Sex Education



Sex Education

IDS 3303

By: Jen Mangano

Sex education has been a major issue dating back since the 1980’s. It has always been a question weather educating young adults on sex was a good idea or not. And even if it was important to learn, should the public schools be the ones teaching it? And lastly where do you draw the line, when is enough too much?

For the very first time in 1981 the federal government invested money into a sex education program hoping to encourage chastity and self discipline. This was the effect of President Reagan signing a law and congress passing something called the AFLA, Adolescent Family Life Act. This seemed to be a huge success, funding over $440 million for support towards sexual education.

Everyone was very excited that the funding and support was clearly there but the public felt the boundaries of what could be taught was too strict. The teachers felt they needed to step in and fight for more freedom in what could be said and taught.(economic & political)

This became an even bigger issue during the late 80’s to mid 90’s while STD’s and HIV were rapidly growing. The numbers were unbelievable, from one in fifty people to one in four people becoming infected. Obviously teaching only abstinence wasn’t going to be enough, the teachers felt they needed to go above and beyond their restrictions to really get to their students.(STD’S in school)

This theory began a new era of sexual education. Teachers began to educate on contraceptives, abortion, and all other sexual orientation. It was obvious the students were engaging in intercourse so now they needed to be educated, some felt, as early as seventh grade.(Education)

It was very important to still maintain a level of professionalism not only for political reasons but also for the parents. It was surprising to see how supportive the parents were being, up to 65% of parents felt it was a great idea. Of course wanting their children to delay sex, but be educated and prepared to have SAFE sex. Not all parents were so overwhelmingly supportive. In fact the other 35% was the exact opposite.(Phillips, Mark)

This left parents feeling that sex education was simply porn for teens, a waste of tax dollars and school time, and felt the program served as a guide to sex instead of away from it.(Philips, Mark)

As far as the students were concerned they were almost all excited about the new programs. Actually up to 50% stated that there should be even more information involved. Students had further and more detailed questions for example about getting contraceptives, learning about deceases, peer pressure, and rape. Answering all of these questions was important; the students need to be educated. It is so dangerous to know that up to 30% of teens have intercourse before having any education, information, or anything.(Education)

Politicians eventually caught their original boundaries being passed and stepped in. While the government continued funding sexual education they wanted it to remain absitnce only. Even to this day this is an issue. President Bush is making it one of his priorities to urge abstinence. He claims he will continue funding, but is that only under his boundaries?(Economic & political)

Teachers, students, and parents all continue to be grateful for government funding but feel the program is not efficient enough. Laura Sullivan, a teacher at an Oklahoma public school states, “You can only suggest abstinence, it cannot teach it.”(Phillips, Mark)

I agree that the more we educate the more sexually healthy adults we will have. Sex education is a good idea and should be available in public schools; our body is the most important thing and seems to be the thing we learn the least about.

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