Introducing Sexual Education: A Debate Since the 1960s - Research Paper

Introduction

For several decades, the introduction of sexual education has formed a major argument. A large number of institutions have ignored the idea, while publishers have deleted the topic to textbooks. Some institutions argue that the content about sexual education does not comply with state law on teaching materials. Sexual education was first introduced in the 1960s after a high rate of sexual behaviors among learners in public schools (Planned Parenthood 1). Therefore, John Birch introduced the content in the textbook to ensure young generations learn and understand the conceptual aspects associated with the topic. Usually, as children grow, they face critical decisions about interaction, sexuality, and sexual behaviors. The kind of decision and behavior the growth generation they make may fully affect their health and wellbeing for the rest of their lives (National Coalition against Censorship). Therefore, young individuals have to live a healthy life, and the community has a role in preparing teenagers by providing contextual knowledge in various fields such as sexual education (Velasco-Kent). Through the application of sexual education, teenagers can be equipped with knowledge that assists in making healthy decisions. Despite the importance of the topic of children's growth, the approach has not effectively been embraced. A large number of teachers and teaching staffs argue that sex education is the role of parents (American Civil Liberties Union). Additionally, the teaching of sex education is associated with challenges, especially due to a lack of better teaching methods. The research examines the importance of sexual education in regards to the anatomy of the human body, keeping the separation of church and state, being inclusive of other groups when teaching, and practicing healthy sexual practices.

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Research Question

Sex education is a crucial aspect of teen development. However, the approach has not effectively been embraced in most parts of the world, and the aspect has triggered to rise of teen pregnancy and STDs contact. As such, what are the key challenges that hinder effective embracement of sexual education in the United States?

Anatomy of the Human Body

Teaching human sexual anatomy is a crucial aspect that impacts children understanding of various changes and development that occur due to sexual changes. Reproduction change is one of the crucial anatomies that children are required to learn (DiGenio). Children need to learn various changes such as in the adolescents, that occur in their bodies. At the age of 10 to 24, children experience numerous body changes (Planned Parenthood 10). A large number of teachers find female sexual anatomy confusing and mystery due to their internal structure. Historically, women are perceived as modest and secretive. As such, teachers find it challenging to handle the topic, and this hinders the success of sex education.

Additionally, a large number of teaching staff neglect the topic due to the lack of proper understanding of the anatomy of the human body. Despite learning various aspects of human anatomy, a large number of teachers experiences challenges developing and teaching the content. Therefore, children do not receive the conceptual knowledge that they are required to know about puberty, reproductions, and much more associated with sexual body performance (DiGenio). Additionally, the integration of evidence when teaching the concept has become a critical aspect that hinders learning about human sexual anatomy. The aspect affects the mode of teaching that the teacher may deploy when explaining a particular sexual concept. The application of evidence has been perceived as a critical aspect that impacts challenges associated with sexual behaviors such as early pregnancy (Planned Parenthood 7). Currently, there is no better approach than school boards use to train teachers about how to conduct the class. The approach hinders teachers from understanding the best ways to teach the content. For instance, most teachers do not have the capability to teach about how clitoris and vagina, which are key aspects that trigger women's pleasure, and they affect their sexual behaviors.

Lack of Teaching Raises Rate of Teen Pregnancy and STDs

Teen pregnancy has become a common challenge affecting girls' education throughout the world. Currently, the United States is ranked as the first country with a high number of teen pregnancy and STDs. For many years, the debate on the introduction of sex education in public schools continues to run in the head of states (Velasco-Kent). Lack of a better understanding of sexual body performance has been a critical aspect that triggers the rising pregnancy and STDs in the country (DiGenio). Some health officials argue that the country should introduce only the concepts that cover safe practices of sex, for example, the application of contraceptives. Despite the establishment of programs such as Community Based Abstinence Education (CBAE), the concept has not fully been embraced, and therefore, there are no effective ways to deliver the message to the teenagers (Planned Parenthood 3). As such, lack of information and skills on how to handle sexual behaviors have been a critical aspect that triggering to the rising cases of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

The introduction of sexual education has been associated with delaying in sex unit of the marriage. The approach has been associated with low cases of pregnancy among teens. According to Kantor, by the time the Americans are doing sex, they have no information about the application of contraceptives such as a condom. The condition increases their chances of pregnancy and contracting STDs (Velasco-Kent). In some other countries, sex and contraceptive education have assisted children in reducing the rate of child pregnancy. According to Kantor, the lack of better knowledge to teach the conceptual approach to sex education has triggered the rising cases of pregnancy. Usually, the kind of language some teachers to female passivity and male aggressiveness. The approach has been associated with the rising cases of pregnancy across the world. High cases of premarital sex have been linked with the late marriage period among the Americans, which has been triggered by a lack of sex education, and the action continues to pose a risk to children.

