example of argumentative essay about sex education

Sex Education Essay: Argumentative Essay Sample

At What Age Should Sex Education Be Introduced at Schools?

Introduction

Sex education has vital importance for preventing teen pregnancy and sex-related risks, and providing kids with the knowledge of the proper sexual behavior. While sex education should be introduced in schools, it is also critical that parents educate their children about sex before school even begins. Therefore, sex education should be introduced to children at the earliest age, providing children with information which corresponds to their needs at a certain age. In addition, sex education at schools should be introduced as early as possible, ensuring children’s healthy sexual development.

Parental Role in Starting Sex Education at Home

Sex is a sensitive topic that, as a rule, is not usually discussed by parents with their children. Parents may often feel uncomfortable when asked by their children about how children are conceived and born and other related topics. It is essential to communicate with children regarding sex and name things as they are from an early age, making them understand what may not be appropriate when interacting with other children (“When Is the Right Age to Teach a Child Sex Education”). This should be done as soon as a child goes to kindergarten and is exposed to communication with other boys and girls.

The Benefits of Early Sex Education

While parents should start educating their children as early as possible, there are debates regarding the age at which sex education should be introduced at school. Some parent groups consider that sex education should not start until grade 5 or 6. At the same time, others believe that this should start earlier. Namely, grades 3 and 4 should be suitable for giving students more knowledge about sex and their bodies (Walsh). This would decrease the chances of facing negative effects of the lack of knowledge about the topic for children.

There are numerous reasons why sex education is relevant from an early age. First, it helps children understand their bodies and not be surprised when their bodies start changing during puberty. Second, children will not be ashamed of discussing sex-related topics and not make rude jokes in their groups (Walsh). Third, students will be aware of the risks and negative effects that can arise in the case of improper sexual behavior. Lastly, they will be introduced to safety measures and ways to avoid damaging situations that can harm psychological health of children which can also affect their adult life. Therefore, children will possess sufficient knowledge about the required behavior and will become competent in understanding their bodies and sexuality.

Sex education is also critical considering the exposure of children to media where messages related to sex may not be clear to them. In this way, without necessary knowledge, they can misinterpret the messages of a sexual nature presented in the media and develop incorrect ideas about their bodies. This is especially relevant when it comes to images shown in media representing the bodies of men and women, which are often believed to be role models for children, especially girls, which can later result in eating disorders and low self-esteem.

Finally, sex education should begin in early childhood, with parents giving children an understanding of their bodies and sexuality. Sex education at schools should begin as early as possible, starting in grade 3 or 4, introducing the primary concepts of sexual development. In this way, sex education can help children be more confident in their sexual development and apply safety measures to avoid risks and negative effects of early sexual activity.

Works Cited

“When Is the Right Age to Teach a Child Sex Education.” Punch Newspapers, Punch Newspapers, 4 Feb. 2017, https://punchng.com/right-age-teach-child-sex-education/. Accessed 23 Jan 2019.

Walsh, Jenny. “Sex Education Needs to Begin Earlier.” Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations, Mar. 2013, https://www.afao.org.au/article/sex-education-needs-begin-earlier/. Accessed 23 Jan 2019.

Writing Sex Education Papers Assistance from Pro Writers

Sex education has always been a sensitive topic for discussion. Parents and teachers aren’t always ready to answer children’s questions about sexuality, childbirth, and marriage. These topics are crucial for healthy and timely development of kids. In the sex education essay above, one of our writers insists that sex education should be introduced to children as early as possible. If you have a different view on this topic, you can compose your own argumentative essay on sex education in public schools and use our text as a starting point. We also kindly ask you not to copy our sample, as it’ll be considered plagiarism!

Our blog has many helpful articles that can help you to solve various writing problems. For example, if you have difficulties with picking a topic for your argumentative essay, we offer you to check our list of sex education paper topics. You’ll find more than 100 topics there!

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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, Peter DeWitt provides insights and advice for education leaders. Former superintendent Michael Nelson is a frequent contributor. Read more from this blog .

Should Sex Education Be Taught in Schools?

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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?

The opinions expressed in Peter DeWitt’s Finding Common Ground are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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

Please try again

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.

English Composition 1

Sample eng 1001 persuasive essay with sources.

The essay below is an example of a persuasive essay that uses supporting material from online sources and that cites and documents the material correctly according to MLA standards.

The essay is not perfect (for example, the writer could more effectively address the opposing point of view). However, the essay does illustrate well how to use supporting evidence from sources (both paraphrases and quotations), how to cite the information from sources, and how to prepare the Works Cited page. Notice as well the types of sources used in the essay.

        Sex education is important, but many students finish sex education classes with a distorted view of sexuality and without a good understanding of contraception and safe-sex practices. Instead, children only learn that they should not have sex until they are married. Abstinence-only programs in public schools have become popular because of a law giving millions of dollars to schools that teach the programs. These programs have the good intention of persuading young people to wait until marriage before having sex, but abstinence-only programs are not achieving this goal and are flawed by the distorted and biased perspective that they promote.

