Sex Education in High School

The United States still has the highest rate of STDs and teen pregnancy of any industrialized country in the world. Most parents and teachers agree that some form of sex education is needed. The problem is whether sex education programs should teach about safe sex or no sex at all. There are two main types of sex education in schools today:

Abstinence-only: This type of education discusses reasons to remain abstinent and how to say no to sex. This program does not teach about abortion or contraceptive use and discusses information about STDs and AIDS as a deterrent to sex. This program rarely discusses homosexuality or sexual identities.

Abstinence-only advocates cite surveys that show those who pledge to remain abstinent until marriage are less likely to have sex than those who have not taken a pledge. Abstinence-only advocates also note surveys that link moral and religious beliefs to abstinence.

Ravenna High School in Ravenna has a program that is mainly abstinence only.

“Abstinence is the main goal,” says Jim Neely, a Ravenna health teacher. “We talk about STDs as a deterrent. We talk about condoms, but we don’t talk about all the contraceptives.”

Neely says that sex education is a touchy topic. He says Ravenna High School has nurses come in from the Kent State campus to talk about topics such as sexuality and date rape. When touchy topics like these come up, Neely says he sends home a letter to the parents asking permission for the child to participate in the discussions.

Abstinence-plus: This type of education promotes abstinence first, but also acknowledges that many high schoolers will become sexually active. This program teaches correct contraceptive use and discusses information about aids, stds and abortion. This program also teaches about sexual identities and homosexuality.

Abstinence-plus advocates cite research that shows programs educating students about contraceptive use and abortion does not increase sexual activity in teens. Advocates say these programs may actually prevent young people from having sex.

Stow-Munroe Falls High School in Stow uses an abstinence-plus curriculum. Linda Nickson, health promotions coordinator, says the school tries to promote abstinence first, but also discusses contraceptives and stds.

“We know we have kids who are sexually active and we try to address that,” she says.

Source: University of California, San Francisco
Additional reporting by: Danielle Toth