Essay

Ha Le

English 101 - Argument and Persuasion Essay

May 31st, 2018

Should Sexual Education Be Taught In Public School

Sex education is one of the most controversial tropics in then education sector today. While many other districts are already implementing sex education between 5th and 8th grades, there still remains a lack of consensus as to whether this is the right move. Sex has been considered a taboo topic for a very long time. Thus, talking about sex often conjures up different uncomfortable moments, particularly among teenagers. However, due to the growing challenges that young people face such as the rising numbers of teenage pregnancies, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), challenges facing the LGBT, and the inability of parents to disseminate accurate information to their children about sex, it is considered important for schools to play a crucial role in empowering children on matters of sex according to Alexander Mckay in “"Parents' Opinions and Attitudes Towards Sexuality Education in the Schools” on page 140. Advocates of sex education consider this a primary human right for children to be empowered and trained about basic life skills that can enable them make the right choices about their sexuality. On the other hand, those opposed to sex education often seek to distinguish between the role of parents and teachers in teaching children about sex and sexuality. Nevertheless, it is important to teach sex education to children in public schools this will help children make informed choices and reduce instances of unplanned pregnancies among teenagers.

The classroom presents the best possible environment for children to learn about sex and sexuality because this is the only platform where they can access accurate information to be able to make informed choices (Walcott et al., 832). While parents traditionally have the role of educating their children about sex, most of them do not provide them with accurate information, perceiving their children to be young and age inappropriate to access certain information (Mckay et al, 142). Furthermore, most parents find it uncomfortable talking about sex with their teenage children. As a result, many children find this information through the media and from their peers. However, such information accessed through magazines, televisions, peers, and the internet if not often accurate. This ultimately leads to misinformation, which dilutes the decision making process for the young people, resulting in poor choices. On the other hand, the classroom presents an environment where the children will be presented with accurate, well-research, scientific, and age-appropriate content about sex (Walcott et al., 834). This enhances the ability of the children to make informed choices based on accurate information available to them from their teachers.

Sex education is also important for children in schools because it will contribute significantly towards preventing unplanned pregnancies. Teenage pregnancies are still a common occurrence in the society today. This has been attributed to negative attitudes towards sex and a lack of sex education witnessed through misinformation and miscommunication that is propagated through the media. Promoting abstinence only, as some sections of the community argue, has been ineffective over the years (Mckay et al, 143). This is because teenagers like to take risks, due to the hormonal nature of the stage at which they are. Sex education will help children understand their bodies better, know about contraception, know when they are fertile, and put the young teenagers in a better position to make the right choices. Ultimately, this will go a long way in helping to reduce instances of unplanned pregnancies because children will understand the risks associated with unplanned pregnancies, the need to abstain from sex, and the importance of using contraception whenever necessary.

On the contrary, the opposition against sex education in schools has been vocal, particularly from conservative groups such as the religious societies. Those opposed to sex education in schools argue that introducing children to issues of sex and sexuality within the school environment will make matters worse because it will only contribute to making the children anxious and encourage them to try out what they learn ("Should Kids Be Taught Sex-Ed In School?"). Furthermore, these opponents of sex education argue that sex education in schools will remove parents from the important socialization role of helping their children grow into adults. Parents and guardians spend most of the time with their children and understand them better. Therefore, they are most likely to understand at what age their children can be informed about certain issues about their sexuality (Walcott et al., 835). Teachers may not be sensitive to the needs of each student in the classroom. Thereby, creating a situation where some information may not be comprehensible to certain students. Furthermore, incorporating sex education in schools will only make the discussion more rigid that it currently is. Sex and sexuality should be treated as a flexible topic which can be influenced by different factors within the child’s life. However, by talking it into the classroom, most children will look at it like any other school subject that they are taught in class, which may not be effective in achieve in the intended objectives ("Should Kids Be Taught Sex-Ed In School?").

In conclusion, sex education has an important role in resolving some of the challenges facing the youths in the society. In particular, issues such as unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and the stigma associated with the LGBTs can affect young people and their development significantly. Therefore, sex education trues to create a platform where young children are exposed to accurate information within the classroom, which then informs and empowers t6hem to make relevant choices concerning their sexuality.