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'Just say no' sex ed programs aren't working for American
teens
By Mikaylie Kartchner
November 14, 2005 | Sex.
It might as well be one of those four-letter words.
Especially when said in school. It's dirty, evil and
shouldn't be taught. In school there is only one thing
we can say about sex: DON'T DO IT!
But is that really smart? Abstinence-only
sex education programs don't take into account that
teens are making other choices. American teenagers have
more pregnancies, births and abortions than kids in
other industrialized nations. What is that saying? We
spend time and federal funds teaching kids sex is bad
and they shouldn't do it, and then those darn teenagers
turn around and do it anyway. Who could have seen that
coming?
No one likes to think about teens
having sex. It isn't something they are always equipped
and mature enough to handle; a fact which is and always
should be conveyed in sex-ed programs. But it's time
to start looking at the bigger picture. Four million
teens contract a sexually transmitted disease each year.
What can we do to stop it?
According to an article on teen sex,
75 percent of parents want their children taught about
contraceptives along with abstinence. However, more
and more high schools and middle schools are picking
up abstinence-only programs rather than comprehensive
sex-ed. Why? Probably because the government will only
fund abstinence-only programs.
No money is given to programs that
teach the use of contraceptives. Apparently the government
doesn't want teens having sex either and parents appreciate
the support. But their adherence to the old ways may
be more of a trouble than a help. America is still the
leader in teen births and abortions. It seems, by not
showing teens how to be safe about sex, we have created
bigger problems four ourselves.
The country is in an upheaval about
abortion when we should perhaps be more worried about
the cause of issue. Why do we need abortion? Because
people who either don't want or aren't ready for kids
are getting pregnant. Sound like anyone we know? Our
teenagers maybe. Our teens are getting pregnant. Don't
they know that's very avoidable?
Probably not. Nobody told them.
Maybe it's time to look beyond schools
and make sure kids are being educated at home. That
certainly would stop the debate. But talking to kids
about sex is hard, uncomfortable, and awkward-- especially
if the teen is already sexually active. Some parents
even feel like hypocrites if they tell their children
to wait, but they made other choices.
It's hard, but can we make it easier?
After all sex is almost a four-letter word, meaning
it's destined to cause those that speak of it trauma
and distress. Perhaps we were all doomed from the beginning
to suffer because of it. That's religion's take on it.
Maybe that's why they skipped the education step and
went straight to guilt. Their stand: Sex: we don't have
to tell what it is, but if you do it you should sure
be ashamed of yourself.
It's time to team up -- schools and
parents together against teen pregnancy and STDs. There
must be some way to establish a sex-ed program for schools
that can help guide parents in their own discussions
about sex with their kids. That may mean making a few
sacrifices on both sides. The government may have to
get their heads out of the 1950s, realize abstinence-only
education isn't working, and provide a little enticement
for schools to have wider ranging programs. Parents
are going to have to get some guts and bring up the
topics of sex, pregnancy even if makes them look or
sound foolish.
Yes, these are sacrifices, but ones
worth making. The battle against teen sex is not one
we can't afford to lose. Remember, we are doing this
for the kids.
NW
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