Is Sex Ed Really Necessary? – 3 Reasons Why the Answer is Yes

From the desk of …

Adelaide Dickens, SRAS

It is inevitable that we will hear “Why do we have to learn this?” at least once, if not multiple times from each class we teach. Because students are often skeptical about the necessity of sex education, we often find ourselves defending the “why” behind our program. As parents, it is also important for you to understand the why behind the program you are trusting to educate your children. Here are three of the main reasons why it is important and necessary for students to receive a good, sexual-risk-avoidance education.

1. It Promotes Optimal Health

Optimal health goes beyond simply aiming for the absence of disease but seeks to attain “the best possible health outcomes” using a holistic approach (Optimal Health). By educating students about not only their reproductive anatomy but also positive character and healthy relationships, we are equipping them to better understand and therefore make better choices about their health and future. Educating students about their own reproductive anatomy empowers them to better understand and care for their health.

2. Students are Exposed to Sexually Explicit Media at an Increasingly Young Age

A recent report revealed that due to the rise of social media and the access kids have to it, “70% of young people aged 16–21 have seen pornography before the age of 18, up from 64% in 2023.” (Childhood Rates of Porn Exposure Rising) The same report found that over a quarter of participants reported being exposed to porn as early as age 11, and some even reported being exposed at age 6 (Childhood Rates of Porn Exposure Rising). In addition to these exposures happening at an increasingly younger age, the report found that the exposures are also happening accidentally. According to the survey, 59% of children “stumbled upon porn without intending to”, and the majority of those exposures happened on social media sites, not adult sites (Childhood Rates of Porn Exposure Rising). With the risk of students being exposed so early, it is imperative they have a good foundational education to prevent them from falling prey to the other risk behaviors associated with adolescent porn consumption.

3. It Gives them Immunity from False Information

Teaching middle and high schoolers, we hear a lot of misinformation and myths that students have heard and believed. However, as educators, we are able to correct these false assumption in real time in the classroom. By opening the conversation around these topics and creating a safe environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, we are able to dispel the previously held false beliefs students have about sex and related topics in an age- appropriate manner. This also provides a framework for students to evaluate new information and reject what is false.

These are just a few of the many reasons why we believe what we do as SRA Educators is necessary and beneficial for the health and well-being of our students and their communities.

Refrences

Office of Population Affairs. Optimal health. U.S. Department of Health & Human

Services. Accessed April 16, 2024. https://opa.hhs. gov/adolescent-

health/optimal-health#Overview

Childhood Rates of Porn Exposure Rising - Fight the New Drug