Running Head: SEX EDUCATION
1
Sex Education courses should be offered in high school
Owolabi Abdulbasit
International College of Manitoba
Dr. Soiferman
July 19, 2023
Running Head: SEX EDUCATION
2
Enlightening students on the dangers of bad sexual health has always been a major concern
of the general public. Sex education has been a crucial but controversial public health and policy
topic in the United States for more than 40 years (Hall, 2016). Effective sex education in high
schools is necessary for educating children about real issues, nurturing important life skills, and
debunking stereotypes. It seeks to curtail dangerous sexual behavior and encourage responsible
decisions, resulting in better consequences. To encourage healthy sexual development and
minimize the harmful effects of sexual behavior, it is crucial to teach teenagers about sexual
health (Lindberg et al., 2016). According to research by Goldfarb and Lieberman (2020), it is
stated that educating high school students on sex education can result in preventing dating and
intimate partner violence, building healthy relationships, stopping child sex abuse, improving
social and emotional learning, and increasing media literacy. Thus, sex education courses offered
in high school play an important vital role in society and have a very positive impact on the
students and their well-being. Sex education courses should be offered in high school because it
can promote healthy sexual relationships, it can decrease the rate of teenage pregnancy and it can
reduce the rate of sexually transmitted infections.
Sex education can help promote healthy sexual relationships that are free from coercion and
violence by educating young scholars about dating violence (DV) and intimate partner violence
(IPV). People who experience DV and IPV are typically known to suffer in silence and to be
extremely afraid to speak up due to their fear of the potential consequences. They are also known
to still be affectionate towards their partners and to desire to shield them from the authorities and
outside forces. There is extensive evidence that school-based programs have resulted in
improved knowledge and attitudes related to DV and IPV, including a reduction in rape myths,
victim blaming, and sexist attitudes and increased knowledge and attitudes about IPV Goldfarb
Running Head: SEX EDUCATION
3
and Lieberman (2020). This is to say that by properly addressing unequal relationships and the
damaging gender stereotypes that support violence, thorough sexual education may help prevent
intimate partner violence among young people.
Sex education can help society at large also by enlightening young teenagers about proper
sexual relationships and the harms involved in sexual vices such as sexual assaults and rape.
Teenage sexual abuse is a highly significant issue that causes the victim to experience longlasting trauma in addition to short-term decrease and weight loss Andari, (2019). It is crucial to
teach young adolescents about appropriate sexual interactions to raise awareness of this kind of
behavior and encourage reporting if any is observed. This is very important because the negative
impacts affect both societies at large and a person’s mental and physical health. Similarly, in
research conducted by Santelli et al., (2018) it was stated that “Connectedness to social
institutions such as school and family has been associated with reductions in sexual risk
behaviors among youth and may protect young people from sexual assault, however, sexual
assault research has not explored this connection in-depth”. In conclusion, it is observed that
potential ties to educating students on proper sexual interactions in schools and at home act as
protective factors in promoting healthier outcomes for young people and reductions in sexual
risk behaviors among youth.
Teenage pregnancy and abortions remain a significant concern, and it is an issue that should
be addressed thoroughly in sex educational courses. young adolescents must be educated on the
consequences and proper approach to sexual relationships. “Teen births are particularly likely to
be reported as unintended, leading to debate over whether better information on sex and
contraception might lead to a reduction in teen births” (Mark & Wu, 2022). Sex education is
important for most adolescents to educate them about the use of various types of contraceptives,
Running Head: SEX EDUCATION
4
abstinence from sex, unhealthy sexual behaviors, and reducing the rate of teenage pregnancy
which can lead to abortion and infertility at a young age. Similarly, it is shown in (Mark & Wu,
2022) that findings demonstrate that county-level teen pregnancy rates decreased by more than
3% as a result of federal funding for more comprehensive sex education. our findings thus
complement causal evidence that federal financing for more thorough sex education resulted in
decreases in teen births, which is an addition to the conflicting evidence to date from randomized
control trials on teen pregnancies and births. In Summary, evidence consistently supports the
need for comprehensive sex education courses in secondary schools to effectively address the
concerns of teenage births and abortion. Sex education equips young adolescents with the
information and skills they need to be educated about the choices they make in their sexual
relationships by supporting responsible sexual behavior, giving access to contraception, and
providing them with the right information. We can encourage young people to deal with their
sexual relationships responsibly by backing this agenda, which should ultimately result in lower
rates of teen pregnancies and abortions.
