Sex Education: It's not just up to the schools

[lhout3040]

      I've read and experienced much about the controversial topic of Sexual Education. I too get quite fired up when I hear about some of the horror stories when teens become pregnant TOO young. Many of us have heard stories about pregnant teens hiding the pregnancy and then killing the newborn, pregnant teen girls being murdered to save face in society, pregnant teens being butchered in back alley abortion clinics, the increase in the poverty levels when these very young families cannot support themselves, and not to mention the skyrocketing levels of STD's because these teens are not being taught to use protection. However, I feel this issue goes far beyond what any type of school Sex Education program could remedy. I think there needs to be a more nationwide movement to push for better sex education across the country. I feel that with everything else in the this country there is a pattern: anything "new" starts in the business world, then society hears about it and follows suit, and then the education system catches up about ten years later. Therefore, I don't expect to see any huge changes in the sex education programs until this country can figure out that maybe we need to quit depending on the old, "Baby's come from the stork" routine. Well, what do you think?

[mollyL]

When I worked, it was as a medical assistant, and I saw too many sad stories year in and year out with girls becoming pregnant. I think sex education is first and foremost the parent's responsibility, but it is also school's as well. When will  people give up on their puritanical, ignorant idea that if you don't talk to kids about sex, they will remain innocent about it? I think we might be able to agree that just the opposite is true.

[chocoguy]

Sex education should also be taught at home.  Sure we can guide them on school but we can?t see what they are doing all the time.  It?s better if the parents are a bit concerned on this topic.

[tater03]

I agree that it is the parent's responsibility but sadly it seems that this doesn't always happen. I don't get it I want my kids prepared and protected.

[Mauvekat]

Honestly I was lucky enough to have my parents teach me once I was ready to ask questions. But also I startd have some sexual education in the 5th grade which was a decent time for me in school personally but I think the students should also be taught at school as well as home to become educated.

[katharina]

Honestly I was lucky enough to have my parents teach me once I was ready to ask questions. But also I startd have some sexual education in the 5th grade which was a decent time for me in school personally but I think the students should also be taught at school as well as home to become educated.

I agree that it needs to be both home and school.  School can get into the specifics that a parent may not be comfortable discussing but don't send the kids in there blind without a clue. Home can usually at least take care of the basics.

[SageMother]

Sex education need to take place where ever it can.

The problem with leaving it totally up to parents is the possibility that the religious taboos will push away the fundamental facts that each person truly needs to make decent decisions for themselves.

[mollyL]

I agree, Sage. You can see where parents who think of sex as something dirty that needs to be hidden away and never talked about go ballistic if  school is prepared to teach that sex is normal, natural, and something that kids need to know about. There has to be some way of getting knowledge to the kids.

[justontime]

It is taught in schools here, from the early years of primary school onwards.  I think it is important that young people have access to as much information as possible, some will find it easier than others to get the information they need from their parents.  My only concern is that when it is taught in schools etc it is factual and it does not have the framework of values and standards that the family would want the child to understand.

[chocoguy]

I remember that when I was a teenager that my sisters are always educating me on how bad it is to have sex at an early stage.

[kccampbell]

I agree that it is the parent's responsibility but sadly it seems that this doesn't always happen. I don't get it I want my kids prepared and protected.

I also agree that it's the parents' responsibility first.  Kids should be learning about sensitive topics like sex, drugs, etc. at home before they hear rumors that aren't true from their friends who don't know any better.  Unfortunately, it's also true that it doesn't always happen that way.

I'd like to see sex education in schools, but I don't believe in "abstinence only" sex ed.  If schools are going to educate students about sex, then information about protecting themselves should they choose to have sex should also be provided.

Birth control is so easy to obtain these days.  I've heard kids can even get birth control from Planned Parenthood without parental consent.  Whether or not that statement is true, I dont' know.  However, if it is true, then with that kind of access, there's absolutely no excuse for the number of pregnant students I've had during the mere three years I've been teaching.  Kids can find protection, but they obviously don't know how to use it correctly.