Although far more people need to know how to prevent pregnancy in adulthood rather than how to find the supplement of an angle, sex education in America's schools is held to a completely different standard than classes like English and Math.  In comprehensive sex education, students are taught about healthy relationships, contraceptive methods, and affirmative consent. Abstinence-only sex education should no longer be taught in America's schools, and federal funding should be redirected towards comprehensive sex education. Research shows that students who are taught the comprehensive sex education model tend to delay the initiation of sexual activity, and practice safer sex when they do become active (Discovery News "Is Sex Education Failing American Teens?"). It is important to understand that sex education is an unalienable right for young Americans, and we must do future generations justice by allocating federal funding to programs that are proven to work. Comprehensive sex education should be taught from an early age and encompass affirmative consent and respect, which would in turn prevent unwanted pregnancies, STD's, and create a decline in rates of sexual assault between individuals. 

Sex Education is a Right

Abstinence-only education is one of America's current downfalls because of the overwhelming shame and fear that it attaches to healthy sexual behavior. The negative stigma surrounding sex education makes it harder for students to learn the correct medical information that they have every right to know. The abstinence-only program teaches sexuality as a dirty and damaging trait that must be controlled. In "7 Problems with the State of Sex Ed in America Today", Rachel Sanoff explains that when young adults are taught their natural desires are shameful, it is very hard for them to be accepting of themselves (3). "The Truth About Abstinence- Only Programs" claims many mainstream medical associations, public health organizations, educational organizations, and parents strongly support comprehensive sex education and consider it a basic human right (2). The information taught within the comprehensive sex education curriculum can potentially be lifesaving, and teens have an unalienable right to these facts just as they would with any other medical information. In the scholarly article "Sex Education in America's Schools: Progress and Obstacles", Patricia Donovan represents the voices of sex education teachers across the United States. Donovan claims almost all teachers think sex education is important and also believe that certain topics--such as birth control, AIDS, abstinence, and homosexuality--should be taught earlier than at present (3). Sex education teachers are unable to instruct students on what is appropriate and necessary so long as the government is obstructing the rights of America's youth.

Sex education should also be LGBT inclusive because the heteronormative curriculum currently taught in public school fosters homophobia and transphobia. According to the National Statistics on rape, approximately 50% of transgender people experience sexual violence at some point in their lifetime and gay individuals are just as likely to be sexually assaulted as straight individuals (Rape Response Services 2). Due to equal protection under title IX, it should be a federal requirement that LGBT teens have access to sex education that applies to them, too. "Carnal Knowledge: The Sex Ed Debate" cited a study by the Centers for Disease Control and the Kaiser Family Foundation claiming that approximately 65 percent of all sexually transmitted infections contracted by Americans this year will occur in people under 24 (Masland 2). Ignorant teachings within the abstinence-only curriculum have led to alarming rates of abuse among LGBT teens, increased rates of deadly sexually transmitted diseases, and feelings of shame for individuals involved in healthy sexual relationships.

The Importance of Consent and Respect

Along with the negligence of federal funding to services American teenagers are innately entitled to, the federal government has also failed to stress the importance of consent and respect to the young members of our nation. The horrifying rates of teen pregnancy in America are steadily declining, however, sex education should include information beyond how to prevent pregnancy. In order to remedy the shocking trends of sexual abuse sweeping over our nation, we must dig deeper into the core of our education system. The comprehensive sex education program is meant to be implemented during grade school. It should cover relationship skills, feeling comfortable in one's own body, and how to respect friends and peers. As Rachel Sanoff explains in "7 Problems with the State of Sex Ed in America Today, and How We Can Make It Better", "We'd teach second or third graders about relationships: what makes them a good friend? How do they have an argument with their best friend and resolve it in a way that doesn't escalate? We can teach them how to agree to disagree, which then teaches mutual respect, agency, and responsibility for what you do and how you act" (2). As one might guess, these are the same characteristics required in intimate partnerships as a child gets older. By ingraining these lessons of respect and problem solving into children from the very start, we can profoundly challenge rape culture and improve sexual and reproductive health.  In adult relationships, it has been proven that the more you talk to your partner about sex, the better the overall relationship will be. Communication is an extremely vital component to a relationship and especially important when it comes to the sensitive topic of intimacy. Sanoff explains that young adults who receive a more comprehensive form of sex education are more likely to negotiate condom usage and get out of unhealthy relationships (2). Couples will not only be more satisfied with their sex lives if they communicate effectively, but also by establishing boundaries and comfort zones neither partner will ever feel violated or disrespected. 

