Abstinence-Only Sex Education is Asking for Disaster

Comprehensive sex education and abstinence only sex education have been politicized, and a giant rift exists between them; transforming what is a major health issue into a religious vs. secular debate. While we discussed public schools and abstinence only sex ed, the adjoining programs and motivation for this curriculum is firmly rooted in religious grounds. I feel that advocates for both sides of the issue have become so rooted in just pushing their agenda and digging up facts/statistics that fit their method that they have overlooked the possibilities of improving each system, or creating an entirely new one with attributes of each program.

I think that promoting abstinence is one of the most important elements of a comprehensive sex education. While I agree that some teenagers are going to have sex no matter what they do, the figures and personal knowledge of friends' experiences leads me to agree that most teenagers wish that they had waited longer to have had sex. Abstinence and its emotional and physical benefits can be presented without condemning those who do choose to partake in sexual activity. It would also be important to avoid overemphasizing marriage, since gay and lesbian teens cannot get married yet; and rather just concentrate on abstinence until older, more mature, marriage, or a committed relationship. Without selling rings, membership to a club, or scaring kids into submission, abstinence could be supported even more strongly when taught more effectively within a comprehensive sex education curriculum.

In addition to promoting abstinence as a choice instead of providing false information and facts to push abstinence as the only option, comprehensive sex education should cover more topics aside from the scare factors of gross STDs. Oral and anal sex are growingly more popular in "abstinent" and sexually active teens and these subjects must be addressed, especially since they often carry little known diseases as well. Masturbation is healthy and normal, and should be discussed in the classroom setting especially when teaching kids how to deal with hormonal urges outside of sexual activity.

The final, overarching theme that is crucial for any effective sexual education class is open discussion, acceptance, and awareness. I feel that bringing in a young mother or father to discuss how her or his life has changed is effective, and eye opening. However, it is important to allow kids to ask anonymous questions or have a mentor to speak to as well as making knowledge about contraception available. By using scare tactics in comprehensive sex ed or blanketing it with a biased religious cure-all (that doesn't work) in abstinence only sex ed, we are only spreading more confusion and hypersensitivity about the issue. Young teenagers are getting ready to operate motor vehicles, work jobs, and have real relationships, and we should give them the most honest, accurate, and up to date information about sex and related issues to promote intelligent, healthy decision making.