Why We Need Sex Ed in Our Schools

*Submitted offline by Emily

Am I the only one who wants to talk about sex education in our schools? I think sex is an important thing for students to learn about because there will always be teenagers having sex, even if not all of them are. It’s better for those who are sexually active to know the consequences, and those who are abstinent to be better prepared when they do choose to have sex. Some schools seem to teach abstinence in an attempt to convince teenagers not to have sex. While that’s not a bad thing, it will ultimately be the teenager’s decision whether or not they want to have sex.

Sex is definitely a ‘taboo’ subject when it comes to any kind of conversation. No matter what age someone is, they always seem uncomfortable talking about anything sex-related. I don’t think this should be the case. Not talking about it doesn’t change the fact that it’s still there, and kids shouldn’t feel uncomfortable talking to their parents if they have questions. There are many stereotypes that come with the idea of sex, like that it’s the only thing that guys think about. I think such stereotypes are one of things that make sex a taboo subject.

Teenagers, especially when they are in high school, are under a lot of pressure. While some of it may be related to classes and school work, some of it comes from their peers. When a teen doesn’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend, and it seems like everyone else does, they may feel like something is wrong with them. Those teens who are in a relationship with someone may feel pressure to have sex just to keep their partner happy. I personally have never been in that kind of situation, so I can’t truthfully say what I would do. I’d like to think that I would make the right choice for me, but who really knows until they are put to the test?

It’s important that schools have sex education because if not, teenagers will turn to other sources, like their friends or the media. Neither of these sources are reliable because a friend’s experiences won’t necessarily be the same as your own, and the media doesn’t tend to show the negative aspects of having sex. More often than not, when two people have sex on television, neither will contract a disease and the woman doesn’t become pregnant. It doesn’t show a couple stopping to grab a condom before they have sex, but rather two people caught up in the moment and faced with no consequences after. Teenagers need to know about the different kinds of sexually transmitted diseases that they can contract and the kinds of protection that are available. If more teenagers understood exactly what they were putting themselves at risk for, maybe more would choose to wait to have sex until they were older. I learned about STDs and teenage pregnancy in health class, and while it may be an uncomfortable thing to talk about, teenagers need to know what can happen to them.

If people start talking about it more, maybe sex will stop being a ‘taboo’ subject. Even if it is uncomfortable, kids should talk to their parents and ask questions, because talking about it is better than not doing so. Schools need sex education available to their students so they can make more informed decisions. I’m taboo because I don’t think teens should have sex any chance they get. I think teens should wait until they know the time is right instead of being caught up in a moment and regretting it later. I think teens should stop acting like sex isn’t a big deal and treating it like it’s something to get over with. I feel better knowing what can come from having sex, both physically and emotionally, and feel prepared for when I will have to make that decision.