Abstinence-only vs. Abstinence-plus - 1607 Words

There are many problems facing teenagers these days. None are bigger than the issue of underage sex, and all the issues stemming from it. The number of teenagers becoming sexually active, pregnant, and contracting sexually transmitted diseases are rapidly on the rise. There is no simple fix, or easy solution to this problem. Sex education should begin at home, and extend to include an effective program in schools that reinforce a clear message of abstaining from sexual activity in addition to informing students of the risks posed by engaging in sexual activity. The political, and religious dissension on this issue has resulted in a procedural stalemate preventing schools from effectively addressing the problem, and implement a†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"The ideal of what historian Anne Higonnet calls the Romantic Child, our modern image of a naturally asexual, pure child, is at the heart of century-long conflicts over sex education. By definition, the romantic childâ €™s innocence depends on protection from sexuality† (Talk About Sex 13). Parents, in general, do not feel at ease thinking about their children having sex, nor do they want to encourage them to do so. The fact that most parents are not comfortable talking about the subject with their children only increases the importance of doing so in our schools. Opposition of the Abstinence-Plus program centers around the belief that by comprehensively informing students about sex, and responsible practices, in addition to supplying contraceptives, will send a message that not only is it okay to have sex but here have a condom to do it with. In some cases, they actually suggest the importance of telling students that condoms are â€Å"ineffective and do not workâ€Å" (Teenage Sexuality 205). Over the past few decades, several attempts have been made to â€Å"scare† teenagers away from sex. â€Å"In the sex-education video No Second Chance, a young man asks the teacher what if he does not to wait until marriage to have sex. She replies, â€Å"Well, I guess you’ll just have to be prepared to die† (Talk About Sex 117). The intended message was that condoms do not work in effectively preventing HIV. This isShow MoreRelatedEssay on Should Sex Education be Taken Out of Schools?969 Words   |  4 Pagesschools takes two forms: Abstinence-Plus education and Abstinence-only education. The former, allows teenagers to explore not only the functions of sex and reproductive organs but also sexually transmitted diseases, abortions and information on how to use condoms and other kinds of contraception. The benefit of this program is that it encourages teenagers to practice abstinence while acknowledging the fact that most teenagers will choose to engage in sex. Abstinence-only education, however, simplyRead More Abstinence Only Sex Education Essays2119 Words   |  9 Pagesdisparity can be attributed to factors such as income inequality, the presence of abstinence only education has a major impact on birth and STD rates in the United States in comparison to other countries with more comprehensive programs. It is clear that this difference in approaches has a significant effect, and the United States needs to act to ensure the health of its citizens. Urgent actions are necessary because abstinence only education is becoming more popular in the United States and more and moreRead MoreTeen Pregnancy in the United States Essays3049 Words   |  13 Pagespaper will focus on the majority aspect of pregnancy in adolescent. Being pregnant at a young age puts adolescent mothers at a higher risk for short and long-term complications. This can be either health or social complications. 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AccordingRead MoreBinge Eating Disorder ( Bed )2041 Words   |  9 Pagesdiagnosis, EDE (Eating Disorder Esamination) was always used, and the participants’ symptoms meet the ones of DSM-IV. Regarding the methods, I considered just for experiment using the randomization. Finally coming to the results, I selected the articles only if they take as outcomes remission of OBEs (Objective Binge Episodes) and/or the frequency of binge eating. Unfortunately, my research were scant by the fact that it is not a common disease, which is why I could use just a few articles. According