Adult Views of Sex Education in Schools

The twin specters of teenaged pregnancy and AIDS are of great concern to the parents of teenagers, educators, and other responsible adults in contemporary American society. The proportion of sexually active teenagers in the United States is both increasing and extending into lower age groups.

A sexually active person, other variables remaining equal, is at greater risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease than is a person who is not sexually active. Similarly, a sexually active teenaged girl, other variables remaining equal, is at greater risk of becoming pregnant than is the girl who is not sexually active (the teenaged girl who is not sexually active remains at risk of pregnancy in contemporary society because of the prevalence of rape behavior among American males). While most thinking American adults acknowledge the significance of the risks for teenagers related to AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases, and unwanted pregnancies, there exists a sharp division among adults about what actions should be implemented to deal with these issues. Most interventions advanced to deal effectively with these issues involve education. Again, most responsible American adults are in agreement that such education is essential. The disagreements exist in relation to the content and scope of such education. Still others believe that the issue can be effectively addressed by s

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s is abuseboth physical and psychologicalperpetrated by someone in a position of trust or authority in the life of a young person (Howing, 1990, pp. 24449). One of the most debilitating outcomes of abuse experienced by a young person is a loss of selfesteem (Ogata, 1990, pp. 10081013). Abuse, and the hopelessness and depression that often stems from abuse, frequently leads to a loss of selfesteem (Madonna, 1991, pp. 4649). The loss of selfesteem leads many adolescents to consider suicide (Sanders and Giolas, 1991, pp. 5054). The cycle of abuse, hopelessness, depression, the loss of selfesteem, and suicide ideation involves such factors as a failure to develop effective interpersonal skills, ineffective social integration, and dysfunctional families (JeanGilles and Crittenden, 1990, pp. 323329). Alcohol and drug use is a major concern of parents with respect to adolescents. The effects of alcohol on humans is known to vary from person to person, as well as on the same person at different times and under different circumstances (Hannon, Day, Butler, Larson, and Casey, 1983, pp. 283298). Among the many effects that may be experienced are decreased cognitive performance, loss of control, serious social problem
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Approximate Word count = 1615
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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