Stinger Press
Not only does North America sit at the top of the worldwide list for teen pregnancy (Canada at number four with 20,000 births per year; United States of America at number one with 494,000 births per year – 464,000 above Poland at number two, with 30,000), but there are one million people in North America living with HIV/AIDS. One possible explanation of this, could be that our sexual education system does not exist. The reason why could vary from biblical principles (which should not affect our education) to parental discomfort… either way, statistics show that there needs to be a change.
ABSTINENCE ONLY vs. COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION
Many districts across North-America have been promoting and encouraging the abstinence-only program, and in some cases telling students that it is the obligatory; the only way. This religious idea that abstinence before marriage is the only way has diffused into society as an idea of the majority, and using it as means of education is biased and unpractical. This has caused schools and parents to look at sexual education as an opportunity to awaken our youth to controversial subjects before they are ready. When in reality, they will only be ready in response to what is taught to them… and that is very little. A comprehensive approach, however, will teach students what they need to know – how to be responsible, respectful and smart in the choices they make while taking the healthy approach and knowing consequences (good and bad).
THE PERMISSION SLIP vs. THE OBLIGATORY COURSE
In my experience, when you first start Sex Ed. in middle school, you receive a permission slip to give to your parents for consent to enter the program – this procedure is not present in any other course throughout any of the years of a student’s education. Not a lot of parents refuse to sign the slip, but either way, a permission slip to receive the education you rightly deserve is not only superfluous, but completely ridiculous.
In a lot of courses, we aren’t receiving information that we will benefit from in the real world. Sex Ed, on the other hand, will teach us a responsible approach to experiences we (the exception being if one is asexual) will encounter throughout our entire life. Our exposure to intimate experience will only broaden with age, and maturity if that is what we are taught. These reasons are exactly why it should be obligatory to be in Sex Ed. for one semester, every grade, until we graduate.
COVERING THE RIGHT TOPICS
The Netherlands have a very active sexual education program. They have adapted to the modern values of the population, and though they are constantly judged for it, they are one of the few places that present sexuality as what it is – something very natural and something that will adamantly happen. The difference is, it is more likely to happen safely. Once subjects such as sexuality are really sensationalised, it just heightens the amount of focus and curiosity that youth put on them. This was proven when they stopped dramatizing the subject of sexuality and taught it properly.
If we begin the program around grade four, subjects such as the process of puberty, and the introduction to anatomy can be covered properly – giving the students a developed maturity before entering middle school. Through middle school, there should be a curriculum that includes a continuation of reproduction and its system, contraceptives, sexual orientation (without discrimination or exclusion, etc.). Some schools are alright at sticking to a curriculum similar to this – what we don’t get is the persistence of this program as we continue into high school.
What needs to happen is an organized curriculum that creates comfortably informed youth. Schools and parents need to teach our uninformed and misinformed minority about sexual development, reproductive health, proper use of contraceptives (other than abstinence), interpersonal relationships, the importance of consent, how to stay protected in the events of sexual assault and harassment, different methods of physical intimacy, body image, sexual orientation and gender identity. What is needed, is factual information – not ignorance. Though it may be uncomfortable, and it may be untraditional, a change to our system needs to be done.
- Rylee Hayes