        In 1996, the United States government passed a law giving funding to states that offered abstinence-only programs in public schools. Since this time, over half of a billion dollars has been given to states to promote abstinence-only programs (Brody). To receive the money, schools must agree to follow a set of rules. The rules indicate that a school�s abstinence-only program must have "as its exclusive purpose teaching the social, psychological, and health gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity" ("Impacts"). Students must be taught that they are likely to suffer harmful effects if they have sex before marriage. They also must be taught that the "expected standard" is for school-age children not to engage in sexual activity and for adults to engage in sexual relations only within marriage ("Impacts"). Schools receiving the funds must teach students that they should "just say no" to sex until they are married. The schools are not allowed to teach students about safe sex and "may not mention contraception except to point out the failure rates of various methods" (Brody). Some states have refused the federal funds so that their schools can determine their own ways to teach sex education, but 43 states participate in the program. With millions of dollars from the government every year, many schools now promote abstinence. They offer abstinence-only programs with encouraging titles such as " ReCapturing the Vision ," " Teens in Control ," and " My Choice, My Future! " ("Impacts"). They encourage students to sign virginity pledges vowing not to have sex until marriage, to proudly wear their "purity rings," and to carry their ATM ("abstinence till marriage") cards (Kelly). These programs encourage students to develop a strong sense of self and to avoid the negative consequences that might result from sexual activity, but there is a problem: abstinence-only programs do not work.

        Studies show that abstinence-only programs do not reduce sexual activity by young people. In 2007, the United States Department of Health and Human Services released a study of abstinence programs. This government-funded study involved more than 2000 students. The authors discovered that "findings from this study provide no evidence that abstinence programs implemented in upper elementary and middle schools are effective at reducing the rate of teen sexual activity several years later" ("Impacts"). The authors concluded that "youth in the [abstinence-only] programs were no more likely to abstain from sex" than students not in the programs ("Impacts"). In addition, "among those who reported having had sex, program and control group youth had similar numbers of sexual partners and had initiated sex at the same mean age" ("Impacts"). Apparently, students did not benefit from all of the effort and the millions of dollars that have gone into these programs. Another study by Peter Bearman of Columbia University shows that "88 percent of middle and high schoolers who pledge to stay virgins until marriage end up having premarital sex anyway" (Kelly). He adds that "the bad news is that they are less likely to use contraception the first time they have intercourse" (Kelly). Dr. S. Paige Hertweck, a doctor who contributed to an American Academy of Pediatrics report on teen sexual activity, states that "teaching abstinence but not birth control makes it more likely that once teenagers initiate sexual activity they will have unsafe sex and contract sexually transmitted diseases" (Preschel). In abstinence-only programs, students are taught to "just say no" to sex. They are not taught the information that they need to know about safe sex and contraception if they later choose to say "yes," as many of them are doing.

        Abstinence-only programs also promote a distorted and biased view of sexuality. To receive funding, schools must follow the rules in the law for teaching abstinence-only programs. One of the rules is that students must be taught that the "expected standard of sexual activity" is a "monogamous relationship in the context of marriage" ("Impacts"). An estimated 88 to 99 percent of Americans have sex outside of marriage ("Many Who Pledge"), yet students must be taught that having sex only within marriage is "the expected standard." The rules also require that students be taught that having sex outside of marriage "is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects" ("Impacts"). Approximately nine out of ten Americans have sexual relations outside of marriage. Do most of them suffer "harmful psychological and physical effects," as the government has determined that students must be taught? The law presents a distorted view of sexuality, along with a biased view. In 2006, the government updated the funding guidelines to state that, in abstinence-only programs, marriage is defined as a legal union between a man and a woman as husband and wife, "which advocates worry will further alienate gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender adolescents and shape an education program that dismisses the sexual health concerns of those teens" ("New Abstinence-Only Guidelines"). All students should benefit from sex education programs. Student Hunter Kincaid suggests how abstinence-only programs discriminate against gays and lesbians: "'As a gay student, I thought [the abstinence-only class] was ridiculous,' he says. 'Abstinence until marriage for people who can�t even get married'" (Kelly). A sex-education program should help all students make good decisions about sexual activity. It should not promote an unrealistic standard of behavior, should not promote a particular definition of marriage, and should not discriminate against some students.

        Sexual activity by young people is an important concern. In an ideal world, maybe everyone would wait until marriage before having sex and would then remain in a single, monogamous relationship. But this is not the reality. It might be a good goal to try to convince young people to wait until marriage before having sex, but taking this approach alone to sex education is not working. After ten years and a half of a billion dollars in federal funding, abstinence-only programs have not had a positive impact on the sexual behavior of teenagers. The programs may even cause harm because of the distorted and biased views that they promote and because of the information about safe sex and contraception that they do not teach. It is time to put an end to abstinence-only programs and to give students more comprehensive sex-education programs that better prepare them for the future.

Brody, Jane E. "Abstinence-Only: Does it Work?" New York Times , 1 June 2004, www.nytimes.com/2004/06/01/health/personal-health-abstinence-only-does-it-work.html.

" Impacts of Four Title V, Section 510 Abstinence Education Programs." Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , 13 April 2007, https://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-report/impacts-four-title-v-section-510-abstinence-education-programs.

