Teaching sex-ed to elementry school children. Good or bad?

Question

Are sixth graders too young to learn about safe sex? At what age should we teach our kids about the birds and the bees? Should schools take it upon themselves to teach our kids or should it be the parents responsibility? Lastly, should school give out birth control (in any form) to kids of all ages without parents consent?

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/10/18/middleschool.contraception.ap/index.html

Ok all good answers so far. I was taught sex-ed in sixth grade in Colorado. That is a time when kids bodies start to mature especially girls, so the sex ed thing is understandable. What ever happened to preaching abstinance? Isn't giving out free birth control a license to do the nasty? This parental consent form they are talking about, should it be more specific in classifying and separating the types of treatment that the parents consent to?

Answer 1

Sixth graders are already having sex. There's no "ifs about it. Plus, that is around the time many 11 and 12-yr-olds hit puberty. It's better they learn in a controlled and mature environment rather than on the street from their equally uninformed peers.

Yes, it IS ultimately the parent's responsibility, but realistically, not all parents (regardless of socio-economic status) will even bother having "the chat" with their children. Thus, it is in the schools' interest to intervene to a reasonable extent as a way of reducing teen pregnancy and the spread of STDs. In the long run, society as a whole benefits with less children on welfare and less public money being spent to treat incurable diseases. Simply doing nothing only furthers the problem.

Answer 2

5th or 6th graders should absolutely be taught sexual education which includes abstenience, contraceptive measures, STDs, and safe sex. These classes should not be made mandatory though. Parents should still have the right to keep their kids out of them if they choose.
I would say starting at 4th grade, sexual education should begin.
Nothing wrong with having qualified people at our schools teaching these type of classes.
Schools do not have the right to give out birth control WITHOUT parental consent, that is going to far. Now if parents were informed that in these sexual education classes birth control was going to discussed and such things as condoms, etc were going to be available then that would be different. As far as birth control pills I'd say no since they need to have a physician examine the young person first before prescribing such things.

Answer 3

There are 12 year olds having sex. To not think that's true is like hiding your head in the sand. Parents should have had this conversation with their kids LONG ago, or at least have a running dialog with their child about what their body is and how it works so by the time the school sex ed happens it's not a big surprise. We should be teaching about everything from abstinence, condoms, functional sex, consequences - STDs, pregnancy, abortion. Kids need to know if they're going to participate in these behaviors that it's not just a physical act, but one that can be life changing.

Answer 4

No teenager takes sex-ed seriously. I know most of the kids in my class spent most of the time during class laughing and joking about what the teacher was trying to say. At my public school we had an abstinence only sex education. It was the only funding the school could get for sex ed... so it was that, or no sex ed at all. Anyway, the information in the class wasn't very accurate and all they used was scare tactics to try to stop us from having sex (which doesn't work with teenagers... you tell them NOT to do something, and they'll go out and do it just because you said not to). Anyway, I think sex-ed would be more effective if it was taught age appropriately all throughout a child's education. I think kids would take it more seriously that way. Most schools are under funded anyway... kids don't get a good education in public school systems in most cases... Your tax money is spent on other things that the government deems more important than the education of our future generations.

Answer 5

Basic reproductive biology should be taught very young. As for 'sex-ed' ,that's a little different. Teaching it too youg would be over the heads of the kids.
Of course, we have to recognize that we do live in a world where 6th graders are getting pregnant. My JUNIOR High school actually had a Day Care center, and no, it wasn't for the teachers. Sticking our heads in the sand and clinging to puritanical ideologies hasn't been solving the problem so far.
No easy answers.

Answer 6

"MishMash" has got it. If it weren't blown so completely out of proportion by being called "sex education", it wouldn't be such a big deal.

What happened to Health Class? That is what I had. Does it not exist now? We learned about human anatomy; including sexual organs and their function. My parents taught me everything else - the "other" side, if you will - what it means on a personal level, what I should do to protect myself physically and emotionally, etc. I learned about birth control and STDs at school, at home, and through my friends. If someone wanted condoms (even if it stayed in their wallet for a year for show), they could get them. Most of us at that time were still embarrassed by this kind of stuff; now, most kids are pretty savvy and outspoken about it. Let's not focus completely on the negative here; more young people than ever now know that sex can equal even death if you're not careful.

School: academics
Parents: what to do with it

Period!

Answer 7

I think 6th graders are old enough to learn about the biology of sex, so they should know about the biology of STDs and how they can be prevented. 6th grade was when we got the "puberty movie" in my school (at the time, Smiley elementary in Redlands, CA) and we were old enough.

Leaving the birds and the bees up to parents is like expecting parents to teach composition. Let the pros do it. 6th grade is a good time.

I don't think it is the school's responsibility to pass out condoms, but they should not be difficult to obtain.

Answer 8

I can't stand the fact the education system feels the need to teach children about sex ed. Just teach, let the parents do their jobs as parents. No to schools handing out birth control of any form.

Answer 9

Every kid is different, and every kid is ready for the sex talk at a different age. The only people that can best judge when their kid is ready is the PARENTS!

As for distributing birth control, I think that condoms being available at the nurses office is OK. As for prescription drugs like the pill - no way!

Answer 10

I learned a bit about human anatomy when I was in sixth grade. Girls get their periods that young, believe it or not, and some need to know and understand why. If it was just called biology, I bet there wouldn't be such an uproar.