Sexual education is a conceptual knowledge that should be handle in all levels of learning. According to the international standards of sex education, it is the right of all children to research the skills and knowledge about body performance (National Coalition against Censorship). During the adolescence period, children experienced a lot of sexual pleasure, and a lack of a better understanding of how to handle the concept has been associated with the rising cases of teen pregnancy and STDs.

Due to a lack of better teaching programs, young people have diverted to other sources such as the internet in search of knowledge about sex education. Most of the sites have been associated with misleading information such as rising cases of abortion (American Civil Liberties Union). The concept is highly experienced when children lack the skills on how to handle sexual changes that are experienced in their bodies. Teen pregnancy and rising cases of STDs among children continue to ruin the lives of many (Velasco-Kent). Each year, a large number of children drop from schools due to teen pregnancy and infections associated with STDs. In some cases, some children go to the extent to commit suicide due to a lack of a better approach to handle the condition (Trudell 89). Usually, sexual education is a long process that requires a long time to handle basic concepts linked with the topic. Therefore, the approach should be introduced in all levels of learning to combat negative impacts on psychological development among teens.

The establishment of sexual education in school can provide a good base that learners may use to overcome challenges associated with early pregnancy and STDs (American Civil Liberties Union). Through teaching, teens will be informed about the hormonal physiology that impacts sexual behavior (Velasco-Kent). The approach will provide a clear way to overcome come complex challenges such as early pregnancy and STDs, which are associated with premarital sex.

Separation of Church and State on Sex Education

For several decades, the state had abandon sex education, and all roles have been taken over by religion. Currently, there are a lot of groups that have been established by religion to handle sex education. Establishment of these groups aims at combating high rate of sex that occur across America, in which about 95 percent of American have sex before marriage (DiGenio). There is a lot of fear on how to handle the topic, and the action has forced the state to leave the responsibility to the religion. As a way of controlling the action, religions are nowadays pushing for the establishment of a school curriculum that teaches children about sex (American Civil Liberties Union). The religion believes that integrating sex education in schools will provide children with the knowledge that will impact them to make the right and safe decisions.

Despite a lot of efforts the religion is setting toward sex education, there is no effective support from the state. The state set little effort toward the establishment programs for sex education among teens (National Coalition against Censorship). Religion emphasizes that a teen who has a good background on sex education may reach maturity even before they engage in premarital sex, which has been a critical challenge triggering to the cases of early pregnancy and STDs (DiGenio). For the program to succeed, the gap that exists between the religion and states must be closed.

Closing the gap will provide a collaborative effort which will push in ensuring all children are equipped with enough knowledge sex to ensure they make health decision. Additionally, the approach may promote the improvement of sexual behavior, which has negatively affected the current generation (National Coalition against Censorship). As a way of enhancing the effectiveness of the program, parents may step up and introduce the program at home. According to Kantor, parents who openly discuss sex matter with the children provide a good background that helps to understand aspects such as contraceptives that helps to control pregnancy and STDs infection. The integration of state, religion, and parents could be a crucial way to enhance the success of sex education among children (DiGenio). The approach may also provide a good ground that will ensure children become responsible parents in the future. The action may assist in eliminating the perception that sex education is only supposed to be delivered by religion.

Heteronormative Teaching

Like society, schools have a high tendency that they may be some form of discrimination. Gender and sexual inequality are major forms of discrimination that are highly experienced in school settings. The establishment of heteronormativity is a crucial aspect that teachers are supposed to consider when embracing sex education (DiGenio). The typical baseline of sex education is associated with heteronormative practices, where only the pen and vagina are engaged. The program does not engage any other matter or protection that is outside heteronormative sexual practices. Therefore, the education program leaves a critical concept such as STDs that are spread by other means apart from heteronormative sexual practices. In most institutions, teachers are mandated to identify the sexual category of the children.

Different environment conditions that children are subjected to have been a vital aspect that triggers the rise of heteronormative worldview. The...