Sex Education Programs Vs. Abstinence Essay - 1647 Words

Today’s youth faces very tough issues in their everyday life. Kids are growing up too fast too soon. They are facing situations and making decisions that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Among one of the most pressing issues they have to deal with is the risk of dangerous sexual behaviors and early pregnancies. Sex education programs in schools are clashing over comprehensive-sex education programs versus abstinence-only education programs. Abstinence-only programs not only instill morals, but the program helps prevent sex before marriage, prevents teen pregnancy, and the spread of STDs. The comprehensive-sex education programs helps kids make better decisions when it comes to sexual activity, they help prevent unwanted pregnancies, and they decrease the rates of STDs (Grossman, Frye, Charmaraman, Erkut). Combining both of these programs may be the smartest and healthiest solution for our kids when it comes to making decisions about having sex. In an attempt to be effective, comprehensive-sex education programs in school are incorporating family involvement to aid the frequency of communication about sexual knowledge, attitudes and behavior (Grossman). This is a positive step because it will help families discuss the importance of making responsible decisions when it comes to sex. The sex education programs at school have a higher success rate due to the direct access they have to both parents and students. Research shows that family communication about sexualShow MoreRelatedAbstinence And Comprehensive Sex Education999 Words   |  4 PagesI lean towards the abstinence side of the argument between abstinence and comprehensive sex education because of my religious beliefs. Although I feel abstinence should be the focus of sex education, I think it is important to teach young people a balance to protect themselves. While researching this topic, it seems that many of the articles have the same idea to teach abstinence alon g with safe sex which would be comprehensive sex ed. With the rising sexual transmitted diseases and pregnanciesRead MoreEssay on Abstinence vs. Comprehensive Sex Education1339 Words   |  6 Pagesfunding was put to use in â€Å". . . sex education programs that promote abstinence-only-until-marriage to the exclusion of all other approaches . . .† according to the article â€Å"Sex education† (2010) published by â€Å"Opposing Viewpoints in Context;† a website that specializes in covering social issues. Since then a muddy controversy has arisen over whether that is the best approach. On one hand is the traditional approach of abstinence (not having sex before marriage), and on the other is the ideaRead MoreSafe Sex Vs. No Sex1504 Words   |  7 PagesSafe Sex vs. No Sex. What’s Realistic? A Case for Comprehensive Sex Education Teenagers have been having sex since the beginning of time. Instead of telling them â€Å"just don’t† shouldn’t we educate our teens so that they can be safe? The problem with traditional Abstince- Only-Until-Marriage is that instead of educating they use fear tactics to unsuccessfully keep children ignorant. This causes children to turn to other outlets like porn and other children their age, it’s like a bad game of telephoneRead MoreThe Debate For Comprehensive Sex Education1212 Words   |  5 PagesComprehensive Sex Education Across the United States of America there is wide spread support for abstinence-only education. A majority of states require that abstinence-only education be the only form of sexual health education provided, or requires that abstinence be stressed above other forms of sexual education. These highly stressed abstinence-only programs are under fire as research comes out against the efficiency of these programs, and as new forms of sexual health education appear. TheseRead MoreHow Far Should Schools Teach Sex Education978 Words   |  4 PagesHow Far Should Schools Teach Sex Education The condoms display in the Hidden Heroes: the Genius of Everyday Things exhibit is a showcase that would cause an individual to wonder about adolescents’ overall knowledge of human sexuality. In today’s society, children are susceptible to learning about such a delicate topic not only from their families and peers, but through the media as well. These sources often provide misrepresentations of the information due to ignorance and biased views. ThereforeRead MoreAbstinence-Only vs. Comprehensive-Based Sex Education1301 Words   |  5 PagesAbstinence-Only vs. Comprehensive-Based Sex Education Sexual Education is a controversial topic and many people have pushed for abstinence-only programs. The United States has alarmingly high rates of teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevalence when compared to other advanced countries. Even though there may be minimal differences in the amount of sexual activity in other countries, the U.S. still prevails in high rates of teenage pregnancy, births and abortions (KohlerRead MoreSex Education : Which Is Better? Essay1718 Words   |  7 Pages Abstinence or Comprehensive Sex Education: Which is better? Sex is in the air, everywhere. It is seen when the television is turned on in the morning, it is used to sell hamburgers and cereal, and is the cornerstone by which we gauge our success. Sex is everywhere and the youth of today need to be equipped to handle it safely. There are two primary paths that can be taken when referring to sexual education: Abstinence or a more comprehensive education. Abstinence educationRead MoreSexual Education And Sex Ed1697 Words   |  7 PagesSexual education (sex ed) in public schools has long been a controversial and debated topic in society. There are several questions when it comes to approaching sex ed in schools. These questions include: appropriate age for introducing sex ed; should sex ed be mandatory or optional; and whether sex ed programs should be comprehensive or abstinence-based. Sex ed is a necessary subject to teach in schools. It should be appropriate to the grade level and taught in a knowledgeable, unbiased manner.Read MoreThe Effec ts Of Abstinence Based Programs On Actual Behavior Outcomes Essay1439 Words   |  6 PagesAdditional research has explored the effects of abstinence based programs on actual behavior outcomes. Kohler, Manhart, and Lafferty (2008) compared the effects of abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education programs, operationalizing effectiveness in terms of initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy rates. They found that teenagers who received comprehensive sex education rather than abstinence-only or no education were significantly less likely to report a teenage pregnancy. In additionRead MoreEssay on Should Sex Education be Taken Out of Schools?969 Words   |  4 Pagesincreasingly active sex lives. No longer is sex education left to teachers and parents to explain, it is constantly in our faces at the forefront of our society. Regardless of sex education curriculums and debates about possible changes, children and teenagers are still learning everything they think there is to know about sex from very early on in their young lives. However, without responsible adults instructing them on the facts about sex, there are more likely to treat sex in a cavalier and offhanded