Teenage Sex and Education
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In a concerted effort to cope with the rising trend of teenage sex, educators and policymakers have voiced their need for sex education at all levels of public schools from kindergarten to 12th grade. Known as comprehensive sex education, this approach uses teaching materials and methods that match the age group of the students (Whitehead, 1994, p. 1; Meade, 2001, p. 7). Currently, 32 states including California do not require schools to offer sex education. Nonetheless, California is one of the 36 states that mandate the provision of STD, HIV, and/or AIDS education (Meade, 2001, pp. 10-11). Apart from the broad mandate that that sex education programs should stress abstinence, California has left the creation of the curriculum and its implementation to the initiative of the individual school districts and even the schools themselves (California Department of Education, 2000, p. 1; Wells, 1999, p. 4). Although sex education is not a recent phenomenon, its extension into increasingly earlier grades has generated tremendous controversy. Critics of sex education of elementary school children maintain that premature discussions about sex will heighten children's interest in sex and encourage them to engage in sexual activity (Irvine, 2000, p. 60). Other critics believe that sex education in schools should only teach children about abstinence (Whitehead, 1994, p. 1). The purpose of this paper is to refute these criticisms and argue in favor of providing sex education in all e
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ucation should also be taught in a step-by-step fashion that coheres with the developmental understanding of the students. Even though elementary school children do not need to know about sexual abstinence, they can be educated about their sexual body parts. Over the years, these elementary school children will acquire an increasing amount of knowledge about their sexuality, which will empower them to become prepared teenagers who can make informed decisions about their sexuality (Whitehead, 1994, p. 4).
Basically, at the elementary school level, students start by learning how to identify the genitalia with the proper, scientific terminology. Students at higher elementary school grades will also acquire an understanding of sexual intercourse, contraception and pregnancy. The ultimate objective of sex education in elementary schools is to create an environment in which the children can discuss their feelings and ideas about sex with their peers and teachers without feeling ashamed or embarrassed. In creating this safe environment, educators ensure that misinformation about sex can be corrected. Finally, effective sex education programs for the elementary school children will enable them to recognize their body changes and reacti
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Approximate Word count = 1257
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)
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