With increasing teen pregnancies and high Sexual Transmitted Infection (STI’s) rates, our school system is flawed with its Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program (abstinence-only).
Even though abstinence is the only absolute way to avoid unwanted pregnancy and STI’s, it is incorrect to say it is the only way to avoid them. Our education system should abolish the abstinence-only program and incorporate comprehensive sexuality education, promoting safe sex and birth control education. The abstinence-only program has an eight point definition. That clearly states what is to be taught and is not to be contradicted. The Family and Youth Bureau list the following as some of the program out line: Projects support decisions to abstain from sexual activity by providing abstinence programming as defined by Section 510(b) of the Social Security Act, which states abstinence education must:
A. Teach abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage as the expected standard for all school age children; B. Teach that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the expected standard of human sexual activity; C. Teach that sexual activity outside of the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects; These are only three of the most concerning points of the program outline. Given the placed definition it leaves a wide range of youth not having the proper needed health information. There are many types of families and situations that make up our world and clearly stating that within marriage is the only acceptable way to be sexually active is outdated and contradictory to the American family reality. American families are increasingly becoming more non-traditional. For example, when I walk down my four block street I can count on one hand how many “traditional” families there are. “[American] married couples with children account for less than a quarter of all households. More than 30 percent of households are single person households” (Coontz).
The Term Paper on Birth Rate Family Children Marriage
I. Introduction The economy of Singapore is increasing rapidly yet it is also facing the threat of declining birth rate which causes the aging population. This fact is cited in two articles of Wendy Tan and Grace Chua from The Strait Times Interactive Website which are attached in this report. It can be argued that Singapore is not alone among developed nations in having a declining birth rate, ...
Other groups of young individuals, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and those who are questioning their sexuality (LGBTQ) are completely left out of any helpful and healthy education under the abstinence-only program. Teen moms are ostracized because they have children out-of-wedlock.
This isn’t really what we want for our youth is it? An alternative and more effective approach to the Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage program is to teach our children that it would be best to wait until marriage or until they find that one person that they are committed to having a monogamous relationship with. Sex is a part of life and the best thing to teach our youth is how to protect themselves from infection and pregnancy. A sex education Programs">comprehensive sex Education program is a more effective way in teaching our youth about sex, how to prevent pregnancy, and STI’s.Sex is a part of life and the best thing to teach our youth is how to protect themselves from infection and pregnancy. This includes teaching not only about abstinence, but also contraception, including emergency contraception; reproductive choice; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT), and questioning issues; as well as, of course, anatomy; development; puberty; relationships; and all of the other issues one would expect to be covered in a traditional sexuality education class. Furthermore, comprehensive sexuality education should be science-based and medically accurate. (Malone)
The Essay on Parents in child’s life
Parents are an integral part of any child’s life. They are his safe haven, his stepping stones and his personal cheerleaders. They are the people who create a person in the first place hence he/she owes their existence to them (Laura, 11). They give a child his name, his characteristics and his personality. They also give him both his negative and positive traits. So, in my opinion it is a ...
This type of program would incorporate many areas of sex and sexual health and will provide a well-rounded range of information to the youth. Within this program our adolescents will be taught that abstinence is the only absolute way not to get pregnant or contract STI’s. If they are going to be sexually active however, they will also be taught what their options are in protecting themselves and others from those issues. I believe that giving our youth the information needed to protect themselves and allowing them condoms and contraceptives the rates in teen pregnancies and STI’s would greatly be reduced. Of course, some disagree with my opinion. Some would say that teaching our youth safe sex practices, such as using condoms and allowing availability to birth control, is giving the youth permission to have sex. Sam Holley a senior at Staller Secondary School in Anchorage, Alaska states his belief to be, “Abstinence is the only method that should be taught in schools. It is perfectly effective, protective and simple.”
