Essay on Abstinence vs. Comprehensive Sex Education

It has been almost thirty three years since the first federal funding was put to use in â€Å". . . sex education programs that promote abstinence-only-until-marriage to the exclusion of all other approaches . . .† according to the article â€Å"Sex education† (2010) published by â€Å"Opposing Viewpoints in Context;† a website that specializes in covering social issues. Since then a muddy controversy has arisen over whether that is the best approach. On one hand is the traditional approach of abstinence (not having sex before marriage), and on the other is the idea that what is being done is not enough, and that there needs to be a more comprehensive approach. This entails not only warning against sex, but also teaching teens about how to have†¦show more content†¦According to a poll done in 2006 that recorded the â€Å"Adult and teen preferences for type of sex education needed,† 14% percent of the adults interviewed thought that teens should get more information about abstinence, 8% that they should get more information about birth control, 73% that they should get more information about both abstinence and birth control or protection, 4% didn’t know, and 1% refused to answer. For teens (12-19), 7% percent thought that they should learn more about abstinence, 9% that they should learn more about birth control, 56% that they should learn more about both abstinence and birth control or protection, 22% didn’t know, and 7% refused to answer (â€Å"Adult and teen preferences,† 2010). According to Christina Fisanick (2010), an author who specializes in writing about controversial subjects, those on the side of abstinence argue that â€Å"promoting abstinence until marriage is the only way to ensure the safety and well being of all young people who might consider engaging in premarital sex,† and â€Å"insist that abstinence-only education is essential for the well being of society† (â €Å"Introduction to Do Abstinence Programs Work,† 2010). Emma Elliott (2009), a defender of abstinent-only sex education and writer for Concerned Women for America (the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization dedicated to promoting biblical values), argues that abstinence sex education is theShow MoreRelatedAbstinence-Only vs. Comprehensive-Based Sex Education1301 Words   |  5 PagesAbstinence-Only vs. Comprehensive-Based Sex Education Sexual Education is a controversial topic and many people have pushed for abstinence-only programs. The United States has alarmingly high rates of teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevalence when compared to other advanced countries. Even though there may be minimal differences in the amount of sexual activity in other countries, the U.S. still prevails in high rates of teenage pregnancy, births and abortions (KohlerRead More Abstinence-Only vs. Comprehensive Sex Education Essay2397 Words   |  10 Pagesin the early 1980s the issue of sex education for American youth has had the attention of the nation. There are about 400,000 teen births every year in the U.S, with about 9 billion in associated public costs. STI contraction in general, as well as teen pregnancy, have put the subject even more so on the forefront of the nation’s leading issues. The approach and method for proper and effective sex education has been hotly debated. Some believe that te aching abstinence-only until marriage is the bestRead MoreSafe Sex Vs. No Sex1504 Words   |  7 PagesSafe Sex vs. No Sex. What’s Realistic? A Case for Comprehensive Sex Education Teenagers have been having sex since the beginning of time. Instead of telling them â€Å"just don’t† shouldn’t we educate our teens so that they can be safe? The problem with traditional Abstince- Only-Until-Marriage is that instead of educating they use fear tactics to unsuccessfully keep children ignorant. This causes children to turn to other outlets like porn and other children their age, it’s like a bad game of telephoneRead MoreSex Education : Which Is Better? Essay1718 Words   |  7 Pages Abstinence or Comprehensive Sex Education: Which is better? Sex is in the air, everywhere. It is seen when the television is turned on in the morning, it is used to sell hamburgers and cereal, and is the cornerstone by which we gauge our success. Sex is everywhere and the youth of today need to be equipped to handle it safely. There are two primary paths that can be taken when referring to sexual education: Abstinence or a more comprehensive education. Abstinence educationRead MoreAbstinence And Comprehensive Sex Education999 Words   |  4 PagesI lean towards the abstinence side of the argument between abstinence and comprehensive sex education because of my religious beliefs. Although I feel abstinence should be the focus of sex education, I think it is important to teach young people a balance to protect themselves. While researching this topic, it seems that many of the articles have the same idea to teach abstinence along with safe sex which would be comprehensive sex ed. With the rising sexual transmitted diseases and pregnanciesRe ad MoreThe Debate For Comprehensive Sex Education1212 Words   |  5 PagesDebate for Comprehensive Sex Education Across the United States of America there is wide spread support for abstinence-only education. A majority of states require that abstinence-only education be the only form of sexual health education provided, or requires that abstinence be stressed above other forms of sexual education. These highly stressed abstinence-only programs are under fire as research comes out against the efficiency of these programs, and as new forms of sexual health education appearRead MoreHow Far Should Schools Teach Sex Education978 Words   |  4 PagesHow Far Should Schools Teach Sex Education The condoms display in the Hidden Heroes: the Genius of Everyday Things exhibit is a showcase that would cause an individual to wonder about adolescents’ overall knowledge of human sexuality. In today’s society, children are susceptible to learning about such a delicate topic not only from their families and peers, but through the media as well. These sources often provide misrepresentations of the information due to ignorance and biased views. ThereforeRead MoreSexual Education And Sex Ed1697 Words   |  7 PagesSexual education (sex ed) in public schools has long been a controversial and debated topic in society. There are several questions when it comes to approaching sex ed in schools. These questions include: appropriate age for introducing sex ed; should sex ed be mandatory or optional; and whether sex ed programs should be comprehensive or abstinence-based. Sex ed is a necessary subject to teach in schools. It should be appropriate to the grade level and taught in a knowledgeable, unbiased manner.Read MoreThe Effects Of Abstinence Based Programs On Actual Behavior Outcomes Essay1439 Words   |  6 PagesAdditional research has explored the effects of abstinence based programs on actual behavior outcomes. Kohler, Manhart, and Lafferty (2008) compared the effects of abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education programs, operationalizing effectiveness in terms of initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy rates. They found that teenagers who received comprehensive sex education rather than abstinence-only or no education were significantly less likely to report a teenage pregnancy. In additionRead MoreSchool Based Sex Education Is Important For Youth1178 Words   |  5 PagesSchool-Based Sex Education in Youth Sam Thienel English 11 Mrs. Adelman 17 May 2017 School-Based Sex Education in Youth Thesis: School based comprehensive sex education is important for youth because it will help prevent teen pregnancy, the government fully supports sex education in schools, and youth’s parents feel youth should be properly taught sex education. Outline: Prevent teen pregnancy Comprehensive sex program vs. abstinence-only Birth controls role in sex education classes Prevent