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Why Sex Education Should Be Taught in School? - Argumentative Essay

Why Sex Education Should Be Taught in School? - Argumentative Essay

Introduction.

A sex education topic is one of the most sensitive subjects that teachers have to teach their students in school as they equip and inform them with the right information about the human body and sexuality. It is hard because teachers are expected to educate students about sex depending on their age (Iyer & Aggleton, 2013). Further, in the modern day where technology and the internet are easily accessible to young children, as well as exposure to sex scenes in movies and television, teachers are daunted with the responsibility of dealing with students that are aware of sexuality, even though some of the information might be wrong.

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Children also get information from their friends, and other unreliable sources, some of which is misleading (Stanger-Hall & Hall, 2011). The justifications for teaching sex education in the classroom is to equip students with the right information so that they can make better choices in their lives, both in the short-term and in the long-term. Teaching sex education demystifies the hearsay information that students have heard or assumed about how their bodies function, allowing them to know what is right or wrong for them.

Students should be taught about sex as it equips them with the necessary biological information. Sex education is comprehensive and diverse, and it incorporates the right biological terms, describing the reproductive system of both men and women (Iyer & Aggleton, 2013). Students are aware of what to expect of their bodies in the future, and the care they should give to their bodies so that they can lead a healthy and meaningful life. Teachers use practical lessons to explain the theoretical concepts about the human body. For instance, a teacher might demonstrate how to insert a condom on a dummy erect penis for teenagers.

Sex education is essential for learners since it gives them a chance to understand and explore the concept of gender (Stanger-Hall & Hall, 2011). Gender identities are an issue that young children need to know as it gives a person a sense of individualities, and is not limited to the normal heterosexuals. It informs learners of the rights they have over their sexualities as well as the power they have in relationships. For instance, some learners may feel trapped in the wrong body and may consider changing their gender, which is justifiable since every individual has a right over his or her sexuality.

Sex education is vital for learners since it gives them a chance to ask questions they would feel shy asking their parents. Iyer & Aggleton (2013) suggested that most children are uncomfortable discussing sex and changes taking place in the body with their parents, which forces young people to look for information from their peers. Some of the information they receive from their peers is wrong. In a classroom setting, teachers give the learners the chance to state what they know about sexuality, which then provides the tutors an opportunity to correct any wrong information (Stanger-Hall & Hall, 2011). Some institutions may involve parents in the sex education programs in school where children meet with their guardians and tutors and expand the topic of sexuality with ease.

In conclusion, teaching sex education in school is essential. Learners are given information about their bodies, giving them a chance to make the right choices. Therefore, if learners choose to engage in sex at an early age, they can make the right decisions like using protection. Sex education informs learners about the dangers of engaging in unprotected sex with multiple partners. Telling the learners about their sexuality empowers them to choose what they desire.

Iyer, P., & Aggleton, P. (2013). 'Sex education should be taught, fine... but we make sure they control themselves': teachers' beliefs and attitudes towards young people's sexual and reproductive health in a Ugandan secondary school. Sex Education, 13(1), 40-53.

Stanger-Hall, K. F., & Hall, D. W. (2011). Abstinence-only education and teen pregnancy rates: why we need comprehensive sex education in the US. PloS one, 6(10), e24658.

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Peter DeWitt's

Finding common ground.

A former K-5 public school principal turned author, presenter, and leadership coach, DeWitt provides insights and advice for education leaders. He can be found at www.petermdewitt.com . Read more from this blog .

Should Sex Education Be Taught in Schools?

argumentative essay sex education should be taught in school

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argumentative essay sex education should be taught in school

Thinking about sex education conjures up all of those uncomfortable moments as an adolescent when we had to sit at our desks and listen to our health teachers talk about things that we joked about with friends but never wanted to have a conversation about with adults. But things have changed a lot since then.

There has been an increase in the number of LGBT students who have come out while in high school, or sometimes, even middle school. We are surrounded images that inspire conversations about sex education and other images created by fashion that offer so much skin that there is nothing left to the imagination.

AVERT defines Sex Education as

the process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, relationships and intimacy. Sex education is also about developing young people's skills so that they make informed choices about their behaviour, and feel confident and competent about acting on these choices."

First and foremost, there is a debate between the use of sexual education programs, where they openly teach about sex and prevention, and abstinence-only programs, which Advocates for Youth say,

  • “has as its exclusive purpose teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity;
  • teaches abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage is the expected standard for all school-age children;
  • teaches that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems;
  • teaches that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the expected standard of sexual activity;
  • teaches that sexual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical side effects;
  • teaches that bearing children out-of-wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for the child, the child’s parents, and society;
  • teaches young people how to reject sexual advances and how alcohol and drug use increase vulnerability to sexual advances, and
  • teaches the importance of attaining self-sufficiency before engaging in sexual activity.”

Advocates for Youth also believe,

Accurate, balanced sex education - including information about contraception and condoms - is a basic human right of youth. Such education helps young people to reduce their risk of potentially negative outcomes, such as unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Such education can also help youth to enhance the quality of their relationships and to develop decision-making skills that will prove invaluable over life. This basic human right is also a core public health principle that receives strong endorsement from mainstream medical associations, public health and educational organizations, and - most important - parents."

But is it the job of teachers in schools to educate students about sex or is it the job of the parents? According to the National Conference of State Legislatures ,

All states are somehow involved in sex education for public schoolchildren. As of Jan. 1, 2015: 22 states and the District of Columbia require public schools teach sex education (20 of which mandate sex education and HIV education). 33 states and the District of Columbia require students receive instruction about HIV/AIDS. 19 states require that if provided, sex education must be medically, factually or technically accurate. State definitions of "medically accurate" vary, from requiring that the department of health review curriculum for accuracy, to mandating that curriculum be based on information from "published authorities upon which medical professionals rely." Many states define parents' rights concerning sexual education: 37 states and the District of Columbia require school districts to allow parental involvement in sexual education programs. Three states require parental consent before a child can receive instruction. 35 states and the District of Columbia allow parents to opt-out on behalf of their children.

Of course, if it’s taught in schools, how properly are the students being educated? This debate between whether it’s the school’s job or a parent’s job will last for a very long time, and quite frankly it is an area that many parents and teachers may agree. There are parents who do not want their children to be taught sex education in schools, just as there are some teachers who don’t think it is their job to teach it.

On the other side are parents and teachers who agree it should be taught in schools and at home because it is a topic that we all cannot escape. And I’m sure there are a bunch of people in the middle who do not even want to discuss the topic at all and just hope for the best.

