Essay/Term paper: Sex education

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Sex

Thesis: Sex Education should be taught in middle schools to make our children aware and help
them with decisions in the future.

Audience: All District #150 Personnel

Sex Education should be taught in middle schools to make our children aware and help
them with decisions in the future. When children enter middle school many of them are going
through adolescent changes. This school district needs to help educate these hormone raging
teens about sex education. Not only will this program teach sex education, it will also give teens
the chance to ask questions and receive help if they are in a sexual situation. District #150 makes
up about three quarters the schools in Peoria and if you make room for a sex education program
to help your students, many other schools will follow your example. You can help stop teen sex
at an early age with guidance. With a sex education program in your curriculum, you will see
success in the students lives and notice a change in attitude toward the opposite sex.
As you walk down the middle school hallways, you see more young teenage girls that are
pregnant. Many of these girls knew the chances of getting pregnant without using a condom, but
really they didn"t care. According to Faye Wattleton, "the staggering rates and devastating
consequences of teen pregnancy in America are well document" (Wattleton 51). It seems clear
that many of the girls are unaware of the results of having unprotected sexual intercourse. These
girls and even young men should be given the opportunity to learn about the outcomes of sex.
When a teenage girl is making out with her boyfriend and things start to grow intense, most just
go along with sex because they think nothing will happen. With this program you can help
decrease more than "1,000,000 US teenagers becoming pregnant each year, intentionally"
(Donavon 28). Helping find the answer to a problem is a start, but solving the task takes time.
Pregnancy is a major effect when young teens have unprotected sex but diseases also are
being transferred between parties. With the HIV/AIDS virus and STD"s like Gonorrhea,
spreading throughout the state, District #150 middles schools should be aware of the symptoms.
When I was in middle school we had a very small discussion on sex education. Truthfully, I
remember very little because the program was very brief When I entered high school we had a
little better explanation about diseases but I was still clue less. Maybe if we taught these middle
school students the effects and showed the pictures of affected people, they might actually
consider using protection. Debra Haffner states, "95% of adults want HIV/AIDS education to
their children" (Haffner 54). I talked to a teacher, Candace Walrath, at Broadmoor Junior High,
and she has her students do an STD activity. Two students, male and female, are given a half
glass of water. Each student pours their half into the partners cup and vice versa, "sharing body
fluids," just like unprotected sexual intercourse (Walrath). Then the student break up and
performs the experiment with a different partner. The more information you teach about the
diseases caused by unprotected sex, the more teens will think before having unprotected sex.
Diseases can change the minds of young teenagers but there are many different types of
protection they should be aware of so there is an option if sexual intercourse happens. I know my
high school health teacher told me about condoms and birth control but most teens are scared to
ask about these contraceptives. Young teens think that if they ask about condoms or birth
control, questions about having sex will come to the adult"s mind. At Planned Parenthood free
condoms are given to sexually active teens and even birth control methods. Places like these are
good for these teens because "confidentiality," is a must with sexual active teenagers. (YM,
"Love"). Your school can help by making the students aware of these places. Even if your
program shows a teem how to use a condom, telling them places to get them will lead to a higher
use of protection. A YM survey states that "41% of teens don"t know why they didn"t use
protection" (YM "Love"). Students need to know their options so they can use protection.
Teach these students that if they do decide to have sex, there are ways to prevent
diseases and pregnancy but where is the respect in a sexual situation. Respect is a factor that
teenagers really don"t understand. Any girl can say no to sex and a guy should respect that
decision. He tries to change the girl"s mind and usually, in the end, the girl gives in to his
persuasion. At Broadmoor Junior High, Candace Walrath teaches her students that "respect
comes before sex," and I agree with her (Walrath). If teens give respect, they usually get it back.
Also personal hygiene gives a teenager respect for themselves. " What we haven"t done in school
is talk about the serious reasons for taking care of yourself: This is your body and it"s wonderful;
cherish it and make good decisions for yourself , " (Glazer 358). Respect is the most important
part in a relationship and teachers should promote respect for others and themselves. Respect
makes you feel good inside and helps build maturity. If students are taught aspects of respect,
they will start showing respect.
Respect is received when someone understands your decision but when abstinence is the
answer, sex education is successful. Everyone knows abstinence is the best answer to sexual
intercourse. One girl stated in a YM survey that "she"s afraid to get pregnant," (YM 51). When
abstinence is presented as a key to safer sex, many ignore the issue. Abstinence needs to be
taught after all the effects of unprotected sex. More teens will think about waiting to have sex
after seeing what can happen to them physically and mentally. Abstinence is " the only certain
way," to avoid pregnancy and diseases (Shin 28). Even if a teenager has had sex, you can still
convince them to practice abstinence. Just because a teen has already had sex doesn"t mean
abstinence isn"t a solution. It is! Every program has abstinence, so should yours.
Sex education should be taught in every District#150 middle school to make the children
aware and help them with future decisions. You can help decrease the pregnancy rate, teach kids
to be aware of diseases, present them with types of protection, show them respect is a must, and
always promote abstinence. Sex education programs are becoming a part of more middle school
curricula and if you start a program many will follow. "Students who take a sex education course
are less likely to cause a pregnancy," (Donovan 28). The idea of a sex education program in your
middle schools is a good decision. Works Cited

Donovan, Patricia. "Sex Education in American Schools: Progress and Obstacles." USA
Today. July 1992, 28-30.
Glazer, Sarah. "Sex Education: How Well Does it Work?" Editorial Research Reports.
June 23, 1989, Vol. 1, No. 23, 338-339.
Haffner, Debra. "Sexuality Education in Public Schools." Education Digest. Sept. 1992,
53-57.
Shin, Annys. "Abstinence-only Programs Get the Big Bucks." Ms. News. Jan. 1998, 28.
Wattleton, Faye. " American Teens: Sexually Active, Sexually Illiterate." Education
Digest. March 1998, 51-53.
Walrath, Candace. Interview February 3, 2000. Broadmoor Junior High, 7th Grade.
YM Magazine." The Love and Sex Report." February 2000, 50-53.