We need comprehensive sex education in the United States. Every single child enrolled in public schools should be required to receive age-appropriate, medically accurate information.
There is currently no federal basis for disseminating this information. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, all states are involved in sexual education and/or HIV/AIDS education. Yet, the standards differ all around the country. In some instances, schools should have discretion when developing the curriculum; however, that should not be the case for sex ed.
Millions of children are not taught about sex and its consequences in a safe and responsible manner. Many will only learn about sex, masturbation and pregnancy from their friends and the internet. It does not take long to find incorrect, and in some instances, dangerous information. We cannot allow this to continue.
Some critics of comprehensive sex education claim that it will only promote sexual activity amongst teenagers and youth. That is why many school districts promote abstinence-only sex education programs. It is a dangerous notion to assume teenagers and young adults will not engage in sexual activity before marriage. According to a 2014 analysis in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, funding for abstinence-only sex ed is on the down, but abstinence only until marriage (AOUM) is still prevalent in many areas (e.g. the South).
My experiences with formal sex education are somewhat limited. There was an informational session in 5th grade where boys and girls were separated. I can barely remember the information provided. I remember watching a video about a guy going through puberty and getting an erection in class. After this talk, I remember a few of the girls talking loudly about a girl who recently started her period. 11-year-old Ben certainly did not discuss the subject matter with his parents. I have learned many lessons from my parents but “The Talk” did not happen until it was a moot point. I recently remarked to an older family member about not having “The Talk” and she expressed concern, “If only I had known,” she responded.
My high school did not offer sex education because they thought it was best left to the families. Many of my high school classmates did not adequately learn the consequences of sex - "they got pregnant." Fortunately, many of them had successful pregnancies and are now becoming great parents. I sincerely wish them well but I can’t help but wonder how many of them truly wanted to be parents as a teenager. What if our school stressed sex education?
I am an inquisitive individual and learned a variety of things from countless hours of research on the Internet. I am proud to know over 20 different methods of birth control. I know many myths about sex are incorrect. How many other people do? How many friends need to have a child in their teenage years before we change something?
We need sex ed programs that discuss the basics: puberty, prevention and pregnancy. But our programs should go further and discuss sexual orientation and gender identity. Our educators should rely on peer-reviewed scientific literature and not some sermon on our society’s moral decadence. We need to arm our children, students, and future generations with knowledge. Sex does not need to be shrouded in mystery. It obviously happens – we are all here because of it. Parents need to sit down with their kids and talk about the issues in an age-appropriate manner. Describing “crushes” and feelings of attraction is a good starting point for kids in elementary school. By the time kids are in high school, parents should be discussing more thought provoking and deeper matters like abortion, adoption, and, perhaps, specific sexual experiences.
There is so much negativity in the world; let sex be positive.