Eng 101 I01
Essay 1
September 23, 2011
Sex Ed vs. Public Schools
When I think of the word “sex” I think of intimacy, privacy, and discretion. For most teenagers sex is just what is popular at the time. They don’t understand that it is not like any other fad. Now that sex has become popular it is the parents’ job to do something to change it. Children are taught how to interact with others and the difference of what is right and wrong by their parents from birth. If parents don’t teach their kids that no amount of popularity is worth the burden of a child at a young age then no one will. In Anna Quindlen’s essay “Sex Ed” she sat with six 16 year old girls at a family planning clinic in New York, the girls knew a lot about sex but were also pregnant. Where were their parents? Schools are wasting their money on sex ed classes. Do you really want a stranger to teach your child about sex anyway? It is important for our children to be educated about sexuality, but it is not the schools’ place to teach it.
Sex education should be taught at home in a controlled environment. Each parent is different and prefers to teach their kids in different ways. Some parents may not want their kids to learn about sex until a certain age. Teaching sex ed at home prevents our children from learning about sex before they are ready and allows for parents to teach their children at the pace they feel is best for their child. When I was in sex ed class I felt uncomfortable in a classroom full of other kids while learning about the intimate act of sex. I do not want my child to have to endure that feeling and the risks of being made fun of by other kids who are not taking the class seriously. Sex is not a public act and should not be taught in public school. I believe that if sex ed is taught in schools it makes it easier for children to talk openly about it with their peers. This makes it easier for them to have sex. In the 50’s girls did not propose sex because they
Cited: Quindlen, Anna. “Sex Ed.”The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across the Discipline. Ed. Gilbert H. Muller. 11th ed. New York: 2011. 275-77. Print. I certify that the writing in the attached essay, entitled "Sex ed vs. Public Schools_," is entirely my own. If it contains any text copied from another source (including websites), I have put those words in quotation marks and have provided a list of sources at the end of my paper. I have also given the source for any ideas or interpretations taken from other sources even if I have stated them in my own words. I have read the material on the "Student Responsibilities" page on this site and understand the penalties for plagiarism. I think the introduction was one of the strongest parts of my essay. The thesis was strong. The body of the essay did a good job proving and backing up my thesis. I thought the conclusion could have done a better job of wrapping the essay up. I could also use a refresher on transitions. I would give this essay a high B.