The NPR story, called Beyond The Birds And The Bees: Surviving Sex Ed Today ( which can be heard here ) inspired me to think about all of the places that the topic of sex comes up in conversation. Sometimes it’s through jokes on television or social media, other times it’s in stories on the news, and most times it’s the center of the conversation on the back of a school bus. Whether it makes us uncomfortable or not, we can’t seem to escape the topic.

In the NPR story, Lena Solow, a teacher of ten years,

Covers the topics you'd expect: how to prevent STDs, pregnancy. But Solow talks about way more than going all the way. "One of my biggest goals as a sex educator is to be sex-positive," she explains, "to talk about pleasure and to talk about sex not just as something that just makes babies."

Listening to the story made me blush a little as I drove alone in my car through Massachusetts, and made me laugh a bit when Solow said that when she was a student her sex education class was taught by the physical education teacher and revolved around spelling tests.

Yes, spelling tests. She said,

I definitely had spelling tests as a big part of my sex-ed when I was in middle school: 'Spell gonorrhea. Spell gonococcus. Now you pass or don't pass health.' Literally, that was what was prioritized."

She wants her students to have a much more knowledgeable experience, and she also explores topics that are unfortunately still controversial in today’s schools, which is the topic of LGBT students. In the NPR story, Garsd writes,

Beyond the basics, Solow is delving into topics that many teachers would skirt. Things like tolerance. Solow recently asked her students if they thought LGBT people would feel comfortable at the school. A lot of the kids say they didn't think so."

It’s definitely a complicated debate, which will last for a very long time. What are your thoughts?

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Sex Education in America: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly

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The debate over the best way to teach sexual health in the U.S. continues to rage on, but student voice is often left out of the conversation when schools are deciding on what to teach. So Myles and PBS NewsHour Student Reporters from Oakland Military Institute investigate the pros and cons of the various approaches to sex ed and talk to students to find out how they feel about their sexual health education.

TEACHERS: Guide your students to practice civil discourse about current topics and get practice writing CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) responses.  Explore lesson supports.

What is comprehensive sex education?

Comprehensive sex education teaches that not having sex is the best way to avoid STIs and unintended pregnancies, but it also includes medically accurate information about STI prevention, reproductive health, as well as discussions about healthy relationships, consent, gender identity, LGBTQ issues and more. What is sexual risk avoidance education? Sexual risk avoidance education is also known as abstinence only or abstinence-leaning education. It generally teaches that not having sex is the only morally acceptable, safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy and STIs — some programs don’t talk about birth control or condoms– unless it is to emphasize failure rates.

What are the main arguments for comprehensive sex education?

“Comprehensive sex ed” is based on the idea that public health improves when students have a right to learn about their sexuality and to make responsible decisions about it. Research shows it works to reduce teen pregnancies, delay when teens become sexually active and reduce the number of sexual partners teens have.

What are the main arguments against comprehensive sex education?

Some people, particularly parents and religious groups, take issue with comprehensive sex ed because they believe it goes against their cultural or religious values, and think that it can have a corrupting influence on kids. They say that by providing teens with this kind of information you are endorsing and encouraging sex and risk taking. Some opponents also argue that this type of information should be left up to parents to teach their kids about and shouldn’t be taught in schools.

State Laws and Policies Across the US (SIECUS) 

STDs Adolescents and Young Adults (CDC) 

Myths and Facts about Comprehensive Sex Education (Advocates for Youth)

Abstinence-Only and Comprehensive Sex Education and the Initiation of Sexual Activity and Teen Pregnancy (Journal of Adolescent Health)

Abstinence-Only-Until Marriage: An Updated Review of US Policies and Programs and Their Impact (Journal of Adolescent Health) 

Sexual Risk Avoidance Education: What you need to know (ASCEND) 

We partnered with PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs for this episode. Check out their journalism resources for students: https://studentreportinglabs.org/

To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy.

Sex Education that Goes Beyond Sex

  • Posted November 28, 2018
  • By Grace Tatter

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Historically, the measure of a good sex education program has been in the numbers: marked decreases in the rates of sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancies, and pregnancy-related drop-outs. But, increasingly, researchers, educators, and advocates are emphasizing that sex ed should focus on more than physical health. Sex education, they say, should also be about relationships.

Giving students a foundation in relationship-building and centering the notion of care for others can enhance wellbeing and pave the way for healthy intimacy in the future, experts say. It can prevent or counter gender stereotyping and bias. And it could minimize instances of sexual harassment and assault in middle and high school — instances that may range from cyberbullying and stalking to unwanted touching and nonconsensual sex. A recent study from Columbia University's Sexual Health Initative to Foster Transformation (SHIFT) project suggests that comprehensive sex education protects students from sexual assault even after high school.

If students become more well-practiced in thinking about caring for one another, they’ll be less likely to commit — and be less vulnerable to — sexual violence, according to this new approach to sex ed. And they’ll be better prepared to engage in and support one another in relationships, romantic and otherwise, going forward. 

Giving students a foundation in relationship-building can enhance wellbeing and pave the way for healthy intimacy in the future, experts say. It can also prevent or counter gender stereotyping, and it could minimize instances of sexual harassment and assault in middle and high school.

Introducing Ethics Into Sex Ed

Diving into a conversation even tangentially related to sex with a group of 20 or so high school students isn’t easy. Renee Randazzo helped researcher Sharon Lamb pilot the Sexual Ethics and Caring Curriculum while a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She recalls boys snickering during discussions about pornography and objectification. At first, it was hard for students to be vulnerable.

But the idea behind the curriculum is that tough conversations are worth having. Simply teaching students how to ask for consent isn’t enough, says Lamb, a professor of counseling psychology at UMass Boston, who has been researching the intersection between caring relationships, sex, and education for decades. Students also to have understand why consent is important and think about consent in a variety of contexts. At the heart of that understanding are questions about human morality, how we relate to one another, and what we owe to one another. In other words, ethics.

“When I looked at what sex ed was doing, it wasn’t only a problem that kids weren’t getting the right facts,” Lamb says. “It was a problem that they weren’t getting the sex education that would make them treat others in a caring and just way.”

She became aware that when schools were talking about consent — if they were at all — it was in terms of self-protection. The message was: Get consent so you don’t get in trouble.

But there’s more at play, Lamb insists. Students should also understand the concept of mutuality — making decisions with a partner and understanding and addressing other people’s concerns or wishes — and spend time developing their own sense of right and wrong. 

“If a young person is not in a healthy relationship, they can’t negotiate sex in a meaningful way. Even if they’re not having sex yet, they’re grappling with the idea of what a healthy relationship is.”

