The policy I am seeking to implement in my local school district is the dissemination of condoms as part of a comprehensive sex education program. According to My Voice Counts, a youth action center, “Substantial evidence of the effectiveness of comprehensive sex education exists,” (Comprehensive 2003, 1). The issue of condom dissemination arose in response to HIV and AIDS. It has also arisen due to the increase access to sexual materials of all kinds due to the Internet, a decline in traditional family values, and a liberalized media. As Kmietowicz (2002) maintains, “The move away from traditional family values points to a socio-sexual transformation where sexual imagery permeates all aspects of life and teenagers are under greater pressure to experiment with sex,” (1354).
The comprehensive sex education I am proposing will be age-appropriate, included medically accurate information, and will be developmentally appropriate. I only propose condom dissemination to High School students aged 15 and older. While federal funding under 1996 Welfare reform provided funding for abstinence-only before marriage sex education programs, many schools have veered away from abstinence-only as a sex education policy. Nevertheless, the issue of condoms and other forms of contraception continue to create controversy between those who view it as condoning sexual activity before marriage and those who view it as the only realistic method of reducing the chances of pregnancy or transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.
The issues of incorporating contraception information and access to condoms for high school students in sex education programs is controversial. Many argue that teenagers should only be taught abstinence before marriage in such programs. Federal and state funds are available only for such sex education programs. Because of this, many teens are put at greater risk because of a lack of information about sex an...