Sex Education Essay, Research Paper

Jennifer Merryman

English 218

Debate Paper

Mr. Denton

Teenagers have sex on the brain; it’s an inevitable fact. However, what teenagers generally have a problem grasping is that along with sex comes a certain amount of responsibility. With the amount of information there is, there is no excuse for the lack of knowledge teens possess when it comes to risky behavior. This is mainly in part because by the time a child reaches the age of 15 they are tired of listening to an adult tell them about what they are feeling and how they should be acting. By sitting in a normal classroom setting a child does not fully learn the consequences of having sex at an early age. In today’s’ world, by the time most teenagers are getting to health class many of them have already partaken in some form of sexual behavior. Also, with the average age of teenagers losing their virginity declining, the age and ways they are presented with sex education material needs to conform to suit the teenagers of today’s society. The only way to ensure that teens are going to be more responsible when they engage in relationships is to remodel how sex education is being presented to America’s kids. It may seem like we’re corrupting America’s youth, when in fact, we’re trying to save it with information.

Information is the key contributor to how we can prevent today’s youths from engaging in potentially dangerous behavior. The primary motive is to not only slow down risky behavior, but to try to prevent it all together. This process begins at home. Numerous studies show that if a child and/or teen feels comfortable discussing matters of sex with their parents then they are less likely to engage in sexual activity. More importantly, when children see that it is okay for them to talk about sex in the home, they are more inclined to ask questions and talk openly with their parents. Also, children tend to pick up on their parent’s beliefs and moral systems. However, if a child is never exposed to them, those beliefs will not be adapted. While most parents believe that there is no point to talking to their children about sex because they’re not going to listen anyway, statistics prove otherwise. 79% of all families that can talk openly about sex in the home have children who tend to undertake more responsible sexual activity. Also, this education needs to start at a very young age. At around age two or three when a child realizes that Jenni is different from Timmy, parents should begin teaching about the correct body parts and how boys and girls are different. As a child age increases the topics should also increase to meet their level of curiosity and understanding. By age seven a child should know where babies come from, but maybe not the complete detail that goes into it. Being open, honest, and realistic can curb curiosity to a certain degree. By the time a teenager reaches the point that they are going to have sex, they should feel they could go to a trusted parent with both their questions and their decisions.

While it is best to start sex-ed at home, no matter how hard parents may try, teens are not always going to feel comfortable talking to their parents about sex. (Most teenagers aren’t going to feel comfortable talking to their parents about sex while picturing them doing it themselves.) This is where the school system comes in. While sex education in the high school is most definitely important, it should be more age appropriate. Meaning, the discussions should be more frank and honest, showing teens the REALITY of having unprotected underage sex. The average sex education class starts in 10th grade health, with a teacher standing in front of the room waving corny diagrams of penis and vaginas from the seventies while half the class falls asleep in the back rows for the mere two weeks that sex gets in the classroom. This is NOT suitable for such a crucial issue. The diagrams are not only so grossly outdated that the corners are yellow, but there is more than likely not going to be more than one student comfortable enough to raise some serious questions. Mainly, this is because when presented in such an outdated manor, students feel that questions that they have for TODAY and modern times will not be addressed. Also, in just two weeks, not nearly enough material can be covered to be beneficial. Thirdly, class discussions consist of a professor lecturing for 40 minutes about the rights and wrongs of sex. This hardly leaves any time for the class to generate their questions that are concerning not only them, but more than likely their peers as well. There are a few things that need to be done. 1. The age of school sex-education should be reduced to at least 5th or 6th grade when hormones really start raging. The benefits of starting school-aided sex education are outstanding. For example, it reduces the likelihood of further irresponsible behavior. Such as in England, where sex education starts in kindergarten, there where only 130 cases of STDs in the entire year. However, in America, where education doesn’t start for another 10 years, there were over 3 thousand newly reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases for teenagers. Also, in the US every 26 seconds a teenager becomes pregnant, while in England there were less than 340 births to people under the age of twenty. 2. Diagrams need to be put in easy-to-understand formats so that anyone from 10 to 20 years can know what they are looking at. In school handing a student a scientific replica of the reproduction system does nothing for their understanding of the subject. Crude, almost cartoon-like drawings should be issued to younger children with increasing difficulty as ages progress. 3. Classes should be in a forum-type of setting, where students can feel comfortable talking and questioning anything that may be on their minds. Often, students feel as if their instructor is just an adult with no feelings, or even desires. It appears that they could never possibly relate. However, if classrooms are set up more as a discussion, teachers are brought down to “their level.” By doing this, an average teen can be comfortable enough to ask questions expecting real and reliable answers.

While decreasing the amount of sex that teenagers are having is definitely important, just making sure that they are informed with the correct knowledge is also critical. America’s youth is not only not getting a sufficient amount of sexual education, but the information that they are receiving is either not correct or is not getting interpreted correctly. A recent survey was done amongst a group of high school seniors, which asked them how HIV and AIDS were passed around. Over one half of the students answered, “through homosexual activity.” When asked the safest form of STD prevention, they answered, “the pill.” The answers were appalling. Even when students receive sex education, they aren’t getting the right information. This is yet another reason why the way that sex education is taught needs to be changed. Textbooks need to be updated at least every two to three years to ensure those students are getting the most accurate information available. Also, getting students involved is another way that they can see what is going on. They can see that AIDS and other STDs are not just “gay” diseases, but actually do affect everyone by visiting hospices. Also, by taking students to clinics and/or hospitals allows them to stare young parenthood right in the face- so to speak. However, it is also very important to inform younger children as well with the correct information. This can be done by also speaking honestly with children about what is going on in today’s society. The most common reason as to why parents and teachers do not offer completely honest conversations about sex is out of fear. They are afraid of going over certain unwritten boundaries. However, the most dangerous aspect to our society is a misinformed person with a loaded weapon, only in this case the weapon is our own self.