Kelly, Katy. "Just Don't Do It!" U.S. News & World Report , 17 Oct. 2005, pp. 44-51. Academic Search Complete , http://ezproxy.ivcc.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=18516558&site=ehost-live.

" Many Who Pledge Abstinence at Risk for STDs: Study: Teens Who Remain Virgins More Likely to Take Other Chances." NBC News, 15 Mar. 2005, http://www.nbcnews.com/id/7232643/ns/health-sexual_health/t/many-who-pledge-abstinence-risk-stds/#.WAjNrYWcGUk.

"New Abstinence-Only Guidelines, Funding Increase Denounced." Nation's Health , vol. 36, no. 3, April 2006, p. 7. MasterFile Premier , http://ezproxy.ivcc.edu:2048/login?url=http:// search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=21372967&site=ehost-live.

Preschel, Jill. "Docs Pan Abstience-Only Sex Ed." CBS News , 5 July 2005, www.cbsnews.com/news/docs-pan-abstinence-only-sex-ed/. 

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SEX EDUCATION ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Sex education should be included in schools or the education system by the government's department of education. Sex education teaches and gives us factual and more information on human sexuality, gender identity, human anatomy, and such. Hence, the unfavorable and harmful consequences of a lack of sex education knowledge will be reduced and prevented.

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Haqq Samiul

Many administrators have been greatly warned, if sex education is relevant as a course to be taught in schools who to handle it , the effect it has on the society, the pupils/students and if the introduction of the course will make pupils/students become juvenile delinquent in the society. In recent time, it has been discovered that most of our schools problems will be possibly removed with the inclusion of sex education in the primary /secondary school curriculum since the school, as an institution is supported to guide the pupils/students by given them the knowledge about sex matters. According to Fakunle (1986), he defined sex education as a process of making the individual develop a positive and wholesome attitude towards sex. It is also a process that will enable the individual to enjoy his or her life fully developing into a responsible member of the society to which he or she belongs for the child to develop as positive and wholesome attitude towards sex. There is the need for a thorough explanation of how their bodies work and how to protect them from immoral people.

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Sex is a very sensitive and personal topic. Public discussions on sexual matters is considered as a shameful experience, especially in India. Most of us do not talk openly about the topic in front of our elders; while some of the others, don't even know about the whole concept of the sexual intercourse. Talking about sex is becoming more normalized because of the technological interventions and also because more people are becoming aware of it. Sex Education have actually paid a very important role behind it. The real purpose behind sex education is the transfiguration of a male child into their manhood and female child into their womanhood. Sex education provides knowledge on physical, social, moral, behavioral and psychological changes and developments during puberty. It teaches the adolescents about their roles, responsibilities and attitudes in family and society. Due to increasing incidents of sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS, sexual crimes and teenage pregnancies, t...

International journal of adolescent medicine and health

Information regarding pubertal development, sex, pregnancy, and contraception should be provided to children and adolescents in an age-appropriate manner from parents, health care providers, and schools. This article reviews the medical literature on school sex education programs, adolescents' perception of these programs, and the role played by the media, parents, and health care professionals in sexual education of teens.

Indian journal of medical ethics

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Article History Received: 02.10.2018 Accepted: 10.10.2018 Published: 30.10.2018 Abstract: The concept of sexuality education has been a topical issue and its inclusion in the school curriculum has generated and is still generating a lot of interest in Nigeria. The controversy around sexuality education stems from the fact that most people do not have an accurate understanding of what sexuality education is all about and the benefits that could be derived from it. Sexuality education is an education and moral process designed to assist young people in their physical, social, emotional and moral development as they prepare for adulthood, marriage, parenthood and ageing, as well as their social relationship in the sociocultural context of family and society. Functional education, a major factor in the development process, to be relevant, must help appropriately an individual to understand his/her own culture and integrate into the other cultures, foreign or local, for the proper enhanc...

Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research

A. BAckground Sex-related issues are often prohibited subjects for discussion in India [1]. This restriction can be seen to extend into the education system also. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are the most common incidences worldwide, which are exceeded only by di-arrhoeal diseases, lower respiratory tract infections and malaria [2]. Sexually transmitted infections (STI) rank among the top 5 conditions for which sexually active adults seek health care in the developing countries (NACO). There is enough evidence to suggest that the early diagnosis and the treatment of STIs/RTIs which include behaviour change through education amongst the target groups, reduce the transmission of STIs/RTIs. Various de-terminants increase the adolescents' vulnerability to poor sex-ual health, which includes their demanding physiology, societal norms and gender imbalances. However, the lack of access to comprehensive information concerning the sexual health, prob-ably remains the key factor...

Public Health

Pamela Gillies

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The Importance of Sexual Education Essay

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Personal Sexuality

Sexual education has an integral role in removing one’s doubts on sexuality and sex related topics. It has often been identified that sexual education helps one to get a clear picture of the male and female sexuality. The sexual counseling and orientation class that I received was really effective in taking away the veil of sexual illiteracy and it enabled me to understand what human sexuality is. Regarding my personal experience with the class, I can identify it as one of the most effective classes which I ever attended and it helped me in changing my concepts about sex. As it was a class that covered almost all the sections of sexuality, the participants got the opportunity in properly identifying and clarifying their doubts on this topic. It was effective to get a clear picture of sexually-transmitted diseases and their evil effects on mankind. The proposed paper is an attempt to explore what sexuality is and the misconceptions of individuals about sexuality, based on personal experience of attending an orientation class on sexuality.