The curriculum she developed invites students to engage in frank discussions about topics like objectification in the media and sexting. If a woman is shamed for being in a sexy video, but she consented to it, does she deserve the criticism? Regardless of what you think, can you justify your position?

“How do they want to treat people, what kind of partner do they want to be? That takes discussion,” Lamb says. “It’s not a skill-training thing.”

The idea behind the curriculum isn’t that anything goes, so long as students can discuss their reasoning. Instead, the goal is that students develop the critical-reasoning skills to do the right thing in tricky situations. 

After Randazzo’s students got over their cases of the giggles, the conversations were eye-opening, she says. “You give them the opportunity unpack their ideas and form their own opinions,” she says.

Healthy Relationships — and Prevention

Most sexual assault and violence in schools is committed by people who know their victims — they’re either dating, friends, or classmates. Regardless, they have a relationship of some sort, which is why a focus on relationships and empathy is crucial to reducing violence and preparing students for more meaningful lives.

And while it might seem uncomfortable to move beyond the cut-and-dried facts of contraception into the murkier waters of relationships, students are hungry for it. A survey by researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education's  Making Caring Common  initiative found that 65 percent of young-adult respondents wished they had talked about relationships at school.

“It’s so critical that kids are able to undertake this work of learning to love somebody else,” says developmental psychologist Richard Weissbourd , the director of Making Caring Common and lead author of a groundbreaking report called The Talk: How Adults Can Promote Young People’s Healthy Relationships and Prevent Misogyny and Sexual Harassment . “They’re not going to be able to do it unless we get them on the road and are willing to engage in thoughtful conversations.”

Nicole Daley works with OneLove , a nonprofit focused on teen violence prevention. She previously worked extensively with Boston Public Schools on violence prevention. She echoes Lamb and Weissbourd: A focus on relationships is key to keeping students safe.

“If a young person is not in a healthy relationship, they can’t negotiate sex in a meaningful way,” she says. “Really discussing healthy relationships and building that foundation is important. Even if they’re not having sex yet, they’re grappling with the idea of what healthy relationship is.”

And it’s critical to start that work before college.

Shael Norris spent the first two decades of her career focusing on college campuses, but now is focused on younger students with her work through Safe BAE . By college, many people’s ideas about how to act when it comes to sex or romance are entrenched, she says. The earlier young people can start interrogating what they know about sex and relationships, the better.

Safe BAE is led by Norris and young survivors of sexual assault. The organization works to educate students about healthy relationships, sexual violence, students’ rights under Title IX, and other related topics.

Movement to change middle and high school curricula to include a focus on healthy relationships and consent has been slow, Norris notes. In 2015, Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) introduced the Teach Safe Relationships Act, which would have mandated secondary schools teach about safe relationships, including asking for consent, in health education courses. It didn’t go anywhere. And while eight states now mandate some sort of sexual consent education , there’s no consensus about what that should entail.

Instead, the momentum for a more comprehensive sexual education that considers relationships and violence prevention is coming from individual teachers, students and parents.

“We don’t have to wait for politicians to start having conversations about this,” Norris says.

A New Approach to Sex Ed

  • Develop an ethical approach to sex ed. Place emphasis on helping students learn how to care for and support one another. This will reduce the chance they’ll commit, or be vulnerable to, sexual violence.
  • Don’t just tell students how to ask for consent; prompt them to consider why concepts like consent are important. It’s not just about staying out of legal trouble — it’s also about respecting and caring for others.
  • Respect students’ intelligence and engage them in discussions about who they want to be as people. Serious dialogue about complicated topics will hone their critical-thinking skills and help them be prepared to do the right thing.
  • Even without access to a curriculum, students, parents and educators can work together to facilitate conversations around sexual violence prevention through clubs, with help from organizations like Safe BAE.

Additional Resource

  • National Sexuality Education Standards: Core Content and Skills, K–12

Part of a special series about preventing sexual harassment at school.  Read the whole series .

Illustration by Wilhelmina Peragine

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There is currently no consistent standard of sex, sexuality, gender and respectful relationships education across Australian schools. Each state and territory makes decisions about what they teach in schools. Additionally, religious schools have exemptions under anti-discrimination laws to decide how they approach these issues, and whether they include them at all.

Despite the gains made in the marriage equality debate, Australia has been unable to translate this into inclusive sex and sexuality education for young people. While countries such as England and Canada are adopting progressive, consistent sex education programs at a national level, Australia has not.

Read more: Australian sex education isn't diverse enough. Here's why we should follow England's lead

The federal Department of Education is spending A$5 million to develop resources to teach respectful relationships in Australian schools. According to one news report , these resources will not include topics on toxic masculinity, gender theory or case studies about young people’s sexual activity. This project is a part of the women’s safety package announced in 2015 by the Turnbull government, which seeks to educate young people about violence against women.

The federal government is quietly trying to distance these resources from Victoria’s Respectful Relationships program, which has been criticised by some conservative commentators. Politics aside, there is an urgent need for these resources. Gendered violence against women and LGBTIQ people is too common in Australia.

No more federal funding for Safe Schools

Only a few years ago, Australia was very close to having a standard national resource for sex, sexuality and relationships education – the Safe Schools program. Its creators aspired to consistency across all state and territory educational jurisdictions in Australia, in line with the nationally consistent Australian Curriculum .

argumentative essay sex education should be taught in school

Safe Schools was designed as an evidence-based , educational anti-bullying program. The program had LGBTIQ inclusion at its core, and sought to create safe and inclusive environments for LGBTIQ students. Resources used to help deliver the program were developed by experts and carefully selected to ensure they were age-appropriate for the students using them.

The federal government stopped funding the program in mid-2017, following an extended public pillorying by conservative politicians and media commentators . This ranged from concern students were encouraged to cross-dress and role-play as gay teenages to false claims the program showed children how to masturbate and strap on dildos.

Read more: FactCheck: does the Safe Schools program contain 'highly explicit material'?

An inconsistent approach

Safe Schools has been replaced by an eclectic mix of programs, which vary from state to state. As a result, Australia has an inconsistent approach across state education systems.

In Victoria, the Building Respectful Relationships program was trialled in 2015 in response to recommendations Royal Commission into Family Violence and rolled out more broadly since 2016.

The program contains strong messages of healthy relationships, violence prevention and control, which young people can relate to, regardless of their situation. The program has received criticism claiming it’s simply a repackaged version of the Safe Schools program. It runs concurrently with Safe Schools, which is now implemented in nearly all government secondary schools in Victoria.

Safe Schools programs are also run in one government school in the NT, 21 government schools in Tasmania and 24 government schools, 3 independent schools and 3 other educational settings in WA.

