Every child has been there: watching what seems to be a harmless movie with the family and then it happens, the most awkward thirty seconds, or what seems like thirty minutes, of your entire life. Two actors having sex on scene, and your parents are watching too. Every second seems longer than the last one until, finally, the scene is over and everyone can breathe again. 

It is common to feel uncomfortable when the topic of sex is brought up, the few times it ever is. It is common to giggle or blush when people use the word "condom" or "intercourse." It is even common to avoid the topic in all situations possible. What many people fail to realize is that it is also common to have sex. Although this is an incredibly awkward topic of discussion, it is so normal and should be treated that way. No more "birds and the bee's," no more strange class demonstrations, sex education needs to consist of many things in order to prepare young adults, but most importantly, it has to consist of the facts. Sexual education should be taught in stages similar to all other core subjects in the middle school and high school curriculum. 

Although sex is a difficult topic of discussion, it is not only a basic human instinct but necessary for human survival. Like hunger and thirst, there is a time in each person's life where this innate instinct is triggered, primarily because the main function of sexual intercourse is to reproduce. From the time children begin puberty, the body starts changing in ways that make reproduction possible. Without this act, human kind would go extinct. Although saying this is very dramatic, it does not make it any less true. Information about sex is invaluable; and as Debra Hauser, the President of Advocates for Youth puts it "lifesaving information" (Sanoff, 1). Sex education should be treated as normally as other subjects, holding it to a different standard does not make sense. Although the exact criteria of each sexual education course should be discussed, it is immensely important that at least the life-changing topics be taught. There are 20 million new sexually transmitted infections in the United States alone every year, sadly, "young people between ages of 15 to 24, account for 50% of all new STDs, although they represent just 25% of the sexually experienced population" (11 Facts About Teens and STDs, 1). Although some sexually transmitted infections are curable, there are some adolescents that make an uninformed choice during an impulsive decision and end up paying for it the rest of their lives. While sex education will not prevent the spread of all sexually transmitted infections, it will allow all students to make informed decisions. Also, it will allow all middle school and high school's to be confident in the fact that they gave their students all the correct information and how students apply it is no longer in their hands. It is imperative that school's do everything in their power to protect the health and well-being of its students- and implementing a serious sex education program is the first step. "Sex education," says Hauser, "is held to a completely different standard than classes like English or math," which is especially confusing, considering that far more people need to know how to prevent pregnancy in their adulthood than how to find the supplement of an angle (Sanoff, 1). Considering how incredibly normal the act of sex is, it is shameful that sex is an awkward topic when it should be freely discussed in a healthy environment.

Furthermore, it is naive to believe that if students are not taught about sex, they will not learn about sex. Unfortunately, there are many other ways of accessing information about sex by using the internet. The question needs to be considered: would sex education be better if delivered by professionals in a classroom or through graphic pornography on the internet. This may seem like a drastic comparison, but evidence says otherwise. According to a "survey of 11- to 18-year-olds, almost a third believe pornography dictates the way you should behave in a relationship" (Barnett, 1).  This not only means that young adults believe that the way the actors in pornography portray scenes of intercourse is normal, it also causes the belief that it is expected to act in these unrealistic ways. Many girls think they have to "look and perform like porn stars" in order to be liked by boys (Barnett, 1) according to evidence the National Society to Prevent Cruelty to Children found. This also can be applied to males exposed to this type of information on sex, the scenes are unrealistic when the viewer has knowledge of what sex realistically is, but to the uninformed young adult these scenes not only give misinformation, but also can cause many feelings of insecurity and inadequacy.  

In addition, not only is pornography unrealistic, it almost never shows the actors considering putting on protection, much less discussing it. This is the main problem of students getting information about sex from the internet, if they do not know to ask about protective measures against pregnancy or about the other person's health how are young adults expected to be protected from such dangers? While Emma Barnett, author of "Sex Education Is More Important Than Ever," was researching the topic, one response from a teenage boy really stuck out: "My teachers couldn't talk about sex properly and my parents never went near the subject so I learnt everything I know about sex and relationships from online porn I watched on my mobile phone" (1). When the only information some students have access to about sex is pornography on their personal cell phone, it is evident that it is time for a change. 

