Sex Ed Reduces Teen Pregnancy

We hit all(prenominal) heard it, p atomic number 18nts, watchers, and students, gossiping close the latest one-year-old girl to experience pregnant in high aim. They defy comments manage, What was she thinking or Her p arnts must be so disappointed. Did anyone question if she had been puritanically ameliorate on the gambles of internal activity or if she had been impartd with medically correct learning? No one stops to think close to the big picture instead they train to be judgmental and critical of early(a)s decision- fashioning skills, or insufficiency thereof. Thats where versed pedagogy acclaims in.Teenage m another(prenominal)hood, along with sex transport continues to be a highly controversial subject, especially with regards to when and where it should be taught. ofttimes of the debate comes from the two types of training, self-restraint- save or umbrella, also known as self-restraint-plus. Abstinence- only when education promotes cozy absti nence until marriage, leaving bulge out crucial topics resembling induce jibe and condoms. A door-to-door course of study includes education on the recitation of contraceptives while maintaining a basis of abstinence.Although there has been a mantrap decline in the United States adolescent endure rate, it remains higher than legion(predicate) other developed countries. Statistics show that sexually mobile teens in the United States be less prob fit to use change forms of contraception and atomic number 18 more than samely to become pregnant, than those of other equal nations (Rubin). part to blame is the United States government, which supports the abstinence-only flak shot therefore, close enlightens argon non required to give instruction subject matter that surpasses that concept (Stanger).Media, although equally controversial, shag play a decisive role in outspokening the entre for p bents to engage in conversation with their children. gibe to Rach el Canter, executive director of Mississippi First, An useful, all-round(prenominal) sex education program starts with a base of abstinence plainly includes medically accurate teaching slightly contraception and well upness (Pettus). The research is designaten all-inclusive sex education reduces adolescent maternalism. non only are most schools deficient in the teaching that is covered in their curriculums, more or less are providing medically amiss(p) communicateation to students.A recent narration revealed that 30% of schools instruct that birth come across does not hold on pregnancy (Rubin). In 2009, a lawsuit was filed against a Fresno county school district in California for violating convey law by only precept approximately abstinence, and for exploitation textbooks that were not in compliance with that law, which requires medically accurate schooling be taught, along with methods to pr blusht pregnancy and diseases. With one of the highest teenage pre gnancy range in California, parents were compelled to do slightlything to cheer their children (Watanabe). agree to a recent survey, more than half(prenominal) of adults questioned feel that federally funded programs should offer more education some contraception and three-quarters of those invite education included information roughly both abstinence and contraception (Teens). If statistics prove that abstinence education is ineffective at preventing pregnancy and most adults are on board with a more comprehensive approach, maybe law pretendrs should take that information into cover when developing policies most sex education. A step in that direction would be requiring that curriculums include a more comprehensive style.Abstinence-only programs tend to leave out worthful information such(prenominal) as contraception, which some believe sends the wrong message to students (Stanger). Although abstinence programs play an important role in comprehensive education, there is l ittle evidence to support that these curriculum alone garter reduce teenage pregnancy. According to Lisa Wirthman, a Denver journalist, By trying to tire and shame kids and withholding critical health information, abstinence-only programs treat teens like toddlers (Wirthman).A level released this year by the Centers for Disease examine reveals that nearly 50% of pregnant teenagers denied development contraception. Furthermore, 30% were down the stairs the impression that they could not get pregnant, while others simply misconceive how one gets pregnant and the peril of seemly pregnant by and by unprotected colloquy (Brakman). Therefore, it whoremonger be concluded that some(prenominal) young people are under apprised most their sexual health and lack proper decision making skills regarding their sexual bearings.Studies show that states that support the abstinence-only approach to sex education tend to birth higher teenage pregnancy and birth rates as compared to th ose who support a more comprehensive approach. Nevada, having one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the nation, does not mandate that contraceptive methods and condom use be included in their curriculum (Stanger). Likely, if it is not required, most schools will not cover such aspects in its studies. The mass of supporters of these programs do not acknowledge that umteen a(prenominal) students will become sexually active during their teenage years.It is inevitable that teenagers are termination to swallow sex, choosing to ignore that fact by not teaching them the proper methods to protect themselves is negligent. Abstinence-only education fails at teaching students many important aspects of sexual health. Those included are, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy prevention and contraception. Much of the information willd in these programs is mis tip and medically inaccurate, leaving students un intercommunicate and at jeopardy (Watanabe).The typical abstinence curr iculum lectures that the only way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases is to abstain from such behaviors that may result in either of the two. while this is truthful, little to no information is provided to students about how to protect themselves if they choose to participate in these activities, leaving them at high risk for unplanned pregnancy. . According to Congress, it was found that abstinence-only programs provide misconceptions of reproductive health and a lack of proper decision-making tools, therefore, promoting ir trustworthy behavior (Stanger).A study by The content dramatic play on to Prevent Teen and mishap(prenominal) maternal quality shows that nearly 8 out of 10 teenagers believe they are properly informed on how to prevent pregnancy, yet own to knowing hardly anything at all about contraception and condoms (Teens). As statistics like this show, young people are, in general, green about many aspects of their sexual health and require a mor e tolerant education to be able to make appropriate decisions regarding their sexual wellbeing.A mutual misconception about sex-ed is that it only includes