At the federal level, funding has been confirmed to make the John Howard-inspired school chaplain program permanent. The School Chaplaincy program is intended to support the social, emotional and spiritual well-being of school communities across Australia. This may include support and guidance about ethics, values, relationships and spiritual issues.

Federal discomfort with sex, sexuality and gender discussions

Scott Morrison has made a number of comments about LGBTIQ issues in his short time as Prime Minister. Morrison said schools don’t need “gender whisperers”, referring to an article which stated teachers were being taught how to spot potentially transgender students.

It has since been clarified teachers were being trained on how to support students if they identify as transgender, not to identify potentially transgender students.

Morrison has also brushed aside concerns about gay conversion therapy , and publicly stated he sends his children to a religious schools to avoid “ skin curling ” discussions about gender diversity and sexuality.

Other members of the Coalition have publicly echoed similar beliefs, including Tony Abbott and Tasmanian Liberal senator Eric Abetz who actively spoke out against voting “yes” in the same-sex marriage plebiscite for fear it would lead to a “ radical sex education program for schools ”.

A strong case for sexuality, gender and sex education

Gender and sexual diversity are part of the rich multicultural landscape of contemporary Australian society. But research indicates there’s significant cause for concern about gender-based violence and family violence. Education about respectful relationships was identified as a key way to combat this in the Royal Commission into Family Violence .

Likewise, current research about young people and sex, sexuality and gender diversity is alarming. There are still high levels of mental health issues (such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide) among LGBTIQ young people as a result of bullying, discrimination, and harassment at school and in the wider community.

The data indicate increasingly high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among young people are also a significant concern. Rates of chlamydia and gonorrhoea diagnoses in Australia are highest amongst people aged 15-24 years .

argumentative essay sex education should be taught in school

Regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, research indicates young people need to be reliably informed about safe sex. The ramifications of not doing so are far too significant. Research shows school-based sexuality education improves sexual health outcomes for young people.

Likewise, Australia has unacceptably high rates of family, domestic and sexual violence, while gender inequality permeates most aspects of society. This can be mitigated through reliable education about healthy relationships. Family, domestic and sexual violence is not a sign of a healthy society .

Read more: Young people want sex education and religion shouldn't get in the way

Sex, sexuality, respectful relationships, and gender all need to be discussed in schools as a component of a whole-school approach. This should not only include in-class education, but it should also be addressed in school cultures, policies and procedures, and in gender equity among the staff.

This is important because we need safe, inclusive schools that celebrate diversity. It’s also important to raise awareness among young people to mitigate family, domestic and sexual violence.

This article has been updated since publication to clarify that there are government schools in Victoria which run Safe Schools programs, and that the Building Respectful Relationships program is run concurrently, not as a replacement.

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In 2014, a study found that 93% of parents supported having sex education in middle school and 96% supported teaching sex ed in high school. A 2017 study again found that 93% of parents favored sexuality education in schools. These are not isolated results; decades of research support the benefits of comprehensive, inclusive sex education.

Comprehensive sexuality education is also supported by professional organizations such as the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, and the 184 organizations—including Power to Decide—who joined in coalition in May 2020 to support the Sex Ed for All movement. 

At the moment, 28 states (and DC) require some kind of sex education and HIV education and seven states only require HIV education. However, only 17 require that education to be medically accurate and 29 states require schools to stress abstinence . Because sex education in schools is legislated on the state (or individual school district) level, not the federal, the quality of what is taught varies widely across the country. The CDC’s 2018 School Health Profiles found that only 43% of high schools and 18% of middle schools taught ‘key’ topics in sex education. Some of the topics the CDC labels as ‘key’ include information on how to prevent STIs and unplanned pregnancy, maintaining healthy relationships, avoiding peer pressure, and using appropriate health services. 

The World Health Organization notes that the focus of sexuality education in Europe has shifted from preventing pregnancy in the 1960’s to preventing HIV in the ‘80’s to today covering these topics alongside such issues as sexism, homophobia, and online bullying gender norms, the sexuality spectrum, and emotional development. In contrast, a 2018 study reported that students in the US were less likely to receive sex education on key topics in 2015-2019 than they were in 1995. The same study found that only 43% of females and 47% of males who had penis-in-vagina sex covered safe sex in school before they engaged in sex for the first time. 

Truly comprehensive sex education includes, but isn't limited to:

  • Taught by trained sex educators. 
  • Begun early and progresses at an age-appropriate pace. 
  • Evidence-based. 
  • Inclusive of LGBTQ young people.
  • Explicitly anti-racist. 
  • Learner-centered. 
  • Community-specific. 

Sex ed that is for everyone includes (but isn't limited to) information about:

  • Healthy relationships.
  • Anatomy and physiology. 
  • Adolescent sexual development. 
  • Gender identity and expression. 
  • Sexual orientation and identity. 
  • The full range of birth control methods and pregnancy options. 

All young people have a right to this kind of high-quality, evidence-based information and care to ensure their lifelong sexual and reproductive health. Again , and again , and again both national and international research has found that young people who have experienced comprehensive sexuality education delay having sex for the first time, are less likely to engage in risky behavior, and are more likely to use birth control. 

Plus, beyond giving young people facts, inclusive sex ed provides skills such as effective communication, active listening, and the ability to make informed decisions that will help them to grow and live safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives.   

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Pros and Cons of Sexual Education Being Taught in Schools

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Published: Dec 16, 2021

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Works Cited

  • Chin, H. B., Sipe, T. A., Elder, R., Mercer, S. L., Chattopadhyay, S. K., Jacob, V., ... & Community Preventive Services Task Force. (2012). The effectiveness of group-based comprehensive risk-reduction and abstinence education interventions to prevent or reduce the risk of adolescent pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus, and sexually transmitted infections: Two systematic reviews for the Guide to Community Preventive Services. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 42(3), 272-294.
  • Kohler, P. K., Manhart, L. E., & Lafferty, W. E. (2008). Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy. Journal of Adolescent Health, 42(4), 344-351.
  • Lindberg, L. D., Maddow-Zimet, I., & Boonstra, H. (2016). Changes in adolescents’ receipt of sex education, 2006–2013. Journal of Adolescent Health, 58(6), 621-627.
  • Morgan, M., Gibbs, S., Maxwell, K., & Britten, N. (2015). Hearing children’s voices? Including children’s perspectives on their experiences of living with parental alcohol problems in assessments and reviews. Child Abuse Review, 24(2), 92-104.
  • Planned Parenthood Federation of America. (2021). Sex education: Get real. Retrieved from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/for-educators/sex-education
  • Santelli, J. S., Kaiser Family Foundation, & American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists. (2017). Sex education in America: A view from inside the nation’s classrooms. Journal of Adolescent Health, 61(3), 297-304.
  • Schalet, A. T. (2011). Not under my roof: Parents, teens, and the culture of sex. University of Chicago Press.
  • SIECUS: Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States. (2021). Comprehensive sexuality education. Retrieved from https://siecus.org/what-we-do/sexuality-education/
  • UNESCO. (2018). International technical guidance on sexuality education: An evidence-informed approach. Retrieved from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000263037
  • World Health Organization. (2010). Developing sexual health programmes: A framework for action.

