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How Well Does Abstinence Education Really Work?

One knows best about the education they acknowledge and we all make and choose our
own path. My experience teaching the class has taught me that K-12 students still aren't getting
an adequate sex education wrote Kathy Greaves in 2015, an author of the University Wire
(Greaves). Therefore if we do not receive proper education as something as simple as
comprehensive sex education,we are setting up these teens for failure. It has been obvious that
discussing sexual education is a fragile topic to come about. As the author of the Times-Colonist,
Peter Stockland said It's a matter of safeguarding optimal sexual health through the stages of a
child's development (Stockland). Since parents are the supporters of their children, it only
makes sense for them to have such a strong role in being there for their offspring when dealing
with a delicate topic. Young people need comprehensive, realistic sex education because sex
education can decrease unwanted pregnancies and STDS, it is relevant to teenagers
everyday lives, and it allows teenagers to make positive, healthy choices about their sex
lives.
Adolescents have been in many positions where they contract STDs and have early
pregnancies due to early sexual activity. Lena Rawley, an author of the University Wire reports
that American teenagers who were given a comprehensive sex education were 50 percent less
likely to have an unwanted pregnancy than students who were given abstinence-based sex
education, or no sex education at all (Rawley). It is apparent that comprehensive sex education
is more efficient toward teens. For the reason being, there has been studies that have reduced
early sex in teenage lives. Because it has shown some improvement in reducing early
pregnancies, many believe that sex education should be taught early on.

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Sex education should be talked about for the following reason that Karimi, an author of
the University Wire mentions, Boys and girls are experiencing puberty earlier than ever before,
sex-ed starting after fourth or fifth grade is belated, considering many of these kids may be well
into puberty already. Sex has consequences, hence the urgency for accurately informing youths
about how to protect themselves (Karimi). While teaching the kids about their sexuality and
sex ed, it is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed. These educators are helping these children
by giving them the knowledge they deserve to make positive choices in their future.
In conclusion, kids may start going into puberty at such a young age, it is important to tackle this
situation as early as possible so that they will know the consequences sex may have on them.
Every state should have comprehensive sex education. With this being, there are many
states who beg to differ such as Arizona, since it is a diverse state. Kids there are not getting the
adequate sex education that they need, as author Hannah Elizabeth from the University Wire
notes that We can't opt out of math, reading or science, and we at Planned Parenthood believe
that comprehensive sexuality education is just as important (Hannah). Parents want great
fulfillment for their children in every possible way. Comprehensive sex education will make
them become more successful and reach out for further goals in life. Therefore, every state
should have comprehensive sex education no matter the reason. Everyone needs to know the
basics of comprehensive sex education to help guide them to the right path. With this said, sex
education is the best way to let adolescents aware of the consequences of experiencing with early
sex, such as unwanted pregnancies and STDs.

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In order for our country to succeed in lowering pregnancy rates and STD rates, we should
control the situation and take it upon ourselves to solve this nationwide problem. In order for this
to happen, we have to be aware of what goes on in a teenagers everyday life.
As a Sirs Issue Researcher from the University Wire stated, Sex education isn't only for
those engaging in risky behavior. A college-level sex education course should give students
information they can use for a life-time -- to protect themselves from disease and unwanted
pregnancy, to aid in reproductive health and family planning and to give them the ability to make

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informed decisions about sex("Want a Sexually Conscious Country? Don't Stop Sex Ed After

High School").
As Figure 1 shows, teen pregnancies are most likely to happen when being taught through
information solely from Abstinence Only Education. More than 50% of pregnancies were
unplanned and the 43% of those were mothers ages 15-17.

