Sexual Education In America

Sexual education in America is presented in various ways to students across the country. By having so many different ways/views shown to youth it can create a confusing image that can end up doing more harm than good. One of the major problems occurring in sexual education, is that it is treated at an entirely different standard when compared to regular educational courses. Although math, reading, science, and other academic areas are important, shouldn’t health and awareness of pregnancy also be a high concern for the youth in our country? Sexual education in schools is currently seen as completely separate from the learning environment. It is seen in many schools to students as a forced subject that you simply have to get through. This issue needs to be resolved in order to make awareness and prevention when it
comes to sexual health matters a priority for all individuals in this country.
To begin, in order to make this change, our country needs to focus on the youth of America as a whole.
Sexual education should be presented at an earlier age then middle school or even for some student’s high school. Currently sex-ed is treated as something completely separate than the academic curriculum. If it was integrated at an earlier age, students might see the idea more relevant, and of importance. This material also carries a stigma that it should not. Going through sexual education courses is seen as uncomfortable, forced, habitual, and other negative terms that undermine the importance of the information learned. This stigma will continue to be prevalent as long as students, and teachers continue to make it so. This course in academic institutions needs to be seen just as important as any other topic talked about, if not more. Math, English, History and other educational subjects will only get you so far, until a student has a child and is forced to drop out of school to support that child. This is information that cannot be left un-said or un-noticed. It needs to become a priority and seen as valuable information to all students hearing
it.
Another aspect that needs to be recognized in order to make sexual education more relevant, is that it should go into greater detail than simply surface level matters. Our society is constantly changing and becoming more accepting. This being said, sexual orientation should be discussed regularly with youth in this country. When I was in sexual education through my high school, being gay, transgender, or lesbian was rarely discussed. If it had been more prevalent in our curriculum the stigma surrounding other sexual orientations might have not been as severe. The more a topic is talked about, especially at a young age, the more familiar and understood it becomes. Adding onto the idea of making things familiar, the topic of responsibilities when having a child should also be covered in greater detail. Sexual education courses often focus on abstinence and protecting yourself against having a child until you’re financially stable to do so. If courses also focused on the amount of responsibility an individual takes on when having a child, teen pregnancy rates might show a decrease in our nation. Most teenagers do not fully comprehend the amount of work and money it takes to raise a child. They simple think that it won’t happen to them, or it’ll magically just work out. The only way to understand the true amount of work that goes into this life changing event, it by learning from true experience. Sexual education courses should introduce topics like planned parenthood, women’s shelters, homeless shelter, food pantry’s, and other places that individuals go when they have a family they cannot afford to take care of on their own. By discussing these organizations, or even creating field trips to visit these areas it would give students a greater picture of the repercussions their sexual actions can ultimately have. The earlier individuals learn about these possible responsibilities, the more likely they will choose to live a safer and healthier life.