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Opinion Front

Opinion Front

Sex Education in Schools Pros and Cons

Whether sex education in schools has more pros or cons is a never ending debate. Let's read arguments for both, pros and cons, in this article and hopefully you'll be able to take a stand.

Sex Education in Schools Pros and Cons

Whether sex education in schools has more pros or cons is a never ending debate. Let’s read arguments for both, pros and cons, in this article and hopefully you’ll be able to take a stand.

Sex education is one of the most controversial issues in education, that has been hovering over educational institutions since ages. It is probably the most debated topic, that will always have a divided opinion. Some people will always agree and some will always disagree. Try though everyone may, it is almost impossible to shrug off the responsibility of informing students about its importance. Problems like teen pregnancy and STDs rise due to unsafe sex, and one of the best ways to avoid it, is by educating the students about it. Let us see some pros and cons of sex education in schools in this OpinionFront article.

Most of us limit the scope of sex education by taking it at its face value. It is not just about sex. It involves other delicate issues like sexual health, sexual reproduction, sexuality and others that parents often feel awkward to talk about with their children. Hence, it becomes the responsibility and the duty of schools to take up this topic, and inform and educate the students about it as much as they can. However, this is almost never taken in the right spirit by parents and students themselves. They begin deliberation on the pros and cons of sex education in schools, and form an attitude towards it based on what they think is right. Let us see some of these arguments and then decide for ourselves.

Statistics show that more than 50% of American teenagers lose their virginity by the age of 17. It also shows that sex education in schools is well accepted by only 7% of American parents. The other 93% still consider it a taboo to talk about sex to their children, and resort to making up the ever popular stories of birds and bees. But do they stop for a moment and think that it is not the presence of sex education in schools, but its absence that has made the rate of teen pregnancy go up to such a high level? Given below are some more arguments for sex education.

Stress on Abstinence Most schools that do provide sex education, have an ‘abstinence is the best solution’ approach to it. They stress on abstinence as the perfect way to be totally free from any problems whatsoever, related to sex and sexuality. Which actually makes sense. We all believe that prevention is better than cure, so why not just wait for the right age to engage in sexual activity. The two most important things that you need to be sexually active, namely the mind and the body, are not fully matured when kids are in school. It puts them in grave danger, physically and psychologically. Hence stressing the importance of restraint and abstinence through sex education is a great advantage.

Birth Control Schools that don’t use the abstinence approach, prefer to go the ‘safe sex’ way. They have accepted the fact that the sexual activities of teenagers and even pre-teens cannot be controlled by a mere class taken in school. They know that the students have other resources thanks to the various forms and forums of information that are available today. So the schools would rather give them tips on how to engage in safe sex, by using appropriate birth control measures if they are sexually active, than preaching abstinence. They train them on using different methods of birth control, and also the dangers of teenage pregnancy.

Information about STDs It is only through education in schools, that students will get proper and honest information about sexually transmitted diseases. The grave dangers that these diseases pose to them, the physical and mental torture that they may have to go through if they fall prey to an STD, not to mention the social stigma associated with them, are well explained. This instills in the students a sense of responsibility that creeps out of fear for their health and life. As a result they behave more responsibly.

Though the pros may seem like very valid reasons to vouch for it, there are certain people who believe that sex is better left to be understood by teenagers themselves if at all, or worse, through unreliable sources. Hence, they strongly oppose the idea of sex education in schools. Let us see some of the arguments against it now.

Lack of Sincerity It is often seen that sex education is not taken seriously. Students tend to look at it as a subject of ridicule, and either don’t attend the classes, or if made compulsory, either engage in snickering and giggling, throughout. They seem to be aware of much more than the person who’s teaching them about it, thanks to numerous movies, sitcoms, and other media, propagating sex as a style statement. The sensationalizing of sex in school has reached such a level that teens will engage in sex, just to prove how ‘cool’ and ‘popular’ they can be. There’s little that sex ed can do for them. And it’s not just the students, but the faculty too. If they really want to take education about sex to a whole new level of understanding and importance, then they should have more than the customary classes that they do, and hire people who are trained and well informed to teach the students about it.

Religious Beliefs and Sentiments Many groups of people believe that when it comes to sex education, the cons outweigh the pros, for one very simple reason. They believe, beyond a doubt, that their children should not be exposed to something as crude as sex, in their school days because their religion does not permit it. It goes against their religious beliefs and sentiments, and they do not accept it, on principle. It becomes very difficult to argue with people when they bring religion to the forefront. And so, many schools prefer to leave this sensitive issue untouched.

Misinterpretation of ‘Education’ As opposed to ‘abstinence only’ education, when schools propagate safe sex, they run the risk of having their information misinterpreted by the students. We will all agree that we can listen to hours and hours of lecturing about any topic, but finally do exactly what we want. Unfortunately, it is the same with sex education. Students may listen to the lecturers going on and on about safe sex, but in the end, engage in unsafe sex. They will justify saying that they learned about it in school, and that if teachers did not want them to engage in sexual activities, they never should have brought up the topic in the first place. Curiosity can make them take foolish steps which they will undoubtedly regret later.

As you can see, the possibility of a consensus on the debate about whether or not sex education in schools is a acceptable or not is something that will take a while to happen. Until then, all we can do is hope that the children realize their responsibilities towards their bodies and towards their minds.

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The Pros and Cons of Sex Education in Schools Research Paper

Sex education pros and cons: research paper introduction, advantages of sex education, disadvantages of sex education, sex education cons and pros: debate, sex education pros and cons: conclusion, works cited.

Sex education in schools remains to be a controversial topic as various members of the community debate over its appropriateness. In theory, sex education aims at assisting children and youth in developing a positive view of their sexuality and gaining knowledge and skills that can help them to take care of their sexual health (Kirby 53). Hillier and Mitchell reveal that the contention around the issue arises as communities grapple over who should teach students about sex and how this learning should take place (211).

