Sex education is one of those things that is too important to leave in the hands of the family unit. I know many people who got bad information, or simply no information from their parents about the "facts of life" - the result of this information deficit is real and costly. Unwanted pregnancy, high rates of STD infection, and sexual abuse/violence are all side effects of restricting information about sex. As difficult as it may be for some parents to accept, all young people deserve facts and knowledge about how to conduct themselves sexually, and what the consequences of their choices will be.
Sex education absolutely MUST be taught in schools. It is one of the most effective methods we have taken advantage of in recent history that has had a direct impact on the number of teenage pregnancies in the USA.
Yes. Sex ed and free condoms have been shown to significantly reduce teen pregnancy. Give LGBT information too.
Sex education from biological/informative point of view is fine. Also important to teach that abstinence is the only way to be completely safe. I am also a proponent of teaching objective morality and justice in school, but that has classically been seen controversially. I think it is important that it is taught in school, although I feel like parents have a much greater responsibility in the issue. Of course there are things that the parents haven't been taught that the schools will do better. That is why it is so vital that it is taught in school. But schools should not be promoting a particular mindset or approach (and if they do promote one, I think abstinence is the healthiest and most responsible option to promote, even if it is taught alongside contraception).
If you state the abstinence is on the ONLY way to be completely safe, than are you not injecting morality into the school? Unless you plan on telling people no sex EVER no matter how long you live, then you must teach an accurate, balanced sex education – including information about contraception and condoms, as we've seen from studies that abstinence programs fail. Abstinence programs are not effective at delaying the initiation of sexual activity or in reducing teen pregnancy. People generally start having sex around the same age around 18, that's the average from 44 countries (US included) so you must teach about sex BEFORE 18. Given that 18 is the average age of someone's first sexual experience it is safe to say that some people have sex much younger, therefore we should be teaching about sex when student are 13 or 14 years old (think 7th grade). You can truthfully say abstinence (no sex) is the safest, but that doesn't prepare student for real life, almost every child is the result of sex, and would you rather student find out that sex can lead to babies before they have sex or after? Or would you rather say "The only sure way not to cause a pregnancy is not to have sex, but if you have sex this will REDUCE your chances of causing a pregnancy." With many abstinence only programs many teen choose not to use contraception, after all buying any form of contraception, means you're going against the abstinence program or that you are going to violate your pledge, that many abstinence programs as students to take.
Teach and leave morality out of it.
I'm in Elementary school I would not want to learn about sex
Give that in many states elementary school goes up to 6th grade, I would hope they teach you about sex. After all we are all here because of it. Good information, on what sex is, and what the consequences of sex can be is information that is good to have.
I agree that people should be informed about the consequences of sex; I'm just wondering whether school is the best environment for that. Anyway, I'm glad Unicorn is weighing in on the discussion, which ultimately is about the students' welfare.
Where else do you want kids to learn about sex, religion? Religion isn't the best place to learn about sex. Parents? Many of whom won't talk about it or have bad outdated material?
Where would you propose we teach kids about sex? I contend school, in a fact driven way, no morals, no judgement, here's what sex is, here are the consequences if you decide to have sex, here's how to lessen the dangers of sex.
I was thinking about that for the last couple of hours, and I'm still not sure about it. Religion hasn't even occurred to me as a legitimate "instructor", it's just that I would rather hear the outdated version from my parents (as I'm inclined to follow my own way henceforth, which I think any pubescent child is supposed to do anyway) than the right/well-informed version in an environment where I don't feel comfortable. I just think it's none of their (e.g. teachers) business.
Also I'm wondering whether I would have my child given sex education from anyone else but me.
And if you're parents outdated version is that being homosexual is wrong, or a choice or evil, despite the studies that show that homosexuality is genetic and found thought out nature?
See, that the problem with outdated information, if a child happens to be homosexual, and many know at a very young age they are, and their parents are tell them it's a choice or evil or wrong, rather than given them the facts, what damage is being done to that child. While in a neutral setting, it can be explain that a certain percentage of the population will be homosexual, not choice, not evil, not wrong, just a fact. Like have brown or blue eyes.
"And if you're parents outdated version is that being homosexual is wrong" <- that would teach me that I had better not rely on my parents concerning that aspect of my life.
It's just that some things can't be learned in school. I would say that it is a big "if" to state that percentages would soothe a developing child; let alone when these are lectured. For me, sex is a very personal subject; who decides when is the "right time" for this subject to enter the curriculum?
Abstinence equals teen pregnancy and STD transmission because teenagers are going to have sex even if you tell them not to. You might as well teach them how to do it safely. Teenagers are naturally rebellious so telling them not to do something will make them more likely to do it.