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. Other adults in the United States believe that the issue can be effec