Sex education courses should be taught in schools to enlighten and create general
awareness among adolescents on the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases/infections
(STD/STI). Adolescence is a common period for sexual debut, which raises the risk of HIV
through increasing exposure to transactional sex, several concurrent relationships, sexual
violence, and coercion Fonner et al., (2014). These sex educational courses teach students about
sexual relationships before they make their sexual debut, this helps teach young teenagers
various protective measures in which STDs can be prevented through abstinence, the use of
contraceptives such as male and female condoms, diaphragm, and so much more. This aids in
raising awareness and promoting safe sexual interaction by making people aware of the
Running Head: SEX EDUCATION
5
symptoms and warning signs of someone who has an STD. According to Chin et al (2012)., as
cited in Fonner et al., (2014) “conducted parallel systematic reviews and meta-analyses of
comprehensive and abstinence-only educational interventions and found that comprehensive sex
education programs significantly reduced HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), STI, and
unintended pregnancies, but results for the abstinence-only review were inconclusive. To educate
young students about sex education and create total awareness of the disadvantages of sexually
transmitted diseases, educating students comprehensively at high school level is very important
for them and society.
Sex education plays a crucial role in helping to create a perception of the negative
effects of having multiple sexual partners which can lead to STDs and unhealthy sexual
lifestyles. These courses make students aware of the consequences of their decisions and allow
for proper knowledge and skills before their sexual debut. In comparison to control or
comparison groups, students receiving treatments showed a 25% reduction in the likelihood of
reporting more partners across trials (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.67-0.84, p0.001) Fonner et al.,
(2014). This means that a net positive correlation was found between sex education and a
reduction in the involvement in multiple-partner relationships. Quality sex education should be
driven by the broader objectives of supporting young people's sexual health and well-being and
assisting them in developing into sexually healthy adults, even though it is frequently portrayed
in the US as a risk-reduction strategy Kantor and Lindberg (2020). Therefore, sex education in
high school is important and should be taught because it is an essential asset in every adolescent
as they progress in different stages of life.
In contrast to that perspective, many argue that sex education for young teenagers is
ineffective as it is mostly inappropriate for young teens or they are not prepared to understand
Running Head: SEX EDUCATION
6
this yet due to their age preparedness. According to a study carried out by Paton et al., (2020),
sex education programs vary enormously in their timing, intensity, and approach. So metaanalyses find little or no impact of such programs which may be the result of averaging
programs, some of which reduce pregnancy rates and others which increase them. which can be
mostly because the timing in which these kids receive sexual education was not proper as they
may not be emotionally prepared and mature yet. This generally can lead to misinterpretation of
information and wrong information or can have no significant changes to their sexual life.
Summarizing empirical studies on sex education is challenging due to its diverse approach,
nature, and timing. This includes evaluations of specific projects and schemes, as well as
population-level interventions and policy changes (Paton et al., 2020).
Although age maturity can affect the ability of many teenagers to comprehend and
understand sex educational courses it is important to note that young teenagers need to be
educated about sex education due to the rising causes of sexual vices, teenage births, and
sexually transmitted infections. STIs are prevalent in the U.S. with approximately 19 million new
cases in 2010, half occurring among adolescents (Williams et al., 2013). Therefore, with proper
precaution and care, it is essential that young adolescents receive sex education.
Running Head: SEX EDUCATION
7
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hall, K. S. (2016, June). The State of Sex Education in the United States (By J. M. Sales, K. A.
Komro, & J. Santelli). JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE HEALTH.
