Sex Education in Public Schools Need Biological Truths
Erica Benford
Columbia Southern University
Abstract
This research paper investigates the importance of biology being integrated into the sex education curriculum provided by the school systems. Sex education is one of the most debatable issues in the public education realm. However, essential information is excluded from the curriculum in order to remain within certain guidelines. Biology is highly important to the education process. Without it we have taken a first-class seat and witnessed firsthand of the negative effects when it comes to teenage pregnancies and STI rates. For decades, the school system has been instructing adolescence on either Abstinence-Only Programs or sex education with limitations that does not include the biological truths required to effectively and efficiently coach them towards a healthy sex life.

Research Paper Final Draft Sex education being taught at school has always been an issue for a multitude of reasons. As of 1 January 2015, only 19 US states require sex education to be based on medical science however, each state defines its own definition of “medically accurate” (NCSL, 2015). This is very disturbing because sex education without science is not education at all. It is merely a way to teach other’s how to act according to societal standards and does not ultimately educate the youth on all aspects of sex education. In order to educate, one must inform the uneducated of the positives, as well as the negatives of situations. In an attempt to effectively and efficiently educate our youth, age appropriate, comprehensive sexual education with the inclusion of biological truths should be taught beginning in elementary school to end the epidemic of duplicity, ignorance, and misinformation. Recent studies have shown the enormous impact that sex education alone has assisted in the decrease of teenage pregnancies, STI prevention and abortion rates. Some schools do not teach sex education at all and the mere mention of sex might be briefly covered within a biology class (for example, teachings pertaining to the reproductive system). These classes often leave young people confused and ignorant, and convey the message that human sexuality is embarrassing and shouldn't be discussed. The introduction of sex education raised a strong opposition from the conservative, traditionalist part of the US society. At the same time, health care professionals, educators and scientists insisted on the development of sex education in public schools. The aim of sex education is to teach students the essence of healthy sexual relations and healthy sexual life of individuals. Today, sex education is still one of the most controversial issues in the public education of the US because, on the one hand, there are moral and ethical norms and principles, which often raise barriers on the way to the development of extensive sex education in public schools. Whereas, on the other hand, there is the urgent need to develop sex education to prevent negative effects caused by the lack of such education among students. At the moment, the development of sex education in public schools becomes an urgent issue as the number of unwanted pregnancies among adolescents grows and cases of sexual abuse emerge in the field of public education (Klein 284). The problem is that adolescents have limited access to the adequate information about sexual life. The lack of knowledge and experience naturally increases the risk of serious health problems, cases of sexual abuse and other problems associated with the sexual life of adolescents. Sex education in public schools has a considerable potential of helping children to receive adequate information about sexuality and their sexual life and avoid many pitfalls which they naturally confront in the course of their maturation. However, the public attitude toward sex education in public schools is often negative