Sex education programs

Surprisingly, more than 8,000 teenagers become infected with a sexually transmitted disease every day and 40 percent of sexually active teens become pregnant. (Elliott) In today’s society, more and more teens are becoming sexually active, whether we want them to or not. Preventing teenagers from having sexual intercourse may be nearly impossible, but providing teens with more options and choices to help protect their future is possible. Therefore, abstinence-only sex education programs are ineffective and changing the programs to acknowledge teenagers on how to protect themselves and providing more choices and options will help teens and better their futures. Teaching teenagers about the various forms of contraceptives that are available, how STDS are spread, and the consequences that come along with sexual activities are ways to improve sex education that are taught to students. Even though, abstinence is the only sure way to prevent STDs and pregnancies, in my opinion, changing sex education programs to teach teenagers all of the precautions and consequences of sexual activities will drastically improve statistics. “There is no evidence at all they work; common sense says they have no chance of working, and it is not clear that ethically they send the right message to young people.” (Caphlan) Nothing proves that abstinence-only sex education programs are effective; no studies have proved that abstinence-only sex education prevents STDs or AIDs any better and/or affected the rate of sexually active teens.(Gough) As a matter of fact, more students reported having sexual activities after taking an abstinence sex education program than they did beforehand so therefore, abstinence- only sex education programs are not working.(Caphlan) It is also said that teens who took virginity pledges as part of an abstinence- only sex education program has STD rates similar to others and they’re less likely to use contraceptives when they’re sexually active. I believe that it is only common sense to teach teenagers how to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancies because, in reality, teenagers today will do whatever they please and whatever they believe is right for themselves. Also because of that, it would be realistic to teach the students about the consequences that come along with being sexually active. If teens believe that having premarital sex is okay, then showing and teaching them the consequences of sexual intercourse may change their minds when making a decision to become intimate to an individual. Another reason why abstinence-only sex education programs are ineffective is because those who are teaching those programs more than likely never lived up to the teachings themselves, therefore it is hypocritical, which teenagers hate, for them to try and enforce that lifestyle upon younger individuals.
I also believe that abstinence-only sex education programs are more detrimental than they are beneficial to teenagers. For one reason, teenagers might be more curious about sex after taking an abstinence-only sex education program than they were beforehand. Most importantly though, for years abstinence-only sex education programs have been teaching abstinence upon teenagers and nothing else upon that factor. Therefore, teenagers are unaware of the multiple, various ways to protect themselves in and when they do decide to be involved in sexual activities. Teenagers today most likely know of only one type of contraceptive, condoms. According to The Washington Times, 95 percent of US teenagers have taken a sex education class, but only two-thirds were informed about birth-control methods. What’s the purpose of abstinence-only sex education programs when students aren’t even taught about ways and how to protect themselves properly? Changing abstinence-only sex education programs to being programs that teach students about the different types of contraceptives available and how different types of STDs are spread will possibly eliminate the huge problem of STDs among teenagers. This will acknowledge teens on how to protect their bodies properly; therefore they will be aware of their health and future.
Clearly, abstinence-only sex education programs are no longer reaching through to teenagers who are becoming sexually active more and more each day. Changing the programs to teach students about the different kinds of consequences, how STDs are spread, and the consequences of sexual activities will do so much more in insuring a teen’s health than an abstinence-only program. In my opinion, teenagers should not be taught about abstinence, because those programs are ineffective and pointless.

Elliott, Emma. "Abstinence Sex Education Reduces Teen Sexual Activity. " Teens at Risk. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2004. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "What Your Teacher Didn't Tell You About Abstinence." Concerned Women for America, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 26 Feb. 2013
Gough, Russell W. "Studies Comparing Sex Education and Abstinence-Only Programs Are Inconclusive." Teenage Sexuality. Ed. Tamara L. Roleff. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Does Abstinence Education Work?" The World & I (Aug. 1997). Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.