Researchers show their willingness to reach the conclusion that misconceptions and vague beliefs about sexuality contribute severe physical and mental disorder and behavioral problems. Various studies prove that effective orientation courses and sex education programs help to solve sexual problems and permit a person to mould a desired outcome in a person’s sexual life. The course promotes enormous knowledge and scientific information about sexuality in adolescence. In case of an adolescent, physical and mental changes affect seriously. In case of a male, biological changes such as puberty, growth of sexual organs and sexual attractions towards opposite sex are very common. In my own personal opinion the orientation course helped me to create scientific notions about sexual difficulties and sex-related diseases. The course helped me to deal sex as something serious and responsible phenomena in a person’s life. The web article entitled Sexual Difficulties remarks that; “Sexual difficulties belong to the group of conditions known as psychosomatic disorders, in which the body expresses the distress via a symptom, such as low libido.” ( Sexual Difficulties, p. 1).

Adolescent period is the most crucial time in a person’s life and the detailed description by the course person gives new knowledge about the behavioral changes and disorder problems. Both male and female suffer from lack of love, consideration, respect and proper interaction. Like other people, I also have some vague concepts about sexual changes and psychological impacts on a person’s life. After the orientation course I could understand more about male and female anatomy and their psychological impacts. Through the course I have got an opportunity to comprehend the term gender problem. Effective interaction between the course person and the listeners reduced the complications of the topic and it enabled me to admit sex is not only a means of enjoyment and merrymaking but a vital part of the process of human growth.

Like any other student, I was also not an exception and I had kept a false illusion over sexuality. One of the prominent lessons that I learned during the classes was about the gender issues. As I am one of the members of the male chauvinist society, I had formed my concept of sexuality with male possessing dominance. These classes planted in me the seeds that sexuality is a positive and healthy experience in which man and woman have equal roles. It was the class that cultivated in me the due respect to my opposite sex and I began to regard them equal to me. Understanding of female and male sexual anatomy and physiology helped realizing the genital change and growth in male and female. The transitional period of male and female from adolescence to youthhood is always problematic to children that their ignorance often leads them to mental and physical disorders. Some of the studies have identified children becoming depressed caused with the lack of sexual education. But it is possible for one to say that sexual education is always effective. The words of Dr. D Kirby, et al. make clear this fact when they rightly comment thus, “…there can also be many negative consequences of adolescent sexual behavior.”(Kirby, et al ). Now I am capable of recognizing the real physiological problems of children. I have also understood the ill-effects of prostitution and sexually transmitted diseases.

The course which I attended says how the relationship between partners can make a stronger one. They are of the opinion that if the partners build up a good communication with each other along with a good sexual relationship they can lead their life happily. While going through this class I realized that it is only by making a deep communication I can make my family relationship an ardent one. In the relationship with my partner I find some dissatisfaction because we are not always sharing our likes and dislikes. I think it is because of this there is a great gap between us. Now there is no good relationship between us because there is no deep communication between us. But after attending this class I understood about the relationship between the male and female sexual anatomy and how deep love and communication can help to make a good relation with my partner. I also got a good idea about sexually-transmitted diseases and what all difficulties will be there in the sexual relationship and by hearing the solutions I tried to change my attitudes toward my partner. Earlier I was not concerned about my partner’s wish or difficulties but now I care my partner and I try to understand the difficulties which my partner faces and in the coming days I will take care to make our relationship a success. I understood from the class that if there is a true love between partners and if they try to understand each other one can make their life a fruitful one.

The course gave a lot of valuable information about how to lead a happy and peaceful married life and what are the ways to attain such perfection. The course mainly focused on to have an understanding about the good and bad effects of keeping a sexual relation. The course gave comfortable contents which every one can put into practice. First of all the good content I consider is keeping a deep love and communication between the partners. This information is enough to lead a happy life, because if these two are put into practice there will be no clash and quarrel between the partners in sexual matter. For instance if one does not reveal his or her dissatisfaction about the manner of the partner in sexual relation, it will make a silent pain in the mind of the dissatisfied person and this will lead the person to be in a great hatred to his or her partner and thereby the relation too. So there should be a healthy communication and a kind of ardent love between the partners to avoid such hatred and other similar situations. The other comfortable content I found in the course is the description and discussion of male and female anatomy and physiology as it helps both the partners to understand every likes and dislikes of the other and can mingle with the other in an appropriate way. The discussion about sexual difficulties and solutions are also comfortable as it is highly favorable to know the causes of such difficulties and also the methods to solve those problems. The most important content I found in the course is the discussion about sexually transmitted diseases as it will create awareness among the people who keep different relations. So it will play a crucial role to change such attitudes and thereby the relation. These are the comfortable contents that I found in the course and are valuable to lead a better life.

