Controversies and Debates on Sex Education in Schools

Teen sex was rarely talked about in the 19th century but that changed in the 20th century with the coming of new attitudes and values dealing with sex and the growth of public high schools which brought girls and boys together in an institutional setting that fostered greater contact and intimacy. In today’s society, teen sex, sex before marriage and even teen pregnancy is becoming more acceptable because it is a recurring activity. Sex education has always been a controversial part of education and has endured numerous changes due to the debate of the subject. Should the emphasis be on encouraging young people to abstain from sex period otherwise known as a “only-abstinence program” or should sex education emphasize on the consequences of being engaged in sexual activity and provide clear information on the risks of STD’s and how to stay protected? It still surprises me today in the 21st century to hear people state that having sex is a moral issue when times have changed so much. Moralists state that you are only allowed sex if you are married, there should be no other excuse for this action. In recent centuries abstaining from sex or having the chastity belt was the concepts they went by, it is crazy to think women were far more mistreated about sexual activity then men. Young men were allowed to go out engage in the act before marriage but women were frowned upon if they participated in such an act. In my opinion, young people are exposed to a range of attitudes and beliefs with dealing with the issue of sex, these attitudes can be confusing to teens, for example; health messages emphasize the risks and dangers associated with sexual activity and the media promotes the idea that being sexually active makes a person more attractive and mature. It is good to explore the different beliefs when dealing with this subject so one can see where they stand. Most adults in the United States believe that sex education is appropriate and when given the

References: *Sauerteig, L., & Davidson, R. (2009). Shaping Sexual Knowledge : A Cultural History of Sex Education in Twentieth Century Europe. Taylor & Francis Routledge. *Elsevier. (2006). Abstinence-only education policies and programs: A position paper of. Journal of Adolescent Health, 1(38), 83-87. *Bukatko, D.,(2008),Childhood and Adolescent Development, A Chronological Approach, Houghton Mifflin *Allen J., M. (2012). Teenage sexuality and public morality. Post-Courier (Papua New Guinea), 7.