Blowers 1
Ella Blowers
ENG101.20 Stahl
P4-Argument Essay Using Sources
4/7/2010
Controversy of Curriculum
Sex is a basic part of human lives. It is our form of reproduction; without it, humans
would no longer exist. The act of sex plays a major role in our development, as it affects those
involved both physically and emotionally. As a result, sex education, and what topics should be
included in its curriculum, is an issue that causes controversy. One side of the debate is that sex
education should solely teach abstinence to students as a way to fully protect them from the risks
of sexual intercourse. Others believe that the curriculum should be comprehensive—including
information on abstinence as well as reproduction, contraceptives and human anatomy—which
will allow them to make smart decisions if they do choose to have sex. Comprehensive sex
education should be used instead of abstinence-only educations in schools; it is the most realistic
approach to helping our population make safe choices.
Supporters of abstinence-only education programs feel that the best way to teach teens
about sex is to only teach the importance of delaying involvement in sexual intercourse.
According to the definition of abstinence-only education in the Social Security Act, it is the most
effective way to prevent early pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and emotional problems
(Halstead 144). By avoiding sex all together, there is no risk of encountering the health problems
that are linked to intercourse. Abstinence-only education is also backed by the results of an
evaluation of a specific abstinence-only sex education program. The study implemented the
education program—called Sex Can Wait—in fifteen different school districts. Dr. George
Denny and Dr. Michael Young report that in an eighteen month follow-up survey “in the long
term the program produced gains in knowledge and reduced likelihood of participation in sexual
Blowers 2
intercourse” (420). When comparing the curricula of the two approaches to sexual education,
supporters of abstinence-only education feel that comprehensive programs “do not criticize
teenage sex—rather, they present it as normal and even promote the idea of free sex” (Honawar
par. 2). In their view, incorporating information on contraceptives suggests that intercourse is
normal. As a way to fully protect students from the dangers of sex, abstinence-only supporters
feel that the only way to educate them is through curriculum that is limited to promoting
abstinence. The view fails to recognize the reality that—despite what parents may want—sex is
becoming more and more prevalent and common in the lives of teenagers today.
It is obvious that if teenagers are engaging in sex, it is important to teach them about safe
sexual choices. According to the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United
States, “data has consistently shown that fifty percent of high school students have engaged in
sexual intercourse” (47). We cannot ignore the fact that teenagers are choosing to have sex and
we need to provide them with the information that will allow them to do this safely. This
information includes instruction on sexual acts, contraceptives and information on the emotional
effects of sex. In “Abstinence-Only” Sex Education: A Reality Check”, abstinence-only
education is criticized, because it withholds this important health information and the only
mention of contraceptives is the lack of protection provided by them (48). The curriculum of
abstinence-only education does not realistically match with the sexual activity of teenagers in the
present. It is important to provide them with correct and relevant material in order for them to
remain safe and healthy while being sexually active.
Abstinence-only education is also criticized due to the false and misleading information
that is found in its curriculum. For example, a review of these types of programs by Heidi
Bruggnick revealed that many of them contain religious suggestions in their curriculum (par. 4).
Blowers 3
The use of public schools to teach religious information violates the legal separation of state and
church. Also, religious beliefs are not necessarily scientific facts, so teaching them as such would
be providing false information to the students. They majority of abstinence-only programs were
also found to have “false, misleading, or distorted information about abortion, contraception, and
gender roles” (par. 2). It is only right to provide the students with the most accurate and
applicable sexual information in order to educate them on sex.
Not only does comprehensive sex education provide needed factual information, but it
has also been proven to work. In his study of various sex education programs, Douglas Kirby
found that for comprehensive sex education, “two thirds of the programs had a significant
positive impact on behavior. Many either delayed or reduced sexual activity or increased condom
or contraceptive use or both” (158). His results showed that sex education that incorporates both
abstinence and contraceptive use is both realistic and effective.
If teenagers are limited to information that teaches that abstinence before marriage is the
best and only healthy choice to make when it comes to sex, then what about those students who
are already sexually active or those that are homosexual? Abstinence-only education
discriminates against these groups and fails to represent them in the curriculum (APHA par. 2).
Those that have already had sex are taught that they made a wrong decision. Homosexuals are
completely disregarded, because same-sex marriage is only allowed in a few states. Does this
mean that homosexuals should never be allowed to have sex? Abstinence-only education is
discriminating, whereas comprehensive education represents and teaches information that is
applicable to all students, regardless of their sexual status.
