Supporting Sex Ed 
| Why You Should Support Sex Education |
|
|
|
Why should you as a parent should support comprehensive sex education?
Teaching 'Just say No' as a form of sex education is about as effective as saying 'Have a nice day' is at preventing depression. Paraphrased from statement of Michael Carrera, Ed.D., testifying at the Presidential Commission on AIDS If you tell kids about sex, they'll do it. If you tell them about VD, they'll go out and get it. Incredible as may seem, most oppositions to sex education in this country are based on the assumption that knowledge is harmful. But research in this area reveals that ignorance and unresolved curiosity, not knowledge, are harmful. Our failure to tell children what they want and need to know is one reason we have the highest rates of out-of-wedlock teens pregnancy and abortion of any highly developed country in the world." What Kids Need to Know, Psychology Today, October 1986. Dr. Sol Gordon, Professor Emeritus, Syracuse University, and an expert on sex education 
The United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the
developed world, and one of the highest STD transmission rates of any
developed country on the planet. In fact, the teen pregnancy rates in
the US are four times greater than any other developed country. (1)
To parents, sex education is one of those most controversial subjects to be brought into the classroom. In our private lives, sexuality often remains cloaked in secrecy, shame, guilt and repression; it is no wonder why so many are concerned! However, the majority of parents do want their kids to receive some education about the issue in one form or another What's the difference between Abstinence-Only and Comprehensive sex education? "Abstinence-Only" or A/O, emphasizes the fact that abstinence is the only surefire method of preventing STDs and pregnancy. It excludes other reliable information, such as the effectiveness of contraceptives. Typically, only the negative attributes of birth control (including condoms) are discussed and there are frequent images and discussions about deaths resulting from STD s (an extremely rare occurrence). Generally, a great deal of misinformation is presented, such as the "fact" that HPV always leads to cervical cancer, which of course is patently untrue. These courses are designed to frighten kids rather than actually educate them. Intimidation is never an effective teaching device. "Comprehensive" Sex Ed (sometimes referred to as "Abstinence Plus") also teaches that abstinence is the only effective method of preventing pregnancy and disease transmission. However, it can also include a wide variety of additional information, such as proper relationship development, selection and use of contraceptives (including how to obtain and use them), masturbation, issues and concepts surrounding sexual orientation, and information about sexually transmitted diseases. According to a 2004 Kaiser Foundation Report, less than 10% of parents believe sex education should not be taught in schools. For the remaining 90%, however, the exact form that sex ed should take presents a dilemma. That same report indicated that only 15% believed that Abstinence Only curricula should be taught, while some 36% believe there should be comprehensive sex ed. The remainder fall somewhere in between. (2) Given Dr. Gordon's quote above about the lack of knowledge being harmful, it is surprising that so many parents advocate keeping their children in the dark about the subject of sex. Not only do A/O programs do just that, but they have been demonstrated to be ineffective in their stated purpose of reducing teen pregnancies and disease transmission. (7) This can have dangerous, long-term ramifications for your child. The Basics Behind Comprehensive Sex Education Sex education is about teaching responsibility, not morals. Morals and ethics concerning sex are exactly what are supposed to be taught and instilled by you as a parent. You say that you can't separate morals and sex education, but I disagree. Teaching someone how to use a condom, or how STDs are spread or prevented transcend moral issues; they operate in the same manner regardless of whether you have premarital sex or not, or for that matter, whether you believe it is right or wrong. Comprehensive sex ed does not teach or tell someone when to have sex. It teaches the child concepts about appropriate relationship development and how to understand when it is the right time to take that step. As a component of comprehensive sex ed, the focus on abstinence as a primary means of preventing pregnancy and disease transmission fulfills that obligation. As a parent, it is important for you to understand that you can not and will not decide if and when your child has sex. That decision will be made by him or her, and at a time not of your choosing. You will not be in the back seat of that car, the hotel room, or in your house after school one day with all of the raging hormones that drive the teenager's biological and psychological curiosity about sexuality. Therefore, it is imperative that you make certain your child is armed with the appropriate knowledge and background to make informed decisions about what they're doing, and, more importantly, doing it safely. Some people have issues with teach teens about condoms. Does teaching a child how to use a condom suggest that it might be okay to have sex? Studies suggest that it does not affect decisions about it one way or the other (4). It would, however, be asinine to assume that if young people do not learn about