Primer: Sex Education
From the overturning of Roe v. Wade, to the #MeToo movement, to teens being tired of sex scenes in movies—sex frequents American political and cultural headlines in ways both amusing and heart-wrenching. However, when it comes to discussing sex in schools, Americans seem divided. Some argue that understanding sex benefits adolescents as it teaches them, not just about having safe sex, but also how to navigate sexual boundaries. Others argue that this imposes on parents’ rights to teach (or not teach) their children about sex when they deem it appropriate (or not). This week’s resolution is: States should mandate comprehensive sex education in schools.
Let us begin by learning some more about the term “Comprehensive Sex Education” (CSE). It is meant to deliver age-appropriate sexual education to children through different aspects of sex: “physical, biological, emotional and social.” What exactly this might entail may vary slightly, as the World Health Organization guide to CSE says that it should be “culturally relevant and contextually appropriate”. I would highly recommend skimming through pages 15 through 20 if you want to get to know more. I would also recommend reading up on state sex education programs to get a better view of where states currently sit on this debate.
Those who are pro comprehensive sex education argue that it reduces rates of teen pregnancy and improves sexual health, while also fostering greater empathy for those who hold marginalized gender and sexual identities. The most widely discussed benefits of CSE are in the realm of teenage pregnancy and improved sexual health. The argument goes that, the more that adolescents know about contraceptive and safe-sex resources, the more that they are able to take advantage of them to make better decisions for their health. Furthermore, a literature review on the impacts of CSE supports that education reduced intimate partner violence and facilitated childhood sexual abuse prevention and awareness. It also increases children’s understanding of gender identities and sexual orientations and in doing so reduces homophobic bullying and promotes the “development of healthy relationships.” CSE goes beyond mere pregnancy prevention, then. Many argue that it helps young people develop more care around sexual relationships and sexuality. Abstinence-only education, these sources argue, do not effectively achieve these outcomes and create a culture of shame around sex. Some polls show that sex education (not necessarily taking the form of CSE requirements per say) is overwhelmingly popular amongst Americans across party lines—others paint a more conservative picture.
Those who are against comprehensive sex education argue that it promotes “high-risk sexual behaviors” and exposes children to sexual content at too young an age. Another argument against sex education is that it violates parents’ rights to educate their children as they see fit. Firstly, some argue that because students are exposed to explicit content at a young age, they are encouraged to begin sexual activity earlier. These sources also tend to disagree with teaching children about gender identities and marginalized sexualities: saying that it harms them by teaching them incorrect ideas about what gender and sexuality are. Many of these groups advocate an abstinence-based sex education, which they say reduces rates of sexual activity amongst youth. Finally, there is the question of whether or not parents’ rights are violated by teaching sex education. Those against sex education argue that schools should respect parents’ rights to teach their children about sex at an “appropriate age” while others are willing to include the school system in providing sex education for their children.
The photo in the heading is called “Better sex education in schools” by The People Speak! and is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 2.0).