This article by Hall (2016) shows the trends in teenagers receiving formal sex education in the
US from 2006 to 2013 are examined in this article. Hall et al. investigate changes in sex
education and their effects on teenagers in the nation using demographic data from the National
Survey of Family Growth. The report draws attention to a number of issues, including declines in
formal sex education, particularly among females, differences between rural and urban areas, and
low rates among disadvantaged teens. It also demonstrates significant disparities in the kinds and
timing of the information received, with the practical information on condom use and
contraception being the least common. The essay points out the need for more ambitious tactics
that make effective use of contemporary technologies by suggesting that teenagers may be
getting information from sources other than traditional education, such as digital and social
media. This source offers helpful information about the state of sex education in the US and how
it affects young people's sexual and reproductive health.
Mark, N. D., & Wu, L. L. (2022). More comprehensive sex education reduced teen births: Quasiexperimental evidence. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(8),
e2113144119.
This scientific investigation by Mark & Wu, (2022), looks at how county-level teen pregnancy
rates in the United States are affected by federal financing for more thorough sex education. The
researchers used a quasi-experimental methodology to examine age-specific teen birth rates for
counties that received and did not get government financing for more thorough sex education.
Running Head: SEX EDUCATION
8
They used difference-in-differences (DID) specifications with county and state-year fixed
effects. According to the study, county-level teen pregnancy rates decreased by more than 3% as
a result of federal financing for more thorough sex education. Over time, a decrease in teen
pregnancies was seen, rising from roughly -1.5% in the first year. This shows that the funding's
influence increased over time, whether as a consequence of an increase in the number of teens
enrolled in supported programs or as a result of knowledge and skills gained over time. The
study's findings show how federal financing for more thorough sex education led to a significant
decrease in teen pregnancies, emphasizing the significance of giving teenagers a thorough,
scientifically accurate sex education. Furthermore, sex education affects not only teen pregnancy
rates but also teen attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors about sexual health and the use of
contraceptives.
Running Head: SEX EDUCATION
9
References
Fonner, V. A., Armstrong, K., Kennedy, C. E., O’Reilly, K. R., & Sweat, M. D. (2014, March 4).
School-Based Sex Education and HIV Prevention in Low- and Middle-Income Countries:
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLOS ONE; Public Library of Science.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0089692
Goldfarb, E. S., & Lieberman, L. D. (2020). Three decades of research: The case for
comprehensive sex. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(1), 13-27.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.07.036
Hall, K. S. (2016, June). The State of Sex Education in the United States (By J. M. Sales, K. A.
Komro, & J. Santelli). JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE HEALTH. Retrieved July 16,
2023, from https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(16)30004-0/fulltext
Leslie M. Kantor and Laura Lindberg, 2020: Pleasure and Sex Education: The Need for
Broadening Both Content and Measurement American Journal of Public
Health 110, 145_148, https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305320
Lindberg, L. D., Maddow-Zimet, I., & Boonstra, H. (2016, June 1). Changes in Adolescents’
Receipt of Sex Education, 2006–2013. Journal of Adolescent Health; Elsevier BV.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.02.004
Mark, N. D., & Wu, L. L. (2022). More comprehensive sex education reduced teen births: Quasiexperimental evidence. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(8),
e2113144119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2113144119
Running Head: SEX EDUCATION
10
Paton, D., Bullivant, S., & Soto, J. (2020). The impact of sex education mandates on teenage
pregnancy: International evidence. Health Economics, 29(7), 790-807.
https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.4021
Santelli, J. S., Grilo, S. A., Choo, T. H., Diaz, G., Walsh, K., Wall, M. M., Hirsch, J. S., Wilson,
P. C., Gilbert, L., Khan, S., & Mellins, C. A. (2018, November 14). Does sex education
before college protect students from sexual assault in college? PLOS ONE; Public
Library of Science. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205951
Williams CM, Clear ER, Coker AL. Sexual coercion and sexual violence at first intercourse
associated with sexually transmitted infections. Sex Transm Dis. 2013 Oct;40(10):771-5.
doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000011. PMID: 24275726; PMCID: PMC3927639