And even though abstinence is effective, protective, and simple it isn’t practical to only teach it to our youth. Teenagers and young adults are overexposed to the idea of sex with in the media, advertisements, internet, and department stores that the curiosity about sex is overwhelming to the young mind. Adolescents are going to do what they want. Rather their parents tell them they can or can’t. The best preventive care we can provide them with is by being understanding and caring about their sexual health. A lot of parents are becoming more accepting of the idea of a comprehensive sexuality education program. Mostly those who have high religious beliefs and are very conservative are the ones who are against it and are more likely to not discuss sexual behavior with their children. In my opinion parental involvement in sexual education is a must. Parents have the most influence on youth and therefore they need to be active in talking about sex with their children. In a study that asked teens’ from ages twelve to nineteen who they think is the most influential when it comes to sex, forty-seven percent responded that their parents had the most influence on their decisions about sex (Ikramullah et al).
The Essay on Comprehensive Sex Education Programs
... 1. Comprehensive sex education programs do not increase sexual risk behaviors among adolescents. Comprehensive sex education includes abstinence only education, in addition to the education teens need, ... to Youth in Schools. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/about/hivstd_prevention.htm Guttmacher Institute. (2014, May 01). State Policies in Brief, Sex and HIV Education. Retrieved ...
Yes, the whole sex talk could be uncomfortable or even embarrassing for both the youth and the parent.
The reality of it is, parents who are co-educating about sex with their youth are giving their child an upper hand in further understanding. Being an open parent allows the youth to feel secure in asking questions that they cannot ask in a setting full of their peers; therefore providing the child a wide range of support toward their sexual health. Adults are the ones that have the final say in what our youth are taught. But, asking the youth what it is that they want to know about sex and providing them with correct information could ultimately increase the effectiveness of the program. At a very young age children become aware of sex. As they grow and mature they become more curious and seek to find answers. If we knew what it is that they want to know, then we are more likely to provide them with useful information they need. Quinandria Lee is a teenager in North Charleston, SC and is a member of the South Carolina Youth Activist Network, a project of Advocates for Youth she wrote an article why she believes sex education should be taught in schools.
In her article Lee says, “Students not only need to know, but have the RIGHT to know, that there are a variety of birth control options, in addition to condoms, the shot, and the pills which are also available to them.” Lee is not the only one to raise the fact that teens need and want comprehensive sexuality education. Siobha´n O’Higgins and Saoirse Nic Gabhainn from Ireland did a research study on how young people could help in the development of the curriculum in sexual health. The results of their study show that: The young people stated it was vital that sex education allow them access to factual information. The issues that they wished to gain knowledge on ranged from how to establish healthy respectful, communicative relationships, knowing how babies are made, when one’s ready physically and emotionally for sex, how to put a condom on, who to go to for information and how best to talk about sexual issues. There is a high demand from our youth to provide them with the knowledge they need and desire for their sexual health.
It is true that the only way to absolutely, positively avoid unwanted pregnancy and STI infection is to refrain from sexual activity completely. But the reality is that most teens will still be sexual active before they are married. It has not been proven that the Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage program lowers teen pregnancies or STI contractions. “Critics of abstinence based programs have said that they are too negative about the effectiveness of contraception and sometimes include inaccurate information about failure rate” (“Abstinence”).
The Term Paper on Sex education: problems and it’s solution
Sex education in Malaysia at present be taught informally. Should sex education be introduced in school syllabus in Malaysia? Before answering this question, we must to indicate the problems and its solution. The main problem is the limited knowledge about body and sexuality among Malaysian teenagers. Due to sensitivity of this issue, it makes the adolescents receive inadequate education, guidance ...
The program usually sends the message that having sex is shameful and will leave them with deep emotion harm. It is a fear based education system that doesn’t work. Therefor providing our youth with knowledge that is helpful and useful like how to use a condom, talking about sex, knowing how infections transfer, and contraception is the best way to lower the teen birthrate and STI’s statistics. Providing a Comprehensive Sexuality Education into the school curriculum and having parental involvement will greatly benefit today’s youth.
