essentially would render a soldier unable to fight once these symptoms appeared. Instead of treating this as a health issue, the United States Government decided to treat these ailments as moral issues, thus making their prevention and treatment difficult to achieve (“Venereal Diseases · Medicine in World War I · Online Exhibits@Yale,” 2019). The response from the government also included morally shaming soldiers who associated themselves with sex workers with posters, pamphlets, and other publications and enforcing an agenda that included such shaming and abstinence. Unfortunately, many of their reactions came too late and the damage had been done. The Chamberlain-Kahn Act did several things, including imprisoning women for simply having a venereal disease, as STIs and STDs were called at the time. However, its most important function was allocating funds to sex education, which was now being viewed as a public health issue by Americans.

A few years after starting with the American Troops, sex education moved into American high schools as well. Materials were produced in order to give teachers the needed information to instruct students in this new and almost foreign topic. Educators experimented with the best way to introduce the curriculum to students, using film and literature to explore this emerging topic with students not too many years younger than some of the Troops returning from war (Johannah Cornblatt, 2009). Students were also warned about masturbation, with materials stating that their growth would be stunted, and they would not mature into young adults and be contributing members of society. Over the next two decades, sex education exploded, and students in college were able to sign up for Human Sexuality classes. However, the focus of these programs was to quell the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and sexually transmitted infections, put an end to prostitution, and keep sexual exploration safely within the confines of marriage (CorreJen, 2012).

In the 1960s, there was a large push for proper training from teachers and sex education instructors. It was around this time that pushback from religious organizations was also beginning to form. Sex education went from being a public health issue to being an issue of political leaning and treatment. The unfortunate bit of this matter is that the pushback had religious founding. In 1968, a group named Christian Crusade released a pamphlet asking if the public school setting was the right place to teach “raw sex” (“Sex Education in The United States, 1835 Through Today – Digg,” 2015). Other Christian organizations touted sex education as a plot for Communism.

With the introduction of a new kind of contraceptive, the birth control pill, sex without the concern of unwanted pregnancy became a new idea in an era known for its freedom of thought and free love (Huber & Firmin, 2014). Hippies and other free-thinkers expressed the idea that sex was a part of life and therefore it should have no constraints with consenting adults. Sex became less of a taboo topic and something that was discussed more openly, but not at all open by today’s standards. However, a push for “values-neutral” sex education was created by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) and was partially funded by Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Foundation. Parents were still concerned and voicing their opinions, though, and sexual education remained a hot topic of debate with educators and parents over what was appropriate in schools.

With the finding that penicillin would treat syphilis and gonorrhea, sexually transmitted diseases and infections were treatable and, while still a moral nuisance, usually not regarded as dangerous unless an infection went untreated. Thus, the discussions involving these infections were usually brief and a bullet point on a short list versus being an entire list in itself. In the early 1980s, a new disease erupted through the medical community and became a household topic of discussion. HIV, and subsequently AIDS quickly spread both in infection and fear of the diseases as well. People who were infected with HIV could go months, or potentially years without even knowing they were carrying the disease (“A brief history of sex education,” 2019). It was so new that no one had been able to study this new disease and new findings come about even today. The way information about how HIV and AIDS spread and who could even contract the disease was a wonderful example of an early case of the spreading of misinformation. HIV and AIDS earned monikers such as “The Gay Disease” and was thought by some to only be contracted by men who had male sex partners. However, this spread of misinformation also created a push for more comprehensive information and strengthened advocates’ arguments for comprehensive sex education. However, the thought process that ruled seemed to be tied to the idea that comprehensive sex education would open the floodgates for teens to have sex, rather than prepare them for the potential, and now possibly fatal, outcomes.

In 1981, the Adolescent Family Life Act was passed, funding “chastity” and abstinence-only education. The act had strong religious undertones and called abstinence the only way to avoid the possibility of HIV and AIDS altogether. This was found, however, to not be entirely true, as people who received blood transfusions were at risk as well. One famous case was of course Ryan White, who at 13 years old was diagnosed with AIDS after receiving a transfusion for his hemophilia. While some still tried to spread rumors of his suspected sexuality, medical experts were quick to defend Ryan and his family. Granted, this doesn’t mean a quick resolution and acceptance was reached. It took nearly 2 years for Ryan to be able to return to school, even with proper education (“Ryan’s Story,” 2009).

In the 1990s, in response to AIDS, every state had mandates for, at the very least, HIV and AIDS education in response to the sweeping misinformation moving across the nation. This shifted the curriculum from being one based on morals and emphasis on marital status, as well as a shift away from abstinence-only education to a curriculum based on prevention education, sexually transmitted diseases, the benefits of condoms and contraception (“Curriculum Changes of Sex Education Through The Years – Educ 300: Education Reform, Past and Present,” 2016). In 1993, the Supreme Court of the United States also decided that federally-funded sex education programs must remove direct references to religion (Rivkind Shatz, n.d.). While references to religion and religious bases for not having sex before marriage were removed, this didn’t mean that the push for moral standards being used against comprehensive sex education were removed entirely. Title V of the Welfare Reform Act otherwise known as TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), created a new system of grants to abstinence-only sex education curriculum, using a specific pointed guide, known as “A-H definition”:

• A) has as its exclusive purpose teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity;
• B) teaches abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage as the expected standard for all school-age children;
• C) teaches that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems;
• D) teaches that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the expected standard of sexual activity;
• E) teaches that sexual activity outside of the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects;
• F) teaches that bearing children out-of-wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for the child, the child’s parents, and society;
• G) teaches young people how to reject sexual advances and how alcohol and drug use increase vulnerability to sexual advances, and
• H) teaches the importance of attaining self-sufficiency before engaging in sexual activity. (NCAC Staff, 2019)

Once again, abstinence-only programs were gaining traction, and the potential for funding drove states to adopt these programs. Roughly 4 years later, in 2000, The Special Projects of Regional and National Significance–Community-Based Abstinence Education added $31 million to the federal funding bank for abstinence-only programs (“The CSE’s National Sex Ed Conference » April 3-6, Newark, NJ » The History of Sex Education,” 2019). Even more, money was being poured into these programs, and no one was thinking to fact-check the information being released in these programs.

The welcome crusade on misinformation came in December of 2004 with the release of the Waxman Report (The Content of Federally Funded Abstinence-Only Education Programs) and shows just how skewed and misrepresented the information in abstinence-only programs. Numerous errors in the various curriculum’s that were included in the audit included false information about contraceptives, the risks of abortion, and had several scientific errors. Other findings were the blurring of religion and science, as well as the treatment of gender stereotypes as fact, stating that:

One curriculum teaches that women need “financial support,” while men need “admiration.” Another instructs: “Women gauge their happiness and judge their success on their relationships. Men’s happiness and success hinge on their accomplishments.”

One famous movie poked fun at sex education in the mid 200’s. In the sex education scene in the film Mean Girls (2004):

“Don’t have sex, because you will get pregnant and die! Don’t have sex in the missionary position, don’t have sex standing up, just don’t do it, OK, promise? OK, now everybody take some rubbers. “(Waters, 2004)

While humorous, this scene was reminiscent of how sex education was approached in the 2000s. That being said, in 2006, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the grantees of abstinence-only programs were not required to review their materials for scientific accuracy. In theory, the information being presented as fact was true, but since no reviews were performed by scientific peers, the information given to educators may not have been factual and therefore, was still spreading information that was potentially incorrect.

References

1. A brief history of sex education. (2019). Retrieved December 9, 2019, from OpenLearn website: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/body-mind/health/health-studies/brief-history-sex-education
2. CorreJen. (2012). Sex Education in the United States HISTORY OF SEX EDUCATION IN THE U.S. Retrieved from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/3713/9611/7930/Sex_Ed_in_the_US.pdf
3. Curriculum Changes of Sex Education Through The Years – Educ 300: Education Reform, Past and Present. (2016, May 6). Retrieved November 8, 2019, from Trincoll.edu website: https://commons.trincoll.edu/edreform/2016/05/curriculum-changes-of-sex-education-through-the-years/
4. Huber, V. J., & Firmin, M. W. (2014). A History of Sex Education in the United States since 1900. International Journal of Educational Reform, 23(1), 25–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/105678791402300102
5. Johannah Cornblatt. (2009, October 28). A Brief History of Sex Ed in America. Retrieved November 8, 2019, from Newsweek website: https://www.newsweek.com/brief-history-sex-ed-america-81001
6. NCAC Staff. (2019). Timeline of Abstinence-Only Education in U.S. Classrooms – National Coalition Against Censorship. Retrieved from National Coalition Against Censorship website: https://ncac.org/resource/timeline-of-abstinence-only-education-in-u-s-classrooms
7. Rivkind Shatz, N. (n.d.). Unconstitutional Entanglements: The Religious Right, the Federal Government, and Abstinence Education in the Schools. Yale Journal of Law & Feminism, 19. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1274&context=yjlf
8. Ryan’s Story. (2009). Retrieved from Ryanwhite.com website: https://ryanwhite.com/Ryans_Story.html
9. Sex Education In The United States, 1835 Through Today – Digg. (2015, July 27). Retrieved December 9, 2019, from Digg.com website: https://digg.com/2015/sex-education-history
10. The CSE’s National Sex Ed Conference » April 3-6, Newark, NJ » The History of Sex Education. (2019). Retrieved December 9, 2019, from Sexedconference.com website: https://sexedconference.com/the-history-of-sex-education/
11. UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM -MINORITY STAFF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION THE CONTENT OF FEDERALLY FUNDED ABSTINENCE-ONLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS PREPARED FOR. (2004). Retrieved from https://spot.colorado.edu/~tooley/HenryWaxman.pdf
12. Venereal Diseases. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://exhibits.library.yale.edu/exhibits/show/wwimedicine/venereal-diseases
13. Waters, M. (Director). (2004). Mean Girls [Film]. California: Paramount Pictures.
14. “Don’t have sex, because you will get pregnant and die! Don’t have sex in the missionary position, don’t have sex standing up, just don’t do it, OK, promise? OK, now everybody take some rubbers.”

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 person’s concern as it impacts on many young women’s 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 people’s 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.