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What should public schools teach our children about sex? It can be a complex question, especially when dealing with morals, social norms, pop culture, hormones and health. When students sit down for their sex education, should teachers embrace an abstinence-only policy?
Proper information about the risks of sexually transmitted disease and unwanted pregnancy, and the relative success and failure rates of condoms and other barrier methods of contraception do not undercut the argument for sexual abstinence. On the contrary, they reinforce the message that casual sex carries serious risks. As a result, children given comprehensive sex education are slower to become sexually active, and tend to be more careful when they do have sexual intercourse.
From an abstinence point of view, taking precautions is not ideal. However, from a public health point of view, it's a significant improvement.
- Michael Glass
November 15, 2008 3:53AM
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Comprehensive Sex Ed is Best Tool to Achieve Goals
- From APHA
By American Public Health Association - Protect, Prevent, Live Well
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Teach That Abstinence is the Best Method of Birth Control
Knowledge is vital. Children from a very young age must learn about procreation and the vehicle by which that is made possible. Gradual training in the home is the best method, but we puritanistic Americans are often embarrased to take on that responsibility, therefore it falls upon the shoulders of our schools. Its best for kids to learn the FACTS and not learn the distorted information shared amongst fellow youth. Children should be taught that abstinence is the best form of birth control. But, realistically, they need to know about STD transmission and the terrible damage they can do to the body for life. Kids also need to know how to properly use all forms of birth control. This kind of education won't encourage children to have more sex as we can see from this kind of education in many European countries.
- msreason September 9, 2008 8:32PM
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the main goal
"Several comprehensive sexuality education programs have been demonstrated, through rigorous evaluation, to delay the onset of sexual intercourse, reduce the frequency of sexual intercourse, reduce the number of sex partners, and/or increase the use of condoms and/or other forms of contraception among teens"
Doesn't this exert from the article describe the basis of what sex education should be teaching teens, other than abstinence only? Some teens are going to have sex no matter how much you preach abstinence or waiting until you are married. If that is the case, the goal is then to decrease pregnancies, STI's, and the number of partners. Teaching about contraceptives and other ways to stay safe seems to be the only logical way to do this.
- tator
February 26, 2009 2:24PM
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Side: No
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