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Sex education is not intended only for those who engage in risky behavior. It is for
everyone. A sex education course should be given to everyone in which they can use this
information for the lifetime they have ahead of them. This lets them be aware of all the diseases
they can contract. If they are not safe when eventually engaging in such behavior it can affect
their life from that moment on and will evolve in time.
Sex Education should start sooner than ever for the reason being that an author of the
Chicago Tribune, Heidi Stevens said Children as young as 10 are beginning to process
messages about how to be popular with the opposite sex, how to gain social status and what they
gain -- or lose -- by delaying potentially risky behaviors. But parents, educators and other
decision-makers are often wary of introducing the topics of sexual and reproductive health to
young adolescents, because they fear it will encourage them to engage in sexual
behavior"(Stevens).
Since these children are so young they are taking perception of the situation of how to
become attracted by a particular person of the opposite sex. They are also learning how to gain
social status between each other. Although these teenagers are just now finding themselves,
parents, teachers and educators, worry that once introducing sex ed, it will encourage them to
engage in sexual activities. Therefore, since they fear that the teaching of sex ed will induce their
mind in engaging in sexual behavior, it has to be done properly. They have to be able to reach out
to these adolescents, in the sense that they are trying to help them. Once they do, it will help
them develop a healthy self esteem and make positive decisions.
Even though we have our basic school educators who teach us our core subjects they are
there for us in more ways than what we could possibly ever think. As the author of Education

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Week, Evie Blad expresses that You have teachers walking into a classroom who are
uncomfortable or don't feel very capable teaching sex education, said Debra Hauser, the
executive director for the Washington-based group Advocates for Youth. The proposed teacherpreparation standards include discussions of a teacher's awareness of his or her own biases about
sexuality (Blad).
In some cases you have teachers who are uncomfortable or feel as if they don't have
enough knowledge to engage in such a talk with students. While this is occurring, it sends out a
message that many do not want, such as not being prepared or not knowing how to explain it to
them. The teacher preparation standards include the teacher's awareness of how he/she feel.
Teachers know how to handle certain topics if brought up by students as well as knowing how to
handle any reports made by students. The teachers are there to help them, and show them the
right and wrongs not only of school based knowledge, but sex education as well. For it is
information that they will carry on with them, until when they decide that the time is right.
Although there is a lot of controversy about all of these situations, it has proven that us,
as a whole need sex education. Not only just for us but for the next generation coming as well.
Since the teachers are key holders for the knowledge that our generation beholds, it is important
for us, that they will further educate them. Not only to teach them about their core studies, but to
expand their views in sex ed so they can be aware of their surroundings and the choices they
make in their everyday lives.
As a United Nation we should stop letting our fear control the paths of the newest
generations and teach kids sex education, for it will allow them to make positive choices
throughout their lives. The author of University Wire, Brian Hempel informs us that We as a

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nation need to get over our prudishness and teach kids about sexual health (Hampel). We need
to get over our fear of teaching kids about sex education. There are people that are narrow
minded and think that it will only provoke such actions. Many have the thought that teaching
them will make them engage in such behavior, when in actuality it only lets them make positive
choices.
Since there are many children that are still not fully aware of all that comes with the sex
talk, it leaves them vulnerable to not knowing how to differentiate relationships. If not taught
properly about all the knooks and crannies there are, they will be left confused. As Chloe
Hamilton, an author of the Belfast Telegraph discusses that A survey from the National
Children's Bureau in January this year showed that nearly a third of children hadn't learned about
sexual consent in their sex education lessons, that only 43% of children knew the difference
between a good and a bad relationship (Hamilton). In more ways than one it shows how
confused a child could be about the type of relationship he/she holds, if not taught thoroughly
about an important topic. Discussing this allows the adolescent to be aware of the state that they
are in, following their actions that they have taken.
For the sake of our being, we know that the access to contraception and accurate sex
education shows progress in not only lowering percentages of pregnancy rates but, as well as
making positive choices in their everyday lives. As author of the Journal Gazette, Betty Cockram
explains Fortunately, we know what works to lower the teen pregnancy rate: access to birth
control and comprehensive, medically accurate sex education. When teens have the information
they need, they make smarter decisions about sex(Cockram).Not only does the access of

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contraception and accurate information about sex education benefit us, but it also allows
teeangers to make postive choices.
Many sources however, argue that abstinence should be the main focus of sex education
because, it is the only sure way to help prevent the growth of STDs and unplanned pregnancies.
Abstinence should be taken into notice with such benefit as keeping your own child safe but at
times it is not, meanwhile pro abstinence groups seem to have a large overlap with anti-abortion.
Author Kayla Bell of the Victoria Advocate states that While studies about the ineffectiveness of
abstinence-only education have been widely reported, pro-abstinence advocates are able to point
to their own statistics (Bell). While this point may make sense at first, the author is off base
because this topic should be taken into consideration knowing, that not everyone falls into the
category of being abstinent. Some feel at ease just by being aware of the knowledge that goes on
behind sex ed to help make positive choices.
Many people believe that God designed sex to be enjoyed within a committed marital
relationship. As Peter Jensen, an author of the Baltimore Sun noted Millions of Teens Have
Pledged to Abstain from Premarital Sex (Jensen). This shows that in many cases christian
people agree with this topic in great confidence because this is such a good strong will towards
their belief. Although the core of this claim is valid, it is also flawed because with this act, many
make a promise to themselves and to God that they will remain abstinent until they are married.
But what about the people who dont have a belief? What about those who stand on their own
with just their knowledge they have gained over the years. Having basic knowledge of sex
education doesn't necessarily mean you have to be dedicated to a certain belief. There are many