There is also an ethical side the debate over sex education curriculum. According to
Leslie Kantor, under international agreements, “governments have an obligation to provide
Blowers 4
accurate information to adolescents in government funded health educations. U.S. governmentfunded programs violate these principles because they withhold the knowledge needed to make
informed decisions” (par. 16). It is the right of the students to have access to information, such as
contraceptives and sexually transmitted diseases, which will help them make healthy decisions if
they choose to be sexually active. As Rex Rogers puts it, “while many teachers would, if the
matter arose, wish to discourage sexual experimentation, they still have the responsibility to
those who do not take their advise” (70). In reality, teenagers are choosing to have sex; it is a fact
that needs to be accepted and considered in regards to sex education. Abstinence-only programs
are restricted from certain topics and thus do not teach critical information to those students that
are or do become sexually active.
In a democratic nation like the United States, decisions are made based on the support of
the population. The government represents the people and bases their decisions on our views as a
whole nation. It would make sense then, that the curriculum of sex education in schools would be
that which is supported by the majority of the population. A nationally representative group of
adults in the country were surveyed in 2005 and the results were published in the Archives of
Pediatrics &Adolescent Medicine. Overall, the majority of respondents—about eighty percent—
supported a comprehensive approach to sexual education as apposed to an abstinence-only
approach (Hennessy par. 1). If the government wants to represent the beliefs and wants of the
people, then they should implement comprehensive sex education in public schools.
Although abstinence is a belief that most parents would ideally have their children choose
to follow, it is not realistic in the present society. Data shows that the majority of teenagers today
are sexually active. In order to properly educate students with all the knowledge they need
regarding sex, a comprehensive curriculum is needed. The information on contraceptive, human
Blowers 5
anatomy and the emotional and physical effects of sex in comprehensive sex education gives
students knowledge needed to make smart and healthy choices. We need to look at sex education
realistically and provide the information that is most relevant and accurate for teenagers today.
Blowers 6
Works Cited
“Abstinence Only Sex Education: A Reality Check” The Education Digest 1 Oct 2001: ProQuest
Research Library Core. Web. 28 Mar 2010.
“APHA: Abstinence-only Leaves Youth in the Dark.” The Nation’s Health 1 Jun 2008: ProQuest
Health Module. Web. 28 Mar 2010.
Bruggink, Heidi. “Mis-education: The Lowdown on Abstinence-Only Sex-Ed programs.” The
Humanist 67.1 (2007): 4-6. ProQuest Research Library Core. Web. 28 Mar 2010.
Chavez, L. “Abstinence Education Works After All.” Human Events 15 Feb 2010: ProQuest
Social Science Module. Web. 28 Mar 2010.
Denny, George, and Michael Young. “An Evaluation of an Abstinence-Only Sex Education
Curriculum: An 18-Month Follow-up.” The Journal of School Health 76.8 (2006): 414422. ProQuest Health Module. Web. 27 Mar 2010.
Dyson, Sue, and Anne Mitchell. “Sex Education and Unintended Pregnancy: Are We Seeing the
Results?” Australian Health Review 29.2 (2005): 135-139. ProQuest Nursing & Allied
Health Source. Web. 27 Mar 2010.
Halstead, J. Mark, and Michael J. Reiss. Values in Sex Education: from principles to practice.
New York: Routledgefalmer, 2003. Print.
Hollander, Dore. “Sex Education: What Works?” Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive
Health 40.2 (2008): 64-64. ProQuest Research Library Core. Web. 28 Mar 2010.
Hollander, Dore. “Who’s for Comprehensive Sex Education?” Perspectives of Sexual and
Reproductive Health 39.1 (2007): 5-5. ProQuest Research Library Core. Web. 27 Mar
2010.
Honawar, Vaishali. “Sex Education Study Compares Curricula.” Education Week 2 Apr 2008:
ProQuest Research Library Core. Web. 28 Mar 2010.
Kantor, L. “Abstinence-only Education: Violating Students’ Rights to Health Information.”
Human Rights 1 Jul 2008: ProQuest Research Library Core. Web. 28 Mar 2010.
Kirby, Douglas. “Abstinence, Sex, and STD/HIV Education Programs for Teens: Their Impact
on Sexual Behavior, Pregnancy, and Sexually Transmitted Disease” Annual Review of
Sex Research. 18 (2007): 143-177. ProQuest Research Library Core. Web. 8 Apr 2010.
Quillen, Ian. “Comprehensive Sex Eucation Backed by Evidence, Medical Panel Concludes:
‘Prevention of HIV/AIDS, Others STIs, and Pregnancy: Group-Based Comprehensive
Risk Reduction Interventions for Adolescents’.” Education Week 18 Nov 2009: ProQuest
Research Library Core. Web. 28 Mar 2010.
Blowers 7
Rogers, Rex. Sex Education: Rationale and Reaction. New York: Cambridge University Press,
1974. Print.
Stammers, Trevor, and Roger Ingham. “Doctors Should Advise Adolescents to Abstain From
Sex.” British Medical Journal 321.7275 (2000): 1520-1522. ProQuest Health Module.
Web. 27 Mar 2010.