jessica_anne
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When asked about the sex education classes offered at my school, the typical answer of my fellow classmates is "We had a sex ed class?" The answer to their question can be easily broken down into two simple sentences: Technically, yes. Honestly, no.
My school's definition of sex education is a half semester of teaching us the process of child birth and that the only way to prevent it is to refrain from having sex. I find this a bit questionable judging by the fact that our school handbook says that comprehensive sex ed is to be implemented in my school.
The teachers never mention that STD's can be contracted from unprotected sex or what to do if you're not perfect and you do end up in a situation where what they taught you in school is overruled by the desire to have sex. The process of childbirth is being taught and shown in vivid detail to an entire class of 9th grade students and that's viewed as normal but if the effectiveness of condoms is discussed, parents panic. Abstinence until marriage is great, but it just doesn't apply to everyone. Rape victims, Gay/Bi/Lesbian/Transgender, teen mothers and teens that have just already began having sex are left out with abstinence only curriculums. It is teaching that what they are doing or have experienced is wrong and degrading them in front of the entire class. STD's aren't being acknowledged although each year, one in four teens contracts an STD/STI.
If we had funding for comprehensive programs, those statistics would go down. We aren't being taught about condoms, birth control and other means of protection, how should we know how to prevent it? As a senior in high school, there are very few people that I know who have never had any type of sex. The number of people who are educated about protection and prevention is even smaller. This said, America's school systems should really consider re-thinking the true definition of sex education so that it can actually be considered education, not just another requirement.
