Sex education

From Conservapedia

Sex Education is classroom instruction on human reproduction and sexuality. It is a very hot cultural issue in American politics because of a division between those who feel that it should be "science-based" (comprehensive) and those who favor a more moral curriculum based on abstinence.

Liberals and some conservatives favor comprehensive sex education, which teaches about the reproductive organs, abstinence and birth control methods. Many Conservatives favor abstinence-only sex education, arguing that schools make it more socially-acceptable for sexual promiscuity through educating students. They also underscore the importance of monogamy and point to poor protective measures by many popular contraceptives. Other conservatives are against sex education in schools altogether, and would prefer the schools do not indoctrinate or promote any sexual practices; they tend to prefer instructing their children in sexual morality and sexuality themselves.

Abstinence Only

Studies have not shown that abstinence-only education produces successful outcomes.^[1] According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, "Abstinence-only programs have not demonstrated successful outcomes with regard to delayed initiation of sexual activity or use of safer sex practices.... Programs that encourage abstinence as the best option for adolescents, but offer a discussion of HIV prevention and contraception as the best approach for adolescents who are sexually active, have been shown to delay the initiation of sexual activity and increase the proportion of sexually active adolescents who reported using birth control."^[2]

While some studies do show Abstinence-only education programs as effective, many find that Abstinence only education can have negative effects and is less effective than Comprehensive education. In a 2005 study, the American Psychiatric Institute found that Comprehensive education was more effective in reducing HIV infections in youth.^[3] The American Academy of Pediatrics, while recognizing that Abstinence-only education is more effective than no education altogether, still recommends that schools adopt a Comprehensive education program that includes contraceptive methods and infection prevention. ^[4]

Arthur Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, argues that abstinence-only sex education leads to the opposite of the intended results by spreading ignorance regarding sexually-transmitted diseases and the proper use of contraceptives to prevent both infections and pregnancy.^[5]

Federal funding for abstinence only education across the country has increased during the decade, but still does not equal the amount of money the government gives to a Planned Parenthood, a single organization, each year.^[6][7]

Sex Education in England

In England the National Curriculum www.dfes.gov.uk requires all schools to offer comprehensive sex education as part of Personal, Social and Health Education, from middle school on, but parents may choose to not have their children attend sex education classes.

References