Its opponents express concern that comprehensive sex education may encourage pupils to become sexually active due to the exposure. Proponents of sex education, on the other hand, see factual knowledge about sex, contraception, and STIs as effective in delaying sexual initiation and reducing STIs. With these divergent views of sex education in mind, this paper will set out to highlight the pros and cons of sex education in school. The paper will authoritatively demonstrate that the merits of sex education outweigh its demerits.

The spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases in young people is mainly attributed to low rates of contraceptive use and the lack of information on safe sex practices. Juping reveals that school-based sex education has been documented to have some positive impact on knowledge of methods to prevent STIs and skills in using condoms by youths (188).

This revelation is corroborated by Hillier and Mitchell who acknowledge that prioritizing of sex education in Australia as a proactive response to the HIV pandemic has resulted in great success in deterring the spread of HIV (212). Sex education is therefore advantageous since youths who have it are less prone to HIV infection since they have the necessary information and skills to protect themselves.

Sex education offers practical knowledge such as how to use a condom and how to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Kohler, Manhart, and Yu Lafferty carried out a comparative study on the sexual health risks of youths who had received sex education with those who received no formal sex education (344).

The study revealed that while there was no significant reduction in the incidences of STIs in both groups, comprehensive sex education significantly correlated with fewer pregnancies. This is because sex education gives the youth the necessary skills on contraceptive use hence resulting in safe sex.

Sex education is structured in such a manner that it delivers factual information without instilling any moral values or judgments. A study by Vuttanont et al. on the sex education needs of teenagers in Thailand revealed that teenagers sought information on sex that was clear, non-judgmental and non-prescriptive (2078).

Such information is unlikely to come from traditional sources such as the family or religious organization. Sex education, therefore, gives the youth valuable and unbiased information which can be used to make complex choices regarding sex in the real world.

Sex education is essential for young people who come from cultures or families where the topic of sex is not openly discussed. Juping reports that sex is a topic too embarrassing to discuss at home in many cultures although the family is the primary means of the socialization of children and has a significant influence on adolescents (190).

Many parents are less likely to discuss sex-related topics in detail due to many factors including; limited sexual knowledge of parents, differing sexual values, lack of communication skills and parents not receiving sex education from their parents. In such a culture, the youth is forbidden to talk about sex and their only source of sexual information is their peers or television. For such youth, school-based sex education is a valuable source of sexual health and relationships information, and it will empower the youth to make good choices in the future (Selwyn and Powell 229).

Children and youth are curious and will want to gain knowledge about sex. Sex education provided in school is vital in addressing the knowledge gaps between different groups of young people with regards to matters of sex (Selwyn and Powell 219). Without this avenue, the young will resort to other sources of information which may not be as benevolent.

Vuttanont et al. theorize that Sex education is a useful tool for countering media and peer influences that otherwise shapes the youth’s mind on the topic of sex (2073). Teenagers who gain information about sexual intercourse from friends are more likely to adopt liberal sexual attitudes. On the other hand, those who gained the same knowledge from parents and teachers are less likely to engage in sexual activities (Juping 192).

A major demerit of sex education is that the material taught is mostly against the moral or religious beliefs that the students have been brought up with. As it is, sex education is provided within a secular context, and any moral or religious background of teaching is ignored. The reasoning behind this is that the role of sex education is not to instruct children not to have sex but rather to provide comprehensive and inclusive education on sex.

Religion plays a significant role in the lives of individual and research indicates that religious commitment and participation in religious activities results in sexual abstinence (Juping 191). Religion can, therefore, be seen to have a positive impact on sexual attitudes and initiation among the youth. Sex education, thus, undermines the influence of religious and moral values in guiding young people in matters of sex.

Sex education results in the acquisition of intimate knowledge on sex by youths who may up until then be uninterested or ignorant of the topic. For this reason, some of the conservative parents believe that there is no need for their children to understand sex until a definitive adult relationship is at hand (Vuttanont et al. 2078).

These parents think that sex education could indeed corrupt the student’s moral standing and incline them to engage in sex. This assumption is supported by Vuttanont et al. who revealed that sex education programs give students information which may result in sexual ideas and experimentation among some students (2070).

A compelling argument raised by opponents of sex education is that the provision of too much or the wrong kind of sexual education can destroy the innocence of the youth.

This is not an unfounded fear since as Hillier and Mitchell concur; comprehensive sex education includes teachings on abstinence, safe sex practices, homosexuality and sexual diversity (212). Since sex education is provided in a value-neutral environment, the youths lack guidance on the matter and are left to do whatever they want with the information provided.

As can be seen, there are many valid arguments both for and against sex education. However, most of the opposition to sex education is based on the assumption that once young people are made aware of sexual possibilities, they will immediately and without restraint indulge in sexual activities. Hillier and Mitchell note that this paternalistic belief has persisted despite being disapproved by multiple research findings. Research by Kirby suggests that sex education does have a significant effect on sexual behavior or outcome.

As such, the students are not at risk of experimenting with sex due to the sex education they receive (53). In spite of the disadvantages of sex education revealed herein, this education empowers the youth and helps them reach better decisions concerning sex. The discussed provided in this paper have demonstrated that sex education results in adolescents acquiring useful skills that help alleviate the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases as well as teenage pregnancies.

This paper set out to discuss the pros and cons of providing sex education to students. From the discussions held herein, it is evident that sex education has advantages as well as disadvantages both to the individual students and society at large. However, this paper has demonstrated that the merits of providing this education far outweigh the demerits.

This paper has shown that the commonly held perception that sex education leads to sex is unfounded and should therefore not be used to justify objection to sex education. From this paper, it can be authoritatively stated that holistic sex education is crucial for the youth since it results in better choices on sex being made.

Hillier, Lynne and Mitchell Anne. “It was as useful as a chocolate kettle’: sex education in the lives of same-sex- attracted young people in Australia.” Sex Education , 8 (2), 211–224, 2008.

Juping, Yu. “Sex education beyond school: implications for practice and research.” Sex Education , 10(2), 187–199, 2010.

Kirby, Douglas. “Effective approaches to reducing adolescent unprotected sex, pregnancy, and childbearing.” J Sex Res , 39 (1), 51–57, 2002.

Kohler, Paul. Manhart Leonard and Lafferty Edgar. “Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy.” Journal of Adolescent Health , 42 (1), 344–51, 2008.

Selwyn, Neil, and Powell Eryl. Sex and relationships education in schools: the views and experiences of young people. Health Education Volume 107 Number 2 2007 pp. 219-231.

Vuttanont, Uraiwan et al. “’ Smart boys’ and ‘sweet girls’—sex education needs in Thai teenagers: a mixed-method study.” Lancet , 368 (1), 2068-80, 2006.

