Sex education and what should be included has been an issue for many years. In my opinion, it is an essential element in school education. In high school, we were offered Health as a course. Except, this health course was a complete joke. We learned a few diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, etc. but nothing with regards to health issues the majority of us faced as high school students. Sex education, no matter how uncomfortable to teach, would have been more relevant to our age. My sex education came from my friends. Later I learned my mother had "the talk" with one of my sisters but only when she came to her with questions. It is a very uncomfortable subject for many people to discuss, but how can we expect this young generation to know and understand sexuality if we are too uncomfortable to speak about our own.
Personally, my sex education was just don't do it until you're married. That is great, BUT it does not teach safe sex for those young adults who will do it regardless. My teaching centered around not getting pregnant. Teaching youth to use condoms is not just to prevent pregancy but also disease. It is my opinion, teaching safe practices (wearing a condom and oral contraceptives) is the only way to prevent unwanted pregnancies and disease for younger adults/youth. Having a teacher teach these issues gives students someone they feel comfortable talking to, other than their parents, about these issues. Not all parents are open to discussion and not all kids have parents who are present in their lives to even begin to have discussions about life and sex. Teaching them ways to handle sexual encounters safely and how to deal with sexual violence is very important.
Sexual violence is another subject that needs to be covered in sex education. Again, it gives students someone they feel comfortable speaking to if, God forbid, they are a victim. I only hope my kids (when I have them) have someone they feel comfortable confiding in, even if it is not me.
Kerri,
ReplyDeleteI agree to the fact that sexual violence as a subject should be taught at school. If children are being abuse by their peer or even by an adult they can know they are not alone and they will be helped. You’re also right about the fact sex is an uncomfortable topic but, it needs to be address to teens so they know what to expect. In my opinion parents should be the one who needs have the “talk” with their children. Yes, school sex education course is great but, parents need to be more involved. The reason I am saying is that our parents teach us everything in our lives and sex talk shouldn’t be an exception. The ‘talk’ takes parents and children relationship to another level with positive attitude and knowledgeable information children will feel some closeness to their parents and if they come across any situation in their life they will head towards parents for advice. And because of this close relationship if children are being abuse in any form they will come to their parent. It is hard for a child to go to their teacher because they are strangers to them and they have other students so they cannot give individual attention even if they want too.
Subuk Usmani