Dora Gilreath
Reporter
High schools need to provide comprehensive sex education for students. While this may seem to be a controversial issue, it’s quite necessary in order for students to be more informed and prepared for the future, as well as to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STIs.
Firstly, current sex ed is lacking in coherent information. Only 13 states in the nation require information provided in sex ed to be medically accurate, according to the University of California nursing department. This means that a lot is left up for interpretation by the students.
Because of this, many students receive information about sex through other sources, such as their peers and the internet. Some may argue that teaching teenagers about sex will only make more teenagers want to have sex. However, teens are going to have sex regardless of what sort of sex education they recieve.
Comprehensive sex education makes students feel more informed as opposed to education that is abstinence only education and allows teens to make safer choices that have healthier outcomes
In addition, comprehensive sex education reduces unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). These programs actually reduce the rates of sexual activity, risky sexual behaviors, such as the number of partners and unprotected sex, sexually transmitted infections and teen pregnancies, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
Finally, comprehensive sex education programs do a better job in preparing students for the future and making people safer. The United States continues to fund abstinence only, or “sexual risk avoidance” education, that has proven time and time again to not be beneficial.
Abstinence only education is counterproductive. The point of education is to prevent teens from engaging in sexual behaviors, but it does a poor job of this and doesn’t prepare teens for the future. Providing them the necessary information will protect themselves and promote healthy choices, according to John Santelli, a professor of pediatrics and public health at Columbia University,
While the United States continues to fund abstinence only education, it’s important that teens are prepared for the future when it comes to their health. Comprehensive sex education will provide coherent information, prevent unwanted pregnancies and STIs, and prepare teens for the future.
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