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Persuasive Essay Sample: Sexual Education in School Should Be Revised

Everyone cares about their safety and health. With age comes more responsibilities as teenagers develop into adults. Adolescents are expected to make choices regarding their bodies, yet they are not receiving the resources and education needed to make those decisions. Traditional sexual education needs to be revised to help teenagers flourish into adulthood with confidence. Sexual education should be updated to the modern world and taught to all secondary schools to uphold safety; additionally, working for LGBTQ communities to be included and educated beyond abstinence. 

Teenagers who have a complete sexual education are at an advantage with their health and safety. Sex education was introduced in the early 1900s to reduce sexually transmitted diseases (“Education”). This suggests the importance of having sex education to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and keep the body healthy. According to “Sex Education and Abstinence,” “Thirty-nine states, plus Washington, D.C., require sex education and/or HIV education in schools. But only 18 states mandate that sex and HIV education be medically accurate”. This would propose the schools recognize the need for HIV and sex education to be taught to adolescents, yet, not all of the states require sex ed, so countless students are left in the dark and, unfortunately, defeats the purpose of having sex education. According to “Sex Ed Programs in America Need Revising,” “Twenty-eight U.S. states do not even require sex ed to be taught.” The significance of this is that the education that the youth are being taught is not factual, which sets them up for failure later in their future. Providing kids with a complete sex education will allow them to grow more comfortable with their bodies, have healthy perspectives on their sexuality, and make more responsible decisions corresponding to their bodies. Sexual education allows teenagers to have knowledge on the prevention of sexual diseases and to obtain utmost safety. Undoubtedly, technology is used for sexual activity, and teenagers do not know the harm that could cause them. Not to mention, the information the kids do not get in the classroom about sex ed comes from online instead (“Ed”). Interpreted another way, this means that without proper education, teenagers are left curious and look to other resources to answer their questions; therefore, many teens still have unrealistic expectations about their sexual relationships. Another reason sex education needs to be updated, fifty-four percent of teens have admitted to sexting (“Ed”). One can conclude that technology has become a piece of modern equipment for many individuals, so teenagers need to be taught safety about the internet when it involves themselves and a partner. In comparison to keeping adolescents safe from sexual technology, it is equally critical to keep adolescents safe from the risks of fatal complications due to the age of giving birth (“Education”). The significance of this is that female adolescents are in danger because of accidental pregnancies, yet pregnancies can decrease if teens know more about contraceptives and the importance of condoms or safe sex. In addition to decisions, the health risks of teen birth are immense and teenage pregnancy intensely impacts the teens’ future career goals and education. Since the United States has some of the highest accidental pregnancy rates, more futures are at stake (Straub). The importance of this is the increasing future's put at risk means the nation's future is at risk. After all, children are the only chance society has to fix the world's future. The usage of technology is a modern-day routine, so adolescents need to be taught how to safely be on the internet when involving sexual relationships. 

Although new sexualities are being discovered and accepted in society, LGBTQ sexual education is not implemented into most sexual education. A current study shows around nine million Americans identify as a part of the LGBTQ community, with being either gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (“Ed”). Statistics like these reveal the need for sexual education to be updated to make the LGBTQ community present in schools, so all students have the sex ed they need. The current sex education does not recognize the needs of LGBTQ students, which in return, the LGBTQ students are overlooked in the classroom and are at higher rates of risk for various health outcomes (Greenburg). Interpreted another way, this means that LGBTQ students are not receiving the education that suits their lifestyle and, in return, are left in the unknown about their bodies and healthy sexual relationships. With the absence of LGBTQ sexual education in schools, many young LGBTQ members are left uninformed about their health, and the understanding of their bodies (Oliver). This is important because young adults are not receiving the proper education about their bodies but are expected to make acceptable choices regarding their bodies and relationships. This demonstrates how LGBTQ students are trapped to fail when it comes to making decisions about their futures. According to Nation School Climate Survey, only 8.2% of students received LGBTQ sex education; however, this information does not startle many individuals for LGBTQ sex ed is mandated in a minority of U.S. states. Rather than progress to educate the youth in LGBTQ sex education, other states are passing laws against it and causing the educators to do the opposite (Oliver). It is salient to notice how certain states are blocking information that should be instructed to teenagers for a safer and healthier lifestyle. Therefore, these states are holding back proper sexual education and show how biased sex ed is to LGBTQ. Five states allow negative information on homosexuality to be taught, while some schools favor heterosexuality and put it in a positive light (Oliver). This suggests that teens are taught to acknowledge heterosexuality as the only correct way to live. In return, the teens who are a part of the LGBTQ community are left out and have low self-esteem and self-identity. Hence, the request to put LGBTQ sex ed into regular sex education is as prime as teaching heterosexual students about their sex ed. 

Some people believe that teaching the youth abstinence-only education is the only sex ed needed. The parents or adults in the adolescent's life should be the ones to include comprehensive sex ed as they see fit, and religion plays an equally important role as well. However, teaching adolescents comprehensive sex ed will allow teenagers to grow psychologically independent and grow as a person. Knowing about the body will empower the youth to make decisions for themselves and allow independence. If adolescents understand how the body works, the need to turn to dangerous sources to satisfy curiosity will decrease. Educating the youth about sexual relations will help to satisfy any curiosity and reduce sexual risk behaviors. Research shows abstinence-only education does not delay the initiation of sexual activity, so teaching teenagers about sexual relationships would cause no harm or make the teenagers sexually active. Even though people believe abstinence-only education is the best education, teenagers need a complete sexual education to allow psychological and physical growth as an adult. 

Additionally, abstinence-only education does not achieve the goal of preparing the youth for adulthood. Research shows that safe sex information withheld from students by teaching abstinence-only education can cause harm by promoting dangerous stereotypes, condemning teens, and preserving systems of injustice (Greenberg). States with the usage of abstinence-only programs have elevated rates of teen pregnancies and correspond with inflated rates of sexually transmitted diseases and infections (“Teenage”). Research suggests teenagers' who have full coverage of sex ed are fifty percent less likely to have unwanted pregnancies than students who have an abstinence-only education or no sex ed at all (Rawley). Statistics like these reveal the importance of real sex education and why abstinence-plus education needs to be the revised sex-ed all students are taught. According to “Sex Education and Abstinence," “The Board of Education in Texas expands its sex education standards, for the first time in more than two decades, to allow the teaching of birth control methods to middle school students.” This indicates that schools have acknowledged the need for change in sex education and are willing to do more than just abstinence education. Studies indicate that sex education that includes emergency contraceptives has reduced teen pregnancies and avoided 51,000 abortions in 2000; however, students who received poor sex ed are at higher risks to contract an STI (Rawley). One can conclude that having a complete sex education compared to poorer sex-ed is better when making decisions about the body and health. Abstinence plus education is the foremost choice to teach the youth about their body and healthy sexual relationships that will be encountered in their life. 

