Sex Education in Public Schools Essay Sample

When Should Sex Education Be Taught?

Any training course that talks about intimate life falls under the definition of sex education. It can be a question of pure physiology, or in conjunction with the psychology of relationships, or with a story about gender roles. There are endless debates about what sex education should be like. Different societies answer this question in different ways: while high school students are told about contraception and sexual orientation in Sweden and Holland, in China, parents confine themselves to vague hints that sex is inseparable from marriage.

The world’s first sex education program was born out of practical necessity in the fight against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted (especially early) pregnancies. One of the first countries where sex education was introduced was Sweden, as far back as the 1930s. Sociologists Gunnar and Alva Myrdal in the book Making the Private Public previously examined low-income families, proving that households need sex education to improve their quality of life as well as affordable housing (343).

Information at sex education classes for children of different ages should be provided according to age and in a form that will be understandable and accessible to the child. The Council of Europe launched the One in Five campaign against child sexual abuse (Council of Europe Publications 1-2). As part of this campaign, children are asked to provide the correct names for the genitals and are taught not to be shy about talking to them with their parents or doctors. Also, children are taught to distinguish “good” secrets (pleasant and easy) from “bad” (inspiring fear or anxiety), the latter of which must be shared with parents.

Back in 1996, the UN recognized the human right to access reliable medical information, which includes information about contraception ( United Nations Publications 10). Currently, the UN is putting great effort into spreading sex education in Asia and Africa, where problems such as STDs and early pregnancy (the second leading cause of death for girls aged 15 to 19 years around the world) are particularly acute.

If we want children to be healthy, to not be subjected to violence, and not experience early pregnancies, it’s worth educating them honestly about sex. Examples of countries in Northern Europe, which are considered to be the most prosperous in the world in terms of indicators such as teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and abortions, where the number of teenage pregnancies tends to zero, and 80% of teenagers are protected from the very first sexual contact, prove that sexual education at school is very useful.

Works Cited

1. Council of Europe. Protecting Children from Sexual Violence: A Comprehensive Approach. Council of Europe Publ., 2010.
2. Ekerwald, Hedvig, and Hedvig Ekerwald. “Alva Myrdal: Making the Private Public.” Acta Sociologica 43.4 (2000): 343-352.
3. United Nations Publications. HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, International Guidelines: Second International Consultation on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, Geneva, 23-25 September 1996. Vol. 676. United Nations Publications, 1998.

Where to Get Help with Academic Papers

The subject of sex education in schools plays a significant role in the future of youth. As you can see in the provided essay, the author mentioned the importance of giving the necessary knowledge to students on biology or other lessons. Education has to be provided at the right time for young people, as sooner or later they may get it at the wrong time or wrong place.

The internet has a lot of odd and vague things among a significant amount of information. If this information is misunderstood, the state of the child’s psyche can be totally ruined. It’s better to let professionals, such as teachers, speak about sex education in public schools.

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