Rebecca Rogness
November 18, 2013
ENGWR 300
K. Burchett
Paper 3: Argument
Word Count: 2,114
The Importance of Sex Education in Today's Schools
"What did you learn about in school today honey?" "Oh, we did some proofs in Geometry, practiced past tense verbs in Spanish, and learned about sexually transmitted diseases in Health class." Suddenly, all goes silent, and the subject is quickly changed to something else. One of the most controversial issues facing today's schools is whether or not sexual education, or "sex ed," should continue to be taught to children. On one hand, some argue that it should, because children need to be properly educated on this topic and the potential consequences that can result from it. However, many others oppose this viewpoint, arguing that sex ed is a personal subject for parents to discuss with their children, and therefore does not belong in an academic setting. While both of these viewpoints have their strengths as well as their limitations, it is extremely important for sex ed to continue to be taught in today's schools.
English: Flowchart displaying federal funding for ...
The ABC of Sex Education for Trainables
18th-century-anti-sex-educationNot only will students be properly educated on how to prevent negative sexual outcomes, such as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unintended pregnancies, but also on the wide range of topics related to sexual health, such as communication, relationships, and decision-making. Overall, sex education has both physical as well as emotional benefits for school-aged children.
Of course, there are several reasonable objections to sexuality education curriculum being taught in today's schools. First, it is argued that sexuality is an inappropriate topic to be taught in schools, for schools are a place to learn "typical" academic subjects such as Math, Science, or English. In addition, those who are against sex ed assert that sex is a personal matter and should only be...