Male and female anatomy and physiological features constituted more important knowledge for me. Each male and female has his/her own physical and genetic features. Comparing the physical changes of female in adulthood, female development is too fast and noticeable. I think one of the most valuable one is that the course provided proper awareness about inevitable relationship between physical growth and psychological changes. The given information helped me to know more about the structure of both male and female physical organs, especially the various changes of genital organs and their biological functions. The knowledge about opposite sex enabled me to respect persons from opposite sex. Childhood sexuality and its significance in development process were highly thought-provoking areas of the discussion. Genetic abnormalities and various sexual diseases are not familiar topics for me. Jane Coad and Melvyn Dunstall write “There are genetic conditions that result in a range of variable sexual development, such as Klinefelter’s syndrome and Turner’s syndrome.” (Coad, and Dunstall, p. 100). The course and orientation programs were helpful to number of people who have only some vague knowledge about personal sexuality.

To conclude, one can infer that there should be attempts to educate children on sexuality and the human body. From my personal experience of attending the class on sexuality, I have understood the importance of sexual education as it helps students to understand persons of their opposite sex. Proper understanding of male and female anatomy and physiological features is important in one’s life. Attending such classes remind one about the significance of a healthy sexual relation and its role in promoting better life situations. Scientific information about sexuality and the transition in the adolescent period also assumes significance. Male biological changes such as, puberty, growth of sexual organs and their sexual attraction to their opposite sex are quite common and if one is totally ignorant of these facts he/she may face some mental stress or in some cases it may lead to mental depression. Regarding sexual relation in married life, one can see that sex and sexual satisfaction have integral roles. Failure in understanding his/her pair in sexual relationship often leads to the ruin of family relationships. So, one is sure of the fact that sexual education has an elite role in one’s life. Proper sexual education should be given to children to avoid sexual illiteracy and sexual crimes.

Works Cited

• Coad, Jane., and Dunstall, Melvyn. Anatomy and Physiology for Midwives . Elsevier Health Science. 2001. Web.
• Kirby, Douglas., etal. School- Based Program to Reduce Sexual Risk Behaviors: a Review of Effectiveness . Public Health Report, 109. 3(1994): 339-360. Pub Med Central Journal List. 2009.Web.
• Sexual Difficulties. Andrology Australia.2006.
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4Tests Blog

Sex ed in schools: the arguments for and against.

Some other reasons that the article pointed out —words of the GMP to follow:

• “Abstinence-only programs may be putting our kids in danger. Not only do abstinence-only programs fail to reduce the number of teens having sex, they’ve also even been proven to deter kids who are sexually active from using protection, like condoms. Now take into consideration that in any given year, one in four young people will contract an STI and one in four new HIV infections happens among people ages 13 to 24. Even more shocking, 50 percent of people will have contracted an STI before the age of 24. Do we really think it’s a good idea to continue programs that deter teens from using protection?
• “Parents tend to be terrible at teaching kids how to use contraception and need help from trained professionals. It’s super important for parents to talk to their kids about how to use condoms and other forms of contraception. But parents often don’t have all the correct information and instructions, and therefore aren’t able to give their kids the skills they need in order to stay healthy. That shouldn’t stop parents from talking about healthy sexuality and contraception, but it’s a reminder that kids should have trained professionals giving them the most up-to-date and effective information on how to prevent pregnancy and STIs.
• “Values about sex can be taught at home, but facts should be taught at school. As parents, we have the duty and right to pass our values about sex onto our kids. If part of your family’s values system is waiting until marriage for sex, that’s fine. But schools should be teaching programs that prepare all kids to have healthy and happy lives, and give them facts that will help keep them safe. Your kids can learn about safer sex and contraception and still choose to practice abstinence with your guidance from home.
• “There are great programs that emphasize abstinence and prepare students with information about contraception and preventing STIs. Programs that combine abstinence-until-marriage information with recommendations for condom and contraceptive use are shown to positively impact teens’ sexual health and behavior by pushing back the age at which they first have sex, as well as reducing pregnancy and STI rates. It’s really the best of both worlds.
• “Very few people will actually wait until they’re married to have sex … even conservative Christians. As much as we want to believe that the traditional value of reserving sex for marriage can be effectively passed on to future generations, studies show that 95 percent of people do not wait until they’re married to have sex. Even among Evangelical Christians, one of the most conservative groups in the United States, more people are having sex outside of marriage than not. A full 80 percent of Evangelicals report having non-married sex and churches are starting to catch on by encouraging safer sex. I know we want to believe that our kids are special, but are you really willing to risk the health of 95 percent of our nation’s young people in order to try to hang on to a personal value that only applies to the very, very few?”

The full text of the article can be found at this link , and it’s well worth the read as the writer makes some good points that are hard to refute. However, the alternative side to this — and one worth considering in a topic with as many significant repercussions — are the reasons why you SHOULDN’T demand greater amounts of sexual education. Before getting into these, let it be known that these are not points of agreement or disagreement for us, just a counterpoint for why many parents are so unwilling to relinquish this aspect of parenting.

Firstly, it makes it easier to skirt responsibility.

