Should sex ed be taught in schools?

Question

My bf's sister actually believed that you couldn't get pregnant your first time or if you had sex in a pool...I think it was because she was homeschooled...

What are your thoughts on Sex ED in schools? If you believe its wrong, then what about parents who do not teach their children about the "birds and the bees"

If you believe its right then where should you draw the line? Is putting condoms on a banana a good teaching tool or going too far?

I take no position because I want to hear your opinions. thanks!

Answer 1

I think basic biology is fine, but the morality of sex should be left out of the schools. Maybe the whats and whys...but not the whens and hows.

I'm Catholic and have my opinions...I respect others opinions...but I don't want my kids to learn that sex is an uncontrollable human instinct or urge that we shouldn't try to control or wait to use it in a proper context.

We manage to teach our kids at home to hold their bladders and bowels until the appropriate time arrives to empty them...how is learning to control the reproductive instinct any different?

Conversely, if another parent wants to encourage her child to have as many babies as she can by the time she's 15...I don't think that's any of my business either.

Most sex education programs I've seen or heard about would lead one to believe that human sexuality is no different from that of other animals.

Answer 2

Parents who don't teach their children about sex are no better than if they didn't teach them how to cross the road or to properly use knives. If kids don't know about these things, they cannot be blamed if they get hurt. If the parents won't do their job, then the schools have to, otherwise the kids learn stupid things from each other (such as you can't get pregnant if you have sex in a pool, standing up, if it's your first time, etc.) Putting a condom on a banana is a great idea--they'll remember how to use one if they actually see it demonstrated somehow, as opposed to just looking at diagrams--and proper condom usage means a smaller chance of the condom leaking or breaking, hence less chance of unwanted pregnancies and abortions. See how a little education goes a long way?

Answer 3

yes, i definitely believe it should be. in most family relationships, parents and children don't feel very comfortable talking to each other about sex, so it's far preferable for them to learn it at school.

i also think it needs to go a bit beyond teaching about STI's and pregnancy. people need to be educated about the different sex lives and relationships people have, i.e. that not everyone is in a straight, monogamous, vanilla relationship. perhaps teaching sex techniques at school might be going a bit too far, but the condom on a banana thing is important. i'd assume people who teach themselves generally learn sex techniques through experimentation, which could be quite dangerous, or through watching porn, which is often acted out and misleading, and generally doesn't give off good messages about safe sex

i know in a country like the USA, and probably over in the UK aswell, there would be considerable uproar at teachers exposing to children the fact that not everyone is in a straight, monogamous, vanilla relationship, and indeed teaching children about contraception. perhaps a solution would be to teach this stuff to the children before their age of consent (something like 15), and ask for parental consent? i'd be pretty confident anyone who didn't actually want to hide these things from their children forever would be okay with it. i remember when i was in year 6 (10-11) we had a sex ed class (with some quite visual images to boot) where parents had to give permission for us to attend it. as far as i can remember, no one abstained.

Answer 4

Yeah I think it should be taught in schools. I think should be taught early like just before puberty. I think safe sex should be taught, kids should be educated about the age limits, laws and why it's important to have safe sex. They should be taught not to rush into it and not be pressured my friends or partner. As well as learning about how it works what happens and how babies are made etc. A lot of teenagers are having sex to young with out knowing properly about it and getting pregnant. They should be warned about what can happen. Also I think its important that the parents educate there kids to. I would draw the line at the condom on the banana.

Answer 5

I think that Sex Ed in school is an EXCELLENT idea. I'm a peer educator for Planned Parenthood and Iin order to get that position I took a Sex Ed/facilitation class and it was the most amazing thing- I learned! and now I can HELP PEOPLE! Who woulda thought that there is something out there, worth teaching to kids because they can learn how to protect themselves and their peers! (note the sarcasm-- "who woulda thought..."). And to answer your other question, about the banana. When I graduated from this class we got a plastic banana and whole mess of condoms to practice and teach. It's a very useful tool. In class we actually used a woody but I guess they couldn't give us all one.

What we learned in SOS (safe or sorry: peer education):
-birth control: ALL methods, and the percent of effectiveness. (all incuding male and female condoms, the pill, the shot, the ring abstincence, withdrawal, etc)
-putting on a condom
-youth and their reproductive rights (when and where and how a girl or boy could get birth control and/or emergency contraceptives)
-anatomy (complete with diagrams)
-relationships, communication, and saying no
-sexuality and orientation
-sexually transmitted infections and diseases
-teen pregnancy
-the consequences of alcohol and drugs (related and not related to sex)
-also, HIV/AIDS was another class alone, with a guest speaker. it was very sad =(
etc.

SO, therefore, I am totally FOR Sex Ed.

Answer 6

IMO YES.. Unlike many things taught in schools (whens the last time you ever had a need for knowing how to diagramme a sentance? even teachers that teach that have no use for it other that to teach it.. sheesh) Sex Ed is something everyone (except the really ugly nerds living in thier parents basement with a nintendo) is gonna use sooner or later in life.

Answer 7

In part, its good that they teach it, because you get to see a generalized side of the way the huiman body develops, but at the same time, it should be the parent's responsability to know what their child is learning, and how they are learning on the subject. this is the part where parents HAVE to be parents, and be more involved in their children's education. cooaperation between school and parents is without a doubt in my mind, the best way to ensure that children are learning proper techniques on protecting themselves, and learning that sex is a choice one has to make on their own.

Answer 8

Sexual education has to start at home.
There is to much confusion in school, not enough information is given and children become confused.
I have four children and the questions they present me with from school is exasperating.
My favorite so far has to be, can you get pregnant by french kissing? Of course my answer was no, but it could lead to getting pregnant...
Hope this helps.

Answer 9

No...my school teaches abstinence....you so need to wait till your married because alot of consequences come with sex whether your wearing a condom or not....the condom could break and you can still get STDs I bet you they don't teach that in Sex Ed!

ok some of yall have to understand Sex Ed and Abstinence are two totally different things!

Answer 10

This may be harsh, but here goes. If I offend, take a good hard look at your life and if it applies, maybe work on it:

Abstinence-only is for hicks and homeschooled idiots. These are the exact same people who voted for the guy who said we're fighting for freedom while taking ours away. If they'd crack a science book, maybe they'd be smarter. I'm not reading in your church, so don't you dare bring your religion into the classroom.