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of those who stand alone in the world of religion and still are able to make healthy choices
regarding their personal relationships.
Sex is brought up to be by an action that only occurs when two people are in love and
have taken their love in a new direction such as marriage. Paola Loriggio, an author for the
Toronto Star points out that "I was raised to believe that sex should be between a married wife
and husband, not between teens as a source of entertainment, as it is now (Loriggio).
What this argument fails to consider is that even though the author feels that interacting in sexual
activity is casual, it is proven that not many engage in frequent hook ups. This act is still
respected and reserved for those who have a great feeling of love for one another. Being able to
learn about basic information that involves sexual education, allows these adolescents to take
control of their lives and take responsibility for their actions, when knowing about the possible
outcomes that could derive from it.
Young people need comprehensive, realistic sex education because sex education can
decrease unwanted pregnancies and STDS, it is relevant to teenagers everyday lives, and it
allows teenagers to make and it allows teenagers to make positive, healthy choices about their
sex lives. In the past, it has been thought that when teaching kids about sexual education, it will
encourage them to engage in such activities. But today, there are numerous of adolescents who
are receiving an extent amount of knowledge about sex education that they can carry throughout
their lives. This will help them make positive decisions throughout all the situations they will
face in life. In the future we cannot proceed to be timid about sensitive topics. Knowledge should
not be kept hidden just because some are scared to face their children with the truth. As they get
older they will take their lives in their own hands and have their own decisions to make when the

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time comes for those to take certain actions. Young people need realistic sex education in order
to prepare them for realistic situations.
Works Cited
Bell, Kayla. "PRO: Abstinence Is Only Sure Way to Prevent Pregnancy, STDs." Victoria
Advocate. 18 Jul. 2011: N.p. SIRS Issues Researcher.Web. 05 Feb. 2015.
Blad, Evie. "New Teacher-Preparation Standards Target Sex Education." Education Week. 07
May 2014: 14. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
Cockrum, Betty. "Teens' Healthy Future Should Include Sex Ed." Journal Gazette. 02 Jun. 2014:
A.9. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
Greaves, Kathy. "K-12 Sex Education Keeps Failing Students." University Wire. 24 Jun. 2014:
N.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.
Hamilton, Chloe. "Why Children Must Be Taught Appropriate Sex Education." Belfast
Telegraph. 28 Aug. 2014: 26. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
Hampel, Brian. "Poor Sex Ed in High School Leads to Poor Futures." University Wire. 20 Oct.
2014: N.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 31 Mar. 2015.
Hannah, Elizabeth. "Arizona Needs Comprehensive Sex Education." University Wire. 06 Oct.
2014: N.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.
Jensen, Peter. "A Vow for Virginity." Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, MD). Feb. 25 2001: 1N+. SIRS
Issues Researcher. Web. 04 Mar. 2015.

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Karimi, Honeiah. "We Need to Talk About Sex." University Wire. 02 Dec. 2014: N.p. SIRS
Issues Researcher. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
Loriggio, Paola. "Ring a Sign She'll Wait for Marriage." Toronto Star (Toronto, Canada). 29
Nov. 2008: L.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 01 Mar. 2015.
Rawley, Lena. "American Teenagers Need Sex Education." University Wire. 21 Nov. 2014:
N.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
Stevens, Heidi. "Sex Education Should Start Sooner, Not Later, Study Says." Chicago Tribune.
30 Jul. 2014: 1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
Stockland, Peter. "Parents Need to Be the Chief Sex Educators." Times-Colonist. 21 Nov. 2014:
A.13. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
"Want a Sexually Conscious Country? Don't Stop Sex Ed After High School." University Wire.
01 Oct. 2014: N.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.