The Good Men Project article is right in one regard. Parents are pretty bad at teaching their kids about sex-ed, but that doesn’t mean they lack the tools to do it. Giving up this aspect of parenting makes it easier for mom and dad to skirt responsibilities they really shouldn’t be skirting as parents. Children who can have “the talk” with their parents tend to feel closer to their parents and they have a greater desire to respect that relationship through their actions. By turning the responsibility over to schools, parents are effectively creating an unneeded barrier between themselves and their children, and that makes it that much more difficult to parent in other areas.

Secondly, sex-ed could give the state more control than they should have. 

The Good Men Project does not fail to mention the values aspect of sexual education, but it does take a naive view of it. Teaching sex and teaching values regarding sex are difficult to separate. Part of the reason we don’t have comprehensive sexual education in all 50 states is that states do a rather poor job of teaching “just the facts”; they have a tendency to incorporate their own set of values into the discussion, and that can attempt to override what the parent teaches at home. In America, it is a parent’s right to raise their child as they see fit, provided that it is within reason. But when it comes to sex, no one can clearly identify “reason.” It shouldn’t be the job of a publicly funded institution to tell kids what they are to believe.

Thirdly, demanding sexual education can place an unfair burden on teachers. 

There is already a sense throughout the U.S. that teachers have too much responsibility. Politicians seldom hold parents accountable for their child’s education. They have given Mom and Dad far too many benefits of the doubt, and that has created a situation where teachers aren’t simply expected to teach; they’re also expected to be disciplinarians and parents in spite of the fact that many don’t have parenting experience. By putting the sexual education of a child on the teacher’s back, the government creates just one more unrealistic expectation for the job. Worse, it entitles politicians and regulators to feel like they can dump whatever they wish on faculty without oversight.

Finally, teaching sex-ed to a child at home is not as hard as a parent might think. 

A more fitting workaround if one insists on regulating sex-ed in schools would be to provide parents with the materials for teaching sexual education to their kids and keeping teachers out of it. Chances are, parents already have the knowledge they need anyhow to have a fact-based discussion about sexual activity. After all, they have been through pregnancy and childbirth, and they are able to reflect on the decisions they have made — what they did right and what they could have/should have done differently.

While there is certainly a need for greater sexual education in the United States, it’s also important to note the statistics. The teen pregnancy rate has already been dropping for quite some time (the early ‘90s to be exact), and it recently hit an all-time low. Is the need for proper sex-ed really imperative in light of such numbers? There is a sense that things are not really broken, so why “fix” them?

But what do you think about mandating sex-ed in schools? Do you think it’s something that parents should support, or do you think that it’s high time parents were asked to have responsible discussions with their children regarding this phase of life? Sound off in the comments section below.

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Sex Education In Public Schools Argumentative Essay Sample

Type of paper: Argumentative Essay

Topic: Students , Public , Sex Education , Teenagers , Youth , People , Family , Parents

Words: 1650

Published: 2021/03/24

Introduction

Over the years, one topic has always been at the forefront of education and that topic is sex education being taught in public schools. This topic has only two sides of it, those who are in favor of it because of the lessons that it teaches and those who are against it for the simple fact that sex education is the parent’s responsibility. Both sides of this argument have very good points about the importance of sex education being taught and where it should be taught, those who are for sex education being taught in public schools argue that children not only benefit from sex education being taught in school but the preparatory lessons that they learn will prevent them from going out and making mistakes such as having children too early. The opposition argues that sex education being taught in public schools can misconstrue a child’s conception of the body and make them want to have sex despite the consequences that away them, they also argue that parents should be the ones that teach the child sex education; the public schools have nothing to do with nature or the natural order of things. However, what the both sides do not realize is that children are at the center of the argument. If an agreement is going to be made then both sides must be willing to do what they have to do for the greater good, the greater good being the children. Furthermore, both sides must be willing to compromise a little bit of their beliefs in order for everyone to benefit and be happy.

This paper will discuss both sides of the argument for the greater good.

Why teaching abstinence only is not that effective As most parents know, teens are going to do whatever they want to do unless they are told about the importance of why they should not do it. Teaching abstinence only in public schools will be effective for some because there will be at least 95-114 students who will decide that having sex during their times in high school or public school is not worth it, being knowledgeable about becoming another statistic would carry weight for those who decide that having sex before they are ready is not worth it to them no matter how many of their friends are doing it. Jesse Merriam an associate for Constitutional Litigation state that “Delivering a message of abstinence will only provide young people with questions without answers, it is not enough to be abstinent but explaining why they should be works better” (Merriam, 2007). Teaching young people in public schools how to properly use condoms, practice safe sex and how to prevent getting STDs will send the right message. Young people need to know and feel (as is their constitutional right) that their public school system care enough about them to teach them the important things which means teaching them sex education, teaching them how to be prepared if the opportunity arises, showing them that their bodies are nothing to be ashamed or afraid of. It is the public school system’s civic duty to teach sex education because even if the parents do not ever get around to it or it is too much of an awkward conversation then the public school system should provide a back-up plan for their students, it can be argued that young people in some public schools are robbed of the opportunity to learn sex education early and they do not learn it until college from random friends. This is clearly the wrong approach because learning about sex education later could doom a lot of college students and pre-college students. Public schools should teach a comprehensive lesson on the do’s and don’ts of sex education as well as teaching the importance of abstinence, both lessons will benefit young people versus if it was just abstinence alone which is not effective.