It is a fact that middle schools and high schools are not even meeting the lowest requirements of sex education. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that "less than half of U.S high schools and only one-fifth of middle schools are meeting the CDC's recommendations for educating kids about sex" (Quinn, 1). These numbers are concerning but the actual education curriculum in schools that do provide "sex education" is even more disturbing. While only "twenty-two" of the fifty states in America "mandate sex education, only 13 require the information to be 'medically accurate'" (Sanoff, 1). So, although students may be receiving an education, the information still may not be accurate. Because sex is such a controversial topic, it makes sense that people want to promote their own views but it is more important that "people, especially young people, have access to good accurate information" and additionally, school's need to "promote tolerant, inclusive attitudes towards everyone regardless of their sexual preferences or orientation" (Silver, 1). It is imperative that there is no shaming of any student of middle school to high school age, but even more essential that regardless of personal beliefs, all students are receiving medically correct information to make informed decisions about sex. Abstinence-only education, although promoting the safest way to prevent pregnancy and STI's, does not stop all young adults from having sex. Students that are exposed to sex education have "more factual knowledge" than those who are not, and also students that are sexually active who receive sex education are "more likely to use contraceptives" (Rosoff, 52). It is impossible to stop all young adults from having sex, but it is possible to prevent the dangers of having sex if proper and complete sexual education is mandated. 

Abstinence. This is the concept that can blur the lines between accurate sex information and promoting personal bias in sex education teaching schools. Abstinence is very effective on preventing all the dangers of having sex, but it is unrealistic especially when students get to high school. Although all sex education curriculum should highlight that abstinence is a very safe and recommended option, all teachers should highlight that it is just that, an option. Teenager's are going to make mistakes, although school teachers should do their best to prevent this, it is much more important to prevent mistakes that will have a life-long effect. Abstinence-only education can be delivered properly, but when it is not the negative effects it can have are frightening. A strategy for many "abstinence-only" school's is to scare students into abstinence. Giving false information about "effectiveness of contraceptive methods" or "inaccurate information about abortion" and contain little to no information "about safe sexuality practices such as using contraceptives or testing for STI's" (Peter, Tasker, Horn, 108). It is not right to use fear tactics to teach young people about something that schools should provide enough information to be the least scary encounter that it can be. In addition, abstinence-only education uses judgment as a tactic to detour students from sexual activities. There are many outlets for discussion of personal beliefs, whether it be the internet, a church group or outside organization. The decision to stay abstinent is a choice and should be taught as such. In addition to the effects it could have on students, abstinence-only education is not effective to keep students from having sex. The effect different types of sex education can have on students been studied and examined many times and according to the authors of "Parents' Attitudes Toward Comprehensive And Inclusive Sexuality Education," "Rigorous evaluative studies on the effectiveness of abstinence-only sexuality education programs have shown that these types of programs are not effective in delaying sex for a significant amount of time, decreasing number of partners, or preventing teen pregnancy or STIs." Although, abstinence-only education may detour some students from engaging in sexual activities, the students that are sexually active are going to not only feel frightened, but judged as if they did something wrong when following their personal wants, needs and beliefs. This "moralistic curriculum blurs science and religion" lacking correct information and "instilling homophobic attitudes and sexual shaming" when really sex education should be as simple as it sounds, just about sex (Peter, Tasker, Horn, 110). 

Furthermore, technology has changed the world of education, and the world of sex. The sex education curriculum needs to keep up with these changes, while simultaneously fixing its old flaws. Sex education needs to begin before students are facing decisions regarding sexual health. In other words, sexual education should begin in the first year of middle school, or around age ten. Lessons should be taught "age-appropriately and delivered intelligently, sensitively and carefully" (Barnett, 1). Students just beginning middle school are still so young, but the problems of sexuality will soon be prevalent in their lives. Sexual health should be introduced much earlier, giving students at that age level information on things that will effect them presently and in the near future. Sexual health should be taught similar to other subjects, to benefit students at their particular age. For example, in history classes, students of age ten are not taught about the detailed horrors of World War II and shown graphic pictures of internment camps, they are taught history of that time in a way that is factual, yet, much less detailed and explicit. Sex education should be taught the same way, beginning with the simplest concepts of how body's and mind's are changing and continuing on to more advanced topics as students get older. By this type of curriculum, young adults will have the information they need to make informed decisions based on their own beliefs. As Barnett mentions, "Sex is coming into children's lives today whether we like it or not. It's invading their existence with absolutely no context; no mention of loving relationships, respect and consent," and without these topics being introduced in school before students start taking part in sexual activity it is possible that sex without love, consent and respect will become much more common. As children mature, they need age-appropriate information and this is crucial because according to Hauser, "When you look at all of our Surgeon Generals recently, they have been really clear that in order to create a healthy sexual nation, we have to teach young people the skills they need as they age" (Sanoff, 1). This also allows for sexuality to be treated as something normal and positive, instead of shameful and worthy of judgment. 