Ensuring safety and health combined with incorporating LGBTQ communities and educating further on abstinence is more than enough reasons to update and teach sex ed globally. Those who had sex ed are responsible for their health in the future, and healthy citizens create a healthy nation. Therefore, sex ed needs to be updated and taught to all secondary schools globally. The new generation of cultivated adults is accountable for their children's health and their future health. Society is enhanced by merely giving its youth quality sex ed.

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Georgia GOP senators seek to ban sexually explicit books from school libraries, reduce sex education

FILE - Books sit on shelves in an elementary school library in suburban Atlanta, Aug. 18, 2023. A Georgia state Senate committee on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, advanced a proposal that would require school libraries to notify parents by email of every book a child obtains. (AP Photo/Hakim Wright Sr., File)

FILE - Books sit on shelves in an elementary school library in suburban Atlanta, Aug. 18, 2023. A Georgia state Senate committee on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, advanced a proposal that would require school libraries to notify parents by email of every book a child obtains. (AP Photo/Hakim Wright Sr., File)

argumentative essay sex education should be taught in school

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ATLANTA (AP) — Republican senators in Georgia want to cull sexually explicit books from schools, ban sex education for younger students, display the Ten Commandments in classrooms and allow religious chaplains to counsel teachers and students.

The measures, which passed Senate committees Wednesday, could spark contentious debate ahead of a key legislative deadline next week. Many of them mimic measures passed in other states, part of a broad GOP effort to reshape education.

It’s not clear if the bills would be favorably received in Georgia’s traditionally more moderate House. But even if they don’t pass, they will give Republican senators a chance to display their conservative stripes in an election year where some could face primary challenges.

Here’s a look at the measures, each of which will go to the full Senate for consideration:

Students walk down a hallway at a high school in Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006. In 2024, bills in the Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri and West Virginia legislatures would require public school students to watch a fetal development video similar to one created by an anti-abortion group. The proposed legislation mirrors a law passed in North Dakota last year. (Scott Morgan/The Hawk Eye via AP)

SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS

Public schools would be banned from acquiring any materials that depict sex acts after Dec. 1 under Senate Bill 394 , dubbed the “Clean Libraries Act” by its sponsor, Senate Education Committee Chairman Clint Dixon.

“It has to do with sexual content in books,” said Dixon, a Buford Republican. “Heterosexual, homosexual, any of that, we don’t want to expose our kids to any of that when they’re minors.”

The measure passed by the Education Committee would ban distribution of any sexual materials to students in sixth grade and below and restrict them for seventh grade and above. At least some materials deemed necessary for teaching could be accessed by older students with written parental permission.

The rules would apply to books, videos, sound recordings, websites or other electronic material. “Materials of great religious or historical significance” may be exempt if they don’t “portray sexually explicit material in a patently offensive way.”

The measure would create a council to set standards and restrict materials.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR LIBRARIANS

Senate Bill 154 , also passed by the Education Committee, would subject K-12 librarians to criminal penalties if they violate state obscenity laws. Current law exempts public librarians, as well as those who work for public schools, colleges and universities, from penalties for distributing material that meets Georgia’s legal definition of “harmful to minors.”

The bill makes school librarians subject to penalties only if they “knowingly” give out such material. The sponsor, Republican Sen. Greg Dolezal of Cumming, says Georgia shouldn’t have a double standard allowing for the prosecution of teachers for obscenity but not librarians down the hall.

The bill was amended to let librarians argue that they should be exempt from prosecution if schools review every item in a library for obscenity. Sen. Ed Setzler, the Acworth Republican who offered the amendment, said the measure “creates an incentive for schools to scrub their libraries.”

SEX EDUCATION

School districts could drop sex education and students would only be enrolled if parents specifically opt in under Senate Bill 532 , which the Education Committee also passed. Dixon’s measure would ban all sex education in fifth grade and below. It would keep the requirement for age-appropriate sexual abuse and assault awareness and prevention education.

“This bill protects our kids and keeps our children from premature education on sexual topics for children who are 10 to 11 years old or younger,” said Chelsea Thompson, a lawyer for the Christian conservative group Frontline Policy Institute.

Currently state sex education standards call for little explicit discussion of human reproduction below eighth grade, although second graders are supposed to learn the names of all body parts and “appropriate boundaries around physical touch.” Fifth graders are supposed to learn about puberty, and most mandated sex education happens in a high school health course.

The bill would require the state Board of Education to set new standards and let any school district refuse to teach sex education. Instead of the current parental opt-out system for sex education, it would be opt-in.

SCHOOL CHAPLAINS

Public schools would be able to use chaplains under Senate Bill 379 , which passed the Government Oversight Committee. Chairman and bill sponsor Marty Harbin, a Tyrone Republican, said chaplains provide an outlet for conversations that students don’t feel comfortable having with counselors.

“We need good, sound counsel sometimes, or just a friend to talk to. Isolation is a real problem today,” Harbin said.

The bill would leave it to school districts to decide whether to hire chaplains or accept volunteers, and to determine qualifications for chaplains. Democrats expressed concerns about qualifications for chaplains, as well as whether they are appropriate for schools.

“How are we going to verify that these chaplains are prepared for secular spaces?” said Sen. Nabilah Islam Parks, a Democrat from Duluth.

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

The Government Oversight Committee also advanced a bill that would ban the spending of public money on the American Library Association . Sen. Larry Walker III, a Perry Republican, has said Senate Bill 390 is needed because he believes the association is a “radical, left-leaning organization.” The move comes among other attempts nationwide by Republicans to cut ties to it.

Walker amended his original bill to let Valdosta State University continue paying for ALA accreditation for its master’s degree in library science after university officials warned that losing accreditation would wreck the program and drive students out of state. Walker had also originally proposed to abolish state certification for librarians, but his amended bill shifts certification to the Georgia Council of Public Libraries.

TEN COMMANDMENTS

The Government Oversight Committee also advanced a bill that would add the Ten Commandments to the list of historic civic documents schools are encouraged to display, alongside texts like the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address.

“To be ignorant of the Ten Commandments is actually to be uneducated, because they are a foundation of all law,” said Harbin, the sponsor of Senate Bill 501 .

The measure enshrines the text of the Ten Commandments found in the Protestant King James Version of the Bible. Other Christian and Jewish texts have different versions.

Harbin said displaying the precepts would encourage virtue: “These have been hidden to us, to a great degree, and from our people and from our students.”

JEFF AMY

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