contraception, they will not have sexual intercourse. Teaching children A/O is also flawed from the standpoint that your child will hear one thing in class, and something completely different in the hallways of their school. Your child is brighter than you might think. They see images and information about sexuality on the Internet, on TV, in the stores, when they are with their friends, etc. They will learn about sex from a variety of sources. Why would you not want them to learn it in a controlled environment where you can ensure that the information they receive is accurate? After all, their very lives may depend on what they learn. Therefore, failure to ensure that your child receives a comprehensive education about their sexuality is irresponsible at best. In many European countries, fully comprehensive sex education programs have been in place for years, and have been shown to be very effective in reducing the instances of teen pregnancy, disease transmissions, abortions, etc, (5). In this country, California is the only state that does not use the A/O programs, and they are the only state that has shown a marked decrease in the number of teen pregnancies (a 40% reduction) in levels comparable to those seen in Europe. (3) The states of Texas and Ohio, on the other hand, have been using A/O programs for several years, and have the highest teen pregnancy and STD transmission rates in the country! (2) Believing that abstinence only programs are effective for their stated purpose clearly ignores all of the scientific evidence and data on the national and international levels. It is my responsibility as a parent to teach my child about sex! That is 100% correct. The method you use to do that, however, may not do your child justice. Very few parents have the knowledge and experience to adequately teach a child what they need to know about sex these days. Can you describe the symptoms of an HPV infection? Do you know how effective the NuvaRing is compared to other forms of birth control? And, perhaps more importantly, do you feel totally comfortable discussing issues like masturbation, how to use a condom and similar topics with your child? Most parents don't, of course, and this is where sex education comes in. Allowing your children to attend comprehensive sex education classes allows them to learn in an environment with their peers, such that they can understand and talk about issues that they all have in common. You can support your children by discussing what they've learned in school, and providing the context for rational, moral decision making from your perspective, built upon what they've learned at school. In fact, the single greatest impact you can have on your child with respect to the development of their sexuality ethics is to set a good example, stay in touch with your kids and be willing to talk to them about your values and theirs, and encourage them to learn about it! Allowing schools to teach your child about sex is not in any way abrogating your responsibility for teaching you children - it enhances it. My children promised to be abstinent, so they don't need sex education. "But my child signed an 'abstinence pledge' card, so I know he/she won't have sex; he/she wouldn't lie, right?" Perhaps you are not aware that 83% of kids do not consider oral sex as "sex," and that a significant number of them do not consider having anal sex as "losing their virginity." If you were not aware of that, perhaps you should spend some time learning about teen sexuality yourself. A huge number of kids who sign virginity pledges "get around it" by having oral or anal sex. I knew several girls in high school that had anal sex regularly but still considered themselves "virgins." Regardless of whether you believe these are actual forms of sex, it is important to note that STDs can be spread via these activities. Your children may indeed remain abstinent until they day of their marriage. However, statistics show that half of all children will have sexual intercourse before they graduate from high school. In fact, 88 percent of students who pledged virginity in middle school and high school still engage in premarital sex (6). You have no way of knowing whether your son or daughter will be among that group, despite today's assurance that they will. Additionally, once they do begin having sex in their marriage, they are still going to need to know about basic reproductive health, the appropriate use of birth control, masturbation, and all of the other topics covered in a comprehensive sex education program. Would you expect them to learn these concepts from each other? Your child's education includes issues about drugs, crimes, history, how to perform complex differential equations, how to drive a car, etc. Why should something so vital to their physical and psychological health, for their entire lives in fact, be neglected? Support for Comprehensive Sex Ed Sex education should be based on sound scientific evidence about teenagers and the biological, sociological and psychological factors that influence them. There is no valid scientific basis for believing that A/O programs work - they simply ignore that basic drives that every teenager has. As a matter of principle, all of the major medical organizations and many religious organizations support comprehensive sex education:
Summary
One person has commented on this article.  1. UntitledGuest User, Unregistered this is ginkly   Posted 2007-11-28 09:31:57Bookmark this article:                 |
|
| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 01 November 2006 ) |