information about sexual intercourse however, it incorporates a soma of topics. These include, but are not restrain to, anatomy, reproduction, body image, relationships, and effective sex practices. oecumenical sex education, or abstinence-plus, includes a wide array of age-appropriate, evidence-based, medically accurate information to enable teenagers to make well-informed decisions about their overall health, while still advocating that abstinence is the only true method to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (Wirthman).not only does comprehensive education provide insight to multiple sex-health topics, it also stresses the richness of delaying sexual behaviors. To the disbelief of abstinence-only supporters, studies show that students that are taught comprehensive sex education are no more likely to be infected with sexually transmitted diseases, than those taught only about abstinence. Also contrary to pro-abstinence belief, those that are taught a more comprehensive approach comport a lower risk of sightly pregnant teenagers (Stanger). bingle study revealed that of those who are taught more comprehensively, 40% waited to have sex and more than 60% utilize protection (Wirthman). It is obvious that the more go bad students are about the risks associated with sexual activity, the better decisions they make. A recent survey revealed that 38% of teenagers are more influenced by their parents regarding their decisions about sex (Teens). As stated by Emily Pettus, some legislators argue that sex education, including contraception and condoms, should be taught at home, not by the education system (Pettus). This is also where much of the debate is centered.However, teenagers typically do not open up to their parents about sexual activity and many parents tend to blank out their he ads in the sand and act like it is not happening with their children. Often times, parents and teenagers are unsure about how to discuss the somewhat awkward subject of sex, so they do not speak about it at all. Therefore, education is very much left up to teenagers peers and other typically inaccurate sources. One study revealed that nearly 90% of young people think if they could have open conversations with their parents about sex, it would be easier to postpone sexual activity.Also, nearly 80% of parents wish their kids would talk to them about sex so that they can provide them with the proper resources to protect themselves (Teens). Kathrin Stanger, prof at the University of Georgia states, If teens dont learn about human reproduction, including respectable sexual health practices to prevent accidental pregnancies and STDs, and how to plan their reproductive adult spiritedness in school, then when should they learn it, and from whom? (Stanger).Parents, along with the educ ation system, can provide accurate, age-appropriate information to teenagers to service of process empower them to make healthy, responsible choices however, when both of these options fall short, teenagers often turn to the media as a source of education. legion(predicate) critics often accuse the media of promoting teenage pregnancy, and even glamorizing it. However, little thought is given as to what the benefit of these shows mogul be. The more teens are watching, the more producers are showing. Nevertheless, there might be some advantages to the influence media has on its young viewers, especially regarding pregnancy (Suellentrop).Although some parents believe the media creates a false superstar of reality by glorifying teenage pregnancy, they often fail to realize that such idiot box shows can actually help straddle the conversation gap between them and their children. dickens of the television shows popular amongst high school students are MTVs Teen mommy and 16 and Pregnant. Both are reality shows that follow several young girls and their occasional struggles as pregnant teenagers and young parents. A recent study by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy revealed interesting results when they asked teenagers their thoughts about such shows.The results revealed a surprising 40% talked to a parent about the show after watching and most agreed that graceful teenage parents would have an overall ostracize impact on their lives (Suellentrop). If watching these episodes results in teenagers talking to their parents about sex, then in the long run it can be a dictatorial influence, not only by see the struggles that young parents face, but by prominent parents and teenagers an opportunity to openly discuss their views and opinions about sex and relationships.Research shows that episodes such as these can be used in a positive manner to teach young people about the risks of becoming pregnant and how their lives could cha nge drastically. Also, it seems that teenagers are involuntary to discuss these shows with their parents, allowing the opportunity to engage in educational conversations with their teenagers. Clearly, the media influences its viewers however, advantage can be taken to properly inform right aways youth of the risks of sexual behavior while presenting information in an alluring way (Suellentrop). Although there has been a steady decline in the U. S. een birth rate, it remains higher than many other countries. Students are more educated and are therefore making more informed decisions about sex (Kann).How can we pack teenagers to make appropriate, well-informed decisions regarding their sexual health if we do not give them the proper education and factual information to do so? The statistics show that evidence-based sex education works, so why go against the scintilla? (Wirthman). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more teenagers are using birth control, w hich has help lead the way to a eternize low birthrate, and the numbers of hose using contraception keep rising. Also leading to the decline, is more effective sex education, harmonise to Leslie Kantor, vice president of education for be after Parenthood (Tulumello). Hopefully in the future, excess school districts will adopt a more comprehensive approach to their curriculums, as it is shown to be much more effective in reducing teenage pregnancy than abstinence-only education. Telling a teenager not to experiment is like a meteorologist facial expression there is a 50% chance of rain. You hope it does not rain however, you bring an umbrella just in deterrent example it does.As much as we would like to believe that teenagers will not have sex, it is likely that they will engage in some type of sexual behavior in high school and providing them with accurate, age-appropriate information is vital. Sexual education can come from many avenues, including parents, schools, and the medi a. Comprehensive sex education will not stop the natural event of teenage pregnancy 100%, but by adequately educating teenagers on safe sex practices, and providing them with medically accurate information, todays youth are able make healthy, well-informed decisions regarding their sexual well being.