Developing A Sex-Ed Program For Adolescents

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Developing a Sex-Ed program for Adolescents

Sex Education in the schools can be seen as a relatively straightforward biology lesson, albeit one that sets off more than a few nervous giggles in the back row. It can also be seen in terms of public health, as the key to preventing AIDS, increase awareness about STDs, improve decision making about teenage pregnancy. Sex education should be a program that explains sexuality in the context of a value system that emphasizes love and marriage.

Adolescents need the right information to help protect themselves. The US has more than double the teenage pregnancy rate of any western industrialized country, with more than a million teenagers becoming pregnant each year. Teenagers have the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) of any age group, with one in four young people contracting STD by the age of 21(health class). STDs, including HIV, can damage teenagers' health and reproductive ability. And there is still no cure for AIDS.

Knowledge alone is not enough to change behaviors. Programs that rely mainly on conveying information about sex or moral precepts-how the body's sexual system functions, what teens should and shouldn't do-have failed. So we need programs that focus on helping teenagers to change their behavior-using role-playing, videos, lectures, and exercises that strengthen social skills. Too often statements of values ("my children should not have sex outside of marriage") come wrapped up in misstatements of fact ("sex education doesn't work anyway"). If there is any parental concern or objection, the teacher should send a letter home describing the program and its objectives. If parents still have concerns, invite them in to talk about it and try to find an alternative if necessary. Should we do everything possible to suppress teenage sexual behavior, or should we acknowledge that many teens are sexually active, and prepare them against the negative co...