Sex Education in Public Schools

[honeychile]

I'm 100% in favor of sex education in ALL schools. While I'd like to say that parents should fulfill that role, and teach their children all about sex, they either are too embarrassed to do so, or are too uneducated themselves. In all honesty, I've told my own mother more about the physical aspect of sexual intercourse than she ever told me - and she was as thorough as she knew how to be.

We had serious sex education from 5th grade through 11th. We were taught on an age-appropriate level, and were told about birth control and STDs. By 9th grade, we had to know how to properly insert a diaphragm or use a condom for our grade (on models, not ourselves!). Anyone whose parents were against them hearing anything about abortion could be excused from that part - but I think hearing about exactly what happens with the different types of abortions is too informative to not hear - and this is from someone who is very much pro-life.

Students need to hear that especially the female body is designed to procreate, and what happens to various parts of the anatomy during sex. Once someone realizes that, it becomes easier to understand the importance of using one method over another, and to become more aware of her own body.

As for the parents, I think their role is to actively reinforce the emotional and spiritual side of sex, and to be open for questions. If they can't answer them, their duty as parents is to find out the right answers, even if it means discussing it with a school counselor.