Annotated Bibliography
. “Abstinence and Sex Education.” AVERT.org. AVERT, n.d. Web. 5 Dec 2012. This is an article about abstinence and sex education and the cons of abstinence based program. AVERT is an international HIV and AIDS charity, based in the UK, working to avert HIV and AIDS worldwide, through education, treatment and care. I will use this article to support my argument that abstinence-only education is ineffective.
Coontz, Stephanie . “What is the “Traditional American Family?”. The Mother Company. N.p., 11 2011. Web. 5 Dec 2012. This article is gives facts about how there are more non-traditional families then traditional families. Coontz teaches history and family studies at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, and is Director of Research and Public Education for the Council on Contemporary Families. I will use this as evidence that the eight point program of abstinence-only is based off of an outdated belief.
Holley-Klin, Sam. “Pro: Abstinence is proven method for avoiding pregnancy, disease.”santafenewmexican.com. The Santa Fe New Mexican and MediaSpan, 08 2008. Web. 5 Dec 2012. This is a post from Holley-Klin stating his beliefs about Abstinence. Holley-Klin is a student and has very strong feelings toward abstinence only program. I will use this to show that even though he is right, the idea is of the program is flawed.
Research Paper About Single-sex Education
1. Introduction “ The American tradition favors pluralism, diversity, and choice. There should be coed schools for those who want them and single–sex school for those who prefer an environment free of the pressures of the dating game. “ (Diane Ravitch, “Why not a girls school ?”, New York Post 1997) Single–sex education, also known as single gender education, is organization of education where ...
Ikramullah, Erum, , , et al. “Parents Matter: The Role of Parents in Teens’ Decisions About Sex.” www.childtrends.org RESEARCH BRIEF. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. This is a report about parents influence on their children sexual health. Child Trends studies teen pregnancy and risky adolescent sexual behavior to help program providers develop strategies for preventing unintended pregnancies, non-marital births, and sexually transmitted infections. I will use this as evidence that parents our most influencer on children and need to be proactive in sex ed.
Lee, Quinandria. “Why Sex Ed Needs to be Taught in Schools: A Teen’s Perspective.” Country Fried Choice PRO-CHOICE VOICES WITH A SOUTHERN ACCENT. WordPress, 08 2011. Web. 5 Dec 2012. This is an article wrote by a high school student who voices her views on sex education. Lee is a high school student in North Charleston, SC and is a member of the South Carolina Youth Activist Network, a project of Advocates for Youth. I will use this piece to show a teen’s point of view on comprehensive sex ed.
Malone, Patrick, and Monica Rodriguez. “Comprehensive Sex Education Vs. Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs. “Human Rights 38.2 (2011): 5-22. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. This is an article that gives facts about comprehensive sex ed. Patrick Malone is director of communications for Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States. I will use this article to give proof of what a comprehensive sex program would consist of mainly for informational reasons.
O’Higgins, Siobhan, and Saoirse Nic Gabhainn. “Youth Participation In Setting The Agenda: Learning Outcomes For Sex Education In Ireland.” Sex Education 10.4 (2010): 387-403. Academic Search Premier. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. This is a study about youth participation in sex ed. This study was done by Health Promotion Research Centre, School of Health Sciences, National University of Ireland. I will use this study to prove that most youth would like to be taught more indebt about their sexual health.
“Title V State Abstinence Education Grant Program Fact Sheet.” Family and Youth Services Bureau. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services , 06 2012. Web. 6 Dec 2012. This is program fact sheet for the Title V State Abstinence Education shows their mission and reasoning for the program. The Family and Youth Services Bureau is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I use this to show some of the program outline and argue that it isn’t morally right.
The Essay on California Youth Authority Cya Health Ward
The California Youth Authority or the CYA as it is more commonly known, is an institution which provides a range of education, treatment, and training services for youthful offenders committed by courts. This system has been plagued by multitudes of problems for many years that need to be fixed. "The California Youth Authority is responsible for the protection of society form the criminal and ...