In addition to teaching the basics and conveying the most important information on prevention of spread of disease and precautions to take to prevent pregnancy, sex education in schools can have many more positive effects. Sex is more than just a physical act, "Sex education should [be] more than about the absence of disease -- it should be framed around how you can live a healthy sexual life. So it's disturbing to see schools aren't even hitting those most basic benchmarks" (Quinn, 1). There are so many other components of sexual health that need to be addressed. Young adults need to be taught that there should never be pressure to have or not to have sex, that it is a very personal choice. Sex education can cover how important consent is, and under what circumstances does "yes" truly mean "yes." Additionally, it is important to stress that sex is a part of life, and it should be enjoyed while still being safe (Barnett, 1). 

Moreover, sex education's purpose is to help better the lives of students, not promote promiscuity, take time away from other school subjects or oppose religious beliefs. The role of sex education in middle schools and high schools is not to persuade teenagers to act any certain way. It is believed that implementing a program of sex education at such an early age may teach students to disregard what they were taught by their parents or by their religion (George), but this is not the purpose of an effective sex education. The goal of this education is not to "force parents ...   to send their children to classes that may contradict their moral and religious values on matters of intimacy and personal conduct" (George, 1) but to simply display the facts necessary to lead a healthy sexual life, whether the students are sexually active or not. Statistically speaking, most people at some point in their lives have sex, but more often are around the social pressures to have sex. Sex education should not lead an "abstinence only" curriculum, but it also should and will not promote sex if done carefully and professionally. Although the belief that teaching students about sex makes it seem like it is enabling, "research evidence clearly does not support this belief. Instead, research has shown that sex education does not increase premarital sex but may increase the more responsible use of contraception among young people who are sexually active" (Marsman, Herold 358). Parents are right to be concerned, this is a very sensitive topic to many people and within many families, but if students are going to engage in sexual activity it is of the utmost importance that they know what they are doing, what the decision to have sex really means and hopefully because of the knowledge they obtain, make the 

Finally, this is an issue that needs to be addressed now, there are many places in the United States that not only need updated sexual education courses, but sex education courses in general that supply all students with correct, relevant information. Sex education "has not been updates in thirty years" (Murray, 1) and this is before internet and the media changed the perception of what a normal and healthy sexual relationship is. There are many states, especially in the south (referred to as the "bible belt") that do not take sex education seriously and therefore their students are suffering the consequences (Quinn, 1). Sex education needs to continuously be updated, and it is important it is done as soon as possible because of the influence of media and the internet.

Sex sells. Sex is everywhere. No matter what movie a family is watching, there is almost always an awkward sex scene that everyone watches, motionless and preys that it ends soon. So, if sex is everywhere, why is it such a hidden and awkward topic? This problem can be solved by letting sex be normalized. Sex is something that almost every person is going to experience and it should be talked about as normally as driving safety. Because both having sex and driving a car can be life threatening, it is important not to withhold information from any person. If you want a student to be safe in a car, you teach them to wear a seat belt. If you want a student to have safe sex, you teach them to wear a condom. If sexual education is introduced at a young age and delivered carefully, sex would no longer have to be a topic to avoid but a lesson that was learned in school to keep all students safe.  This would eliminate the awkward lessons in front of a classroom of giggling children, end the dreaded talks between parents and children about a natural life experience, and finally when that one awkward sex scene comes on when watching a movie with the family, it will no longer be a long silence waiting for a commercial to break the tension. 