Many young adults find themselves in uncomfortable situations either because they are unsure about how to talk to their partner about sex, or do not know the right way to speak up for themselves if they start to feel distressed during a sexual encounter. Since abstinence-only education describes sex as frightening and forbidden as opposed to an enjoyable activity between responsible consenting adults, teens may not feel comfortable communicating their comfort or discomfort regarding various acts. Sanoff claims that if sexual behavior is normalized, young adults will take more responsibility for their actions because sexuality will be portrayed as within their control instead of a secretive act that doesn't require consent or communication ("7 Problems with the State of Sex Ed" 2). Comprehensive sex education teaches children how to communicate effectively with one another from a young age, which will later translate to establishing boundaries and comfort zones in future relationships.

If young adults are taught about healthy relationships and how to respect their bodies and the bodies of their peers from a young age, teen pregnancy, rates of STD's, and the rape culture in America today all have the potential to change. "7 Problems with the State of Sex Ed in America Today, and How We Can Make It Better" claims that there are 50,000 new HIV infections, 20 million STI's, 3 million unintended pregnancies, and 1 million rapes annually in America (Sanoff 4). All of these shocking statistics are the result of an obvious information gap within our education system, and it is a direct result of the insufficient way we talk about sex. Comprehensive sex education is a pivotal way our country can change the horrifying trends of sexual assault on college campuses and encourage individuals to respect the bodies and voices of their peers. The abstinence-only program hinders America's progress by depending on scare tactics instead of knowledge, empowerment, and interpersonal relationships. "Sex-Ed is currently disease driven, and makes it seem like sex equals death. It is inculcating people with fear, but sex can be a great thing when introduced respectfully and with consent" ("7 Problems with Sex Ed" Sanoff, 4). If sex education is no longer considered a taboo topic, it will be easier for health care educators to inform young adults about the medical information they are entitled to learn.

Where we see the failure of sex education the most is on college campuses. Before teens enter college, they are lectured about alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and sexual abuse. We are told that 17.7 million women in the US have been the victim of rape or attempted rape at some point in their lives, and on college campuses 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted (National Statistics on Rape 2). It is baffling that students are presented with these facts as they enter college instead of implementing a program during high school to prevent these atrocities from happening in the first place. Universities and parents stress to their children that sexual assault is not tolerated, but by 18 years old its too late to convey this message. Far too many college-aged students believe violent sexual behaviors are acceptable, and the high rates at which they occur may even make them seem normal. On college campuses there are constant reminders of what to do if you have been raped or what to say to a friend that has been sexually assaulted. While there is a process for victims of sexual assault, there is no program to prevent people from committing assault in the first place. Perpetrators of sexual violence will not be discouraged until respect and affirmative consent are not only expected, but normal. Since abstinence-only education makes students feel uncomfortable and ashamed of their bodies and natural desires, it is more likely that they will sexually assault a peer or fail to report a rape if it happens to them. If a five-year-old is taught only to hug a classmate that wants to be hugged, that child will develop into an adult that respects the consent and boundaries of their peers. Comprehensive sex education encourages young adults to be comfortable with their bodies which in turn leads students to pursue healthy sexual and nonsexual relationships. Young adults should never feel that rape or sexual assault is an option because the standards of respect and affirmative consent should be engrained into their minds from a young age.

Inaccuracy of Abstinence-Only

Not only is abstinence-only education neglecting to teach students about the importance of consent, it also provides youth with medically inaccurate information. Incorrect failure rates for contraception are used as a scare-tactic to stress to students that abstinence is the ideal option. According to abstinence-only theory, if a student thinks contraceptive options will fail to prevent pregnancy or protect them from a sexually transmitted disease, they student will not have sex. In reality, students are still sexually active but they forgo birth control altogether because they have been taught that it doesn't work. These misinformed students face the horrifying reality that when couples use no form of contraception, a woman has an 85 percent chance of becoming pregnant within one year (The Truth About Abstinence-Only Advocates for Youth 1). 

In a study published in "Back to Basics: How Young Mothers Learn about Sex and Sexuality", thirty-two young mothers were asked what type of sex education they received and whether they thought it contributed to their unintended teen pregnancies. Many of the women explained that the sex education programs used in their high schools did not present information in a way they found easy to apply to their own sexual lives. The young women also explained that since they felt ashamed of their sexual activity, they often neglected to inform their health care providers that they were sexually active. The women claimed they did not use condoms or contraception because they did not think they could actually become pregnant and were not ready to think about preventing a pregnancy (Dudley 274). According to the "The Truth About Abstinence-Only Education", Even though the teen birth rate in 2005 reached its lowest in 65 years, the U.S. continues to have the highest teen birth rate of any of the world's developed nations. The U.S. teen birth rate is 1.5 times higher that that in the UK and more than twice as high as in Canada (2). The failure rates of contraceptives are a direct