Public school responsibility or not

The opposition says that teaching sex education in public schools is not the public schools responsibility because it is supposed to be taught off the school’s clock which means they do not bear any responsibility for what young people in public schools do and do not know about sex, it can also be said that teaching sex education in public schools is a waste of school funding which it is not. The more public schools ignore the concept of teaching sex education, the more their student retention rate drops which means less students means less students graduating from public schools. Dr. David Wiley & Dr. Kelly Wilson, professors at the University of Texas authors of the article Just Say Don’t Know: Sexuality Education in Texas Public Schools, state that “Sex education have to already be a part of the school curriculum in order for it to be taught to students of all ages” (Wiley & Wilson 1). It is like the Texas Public Schools are making it their business not to teach sex education unless it was something that they voted on, the precedence of this issue and the students does not matter to them or the opposition. I personally believe that every public school in America owe it to their students to teach sex education because there are so many young people with questions that do not ever get answered, public schools teaching sex education owe it to their students to answer these questions because the knowledge they attain will benefit them and future generations. It is a known fact that a little less than 69% of high school students between the ages of 14 to 18 have sex at least several times throughout their time attending public school, one-third of those students have contracted and are living with a permanent STD due to lack of information about sex education. A little less than 20% of students in high school have sex before the age of 18, 1 in 6 of those students have impregnated more than one girl. Rita Diller, author of the article Sex Education, Why it is wrong state that “Teaching sex education in schools go against the school’s constitutional rights to teach “important” subjects” (2010). The statistics suggest otherwise, young people are doomed to live with regrettable mistakes such as abortion and pregnancy.

It is young people’s fault that they lack sex education knowledge

Lack of sexuality education has often left young people in public schools having to go behind their parents’ back in order to hide a secret pregnancy or abortion, the opposition feels that young people in public schools do not have any business having sex before they are mature enough to grasp the concept. The real reality of it is that young people would not be in the position that they are in if they were properly taught sex education as well as how to handle themselves in a sexual situation, it can be argued that peer pressure is not the issue. Priscilla Pardini, author of the cover story Abstinence only Education continues to Flourish state that “Teaching only abstinence will make young people have sex more, but ensuring that they have the right tools is everyone’s responsibility” (Pardini, 2003). Teachers and administrators will say to parents that sex education is not important enough to be taught in public schools, many parents who live with their child becoming young parents early disagrees. Administrators and teachers are the reason why so many young people in public schools are becoming young parents because they are not making young people needs first which should always be the case. Susan Lang, the author of the article Abstinence Only in Sex Education: Is it really the best choice, state that “Sex education in schools should be made mandatory because too many young people are getting pregnant, sex education prevents this from happening” (1999). I know that most Americans are embarrassed when it comes to talking about sex, but this behavior is not helping young people because we are taking away their ability to live their lives free of the pressures of early parenthood. As parents and knowledgeable adults, we owe it to our young people to educate them on the values and importance of sex and abstinence. More and more young people are not finishing their education because they are too busy being full time parents, some parents will argue that it is not their fault when in fact, it is. Young people count on adults, parents and teachers to educate them about life, those who turn their back on that responsibility are responsible for every young person that is a young parent.

Safe sex, what is the harm?

The opposition believes that having safe sex or teaching safe sex in public schools might drive those students to have sex even more. Therefore, to completely prevent that, only abstinence only programs should be taught so teens do not get pregnant and have children long before they are married. Also, the opposition believes that having sex only exists in the heart and mind of those who have heard about it from other people or their friends which is not true. Young people especially those between the ages of 15-18 watch pornography over at a friend’s house, they are doing this because their parents as well as school staff have made it so they should not even think about sex or even talk to them about possibly wanting to have it. Being taught safe sex is the way to prevent pregnancy or living with a lifelong STD, parents telling their children not to have sex is not going to make them not want to; it is the parent’s and the school’s responsibility to keep children informed about these issues. I remember back in the 1990s, schools used to have a guidance counselor that would kids could talk to about all kinds of issues that they were having; it can be argued that it was not effective. Elizabeth Boskey, graduate of Hopkins University and writer of the article Top 10 Reasons to Support Comprehensive Education in Schools state that “Sex education is a powerful tool that will prevent many young people in public schools from living lives of ignorance, misinformation and being shielded from the truth, the opposition is doing more harm than good” (Boskey, 2014). Parents and teachers call themselves protecting their children from the truth which they think will hurt them, but not telling your child the real truth about sex education and sex is the thing that is going to hurt them the most. Also, the hidden truth is going to be detrimental to their future because they will always wonder what their lives could have been if only someone cared enough about them to tell them the truth. Ignorance and sex education do not mix, young people are at the center; they need to be the focus not what adults should not be telling them.

Even though both sides of the argument hold different views about this argument, a middle ground has been established by both sides and everyone benefits. The answer to this would be for the opposition and anti-opposition to work together to openly to share their knowledge of abstinence and practicing safe sex in order to foster an open-minded environment, an environment where children are free to ask questions where they are treated like they are mature enough in order to handle the answers to those questions. Pam Chamberlain, senior researcher and member of the editorial board of Public Eye state that “Abstinence is not the only thing that young people in public schools should be told about, being taught safe sex should also be on the venue because young people in public schools deserve to know” (Chamberlain, 2008). With both parties working together, they will be the saving grace of every single non-dating teenager and pre-college student; even those who are not quite at that age. Children would be able to freely express how they feel about the issue and parents would be allowed to express how they feel about it as well. With the agreement by both sides in place, everyone is happy and neither side is feeling more powerful than the other.

Chamberlain, Pam. "Abstaining from the Truth." Public Eye 1 Jan. 2008. Print. Lang, Susan. "Abstinence Only in Sex Education: Is It Really the Best Choice?" 1 Jan. 1999. Web. 27 Mar. 2015. <http://www.englishcompandlit.com/halloffameexploratorylong.html>. Diller, Rita. "Sex Education: Why Is It Wrong?" American Life League. 8 Jan. 2010. Web. 27 Mar. 2015. <http://www.all.org/article/index/id/NTc3MA/>. Merriam, Jesse. "Why Don 't More Public Schools Teach Sex Education? A Constitutional Explanation and Critique." William & Mary Journal of Women and the Law 13.2 (2007): 539-40. Print. Wiley, David, and Kelly Wilson. "Just Say Don't Know: Sexuality Education in Texas Public Schools." 1.1 (2009): 1-2. Print. Pardini, Priscilla. "Abstinence-Only Education Continues to Flourish." Rethinking Schools. 1 Jan. 2003. Web. 27 Mar. 2015. <http://www.rethinkingschools.org/sex/Abst172.shtml>. Boskey, Elizabeth. "Top 10 Reasons to Support Comprehensive Education in Schools."About Health. 1 Jan. 2015. Web. 27 Mar. 2015. <http://std.about.com/od/prevention/tp/toptencompsexed.htm>.

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Home — Essay Samples — Education — Sex Education — Pros And Cons Of Sexual Education Being Taught In Schools

Pros and Cons of Sexual Education Being Taught in Schools

• Categories: Public School Sex Education

About this sample

Words: 655 |

Published: Dec 16, 2021

Words: 655 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

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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An Analysis of John Gatto’s “Against School”

How it works

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Gatto’s Critique of the School System
• 3 The Historical Context
• 4 The Role of Teachers and Students
• 5 Personal Anecdotes and Practical Implications
• 6 Broader Implications and Contemporary Relevance
• 7 Conclusion

Introduction

John Taylor Gatto, who’s well-known as a teacher and writer, takes a hard look at the American education system in his essay “Against School.” Using stories from his own life, historical facts, and some deep thoughts, Gatto says our schools kill creativity, push everyone to be the same, and don’t really help kids grow intellectually or personally. This essay will dig into Gatto’s main points, see if his evidence holds up, and talk about what his critique means for today’s education practices.

Gatto’s Critique of the School System

Gatto kicks off by saying the school system we have is broken at its core. He thinks schools are more about making obedient citizens than independent thinkers. He brings up historical figures like H.L. Mencken and Alexander Inglis to back up his point, saying schools are designed to create a population that’s easy to control. This is a pretty big claim and goes against the common belief that schools are good for everyone. Instead, Gatto suggests they have hidden motives tied to social control.

The Historical Context

A strong part of Gatto’s essay is how he sets his critique in a historical setting. He traces back compulsory schooling to the Prussian model, which the U.S. took up in the 1800s. This model was all about obedience and sameness, which Gatto believes clashes with democratic values. By putting his arguments in this historical light, Gatto makes a strong case that the problems in education today aren’t new. They’ve been there since the start.

The Role of Teachers and Students

Gatto also looks at what teachers and students are supposed to do in this traditional system. He thinks teachers often end up as just rule-followers who can’t really inspire or engage their students. And students? They’re seen as passive receivers of info, not active learners. Gatto says this setup not only makes education worse but also stops kids from developing critical thinking and self-reliance.

Personal Anecdotes and Practical Implications

In his essay, Gatto shares personal stories from his teaching days to back up his arguments. He talks about times when kids did really well when they were allowed to follow their own interests, away from the strict curriculum. These stories make his critique more relatable and show the possible good outcomes of a different kind of education. Gatto’s experiences hint that a more flexible, student-focused approach could be more meaningful and effective.

Broader Implications and Contemporary Relevance

Gatto’s critique goes beyond just classrooms and touches on bigger societal issues. By pushing conformity and obedience, the current school system might be making people more passive and less likely to question authority. This is a big deal for democratic societies, which need informed and active citizens. Gatto’s points are especially relevant now, in a world that’s changing fast, where critical thinking and adapting to new info are super important.

John Gatto’s “Against School” is a deep dive into the big problems with the traditional education system. He questions the usual roles of teachers and students and digs into the historical roots of compulsory schooling. Gatto makes a strong case for rethinking and changing how we do education. His essay not only points out what’s wrong with the current system but also suggests a more dynamic, student-centered way of learning. As our society keeps changing, Gatto’s insights are still important for teachers, policymakers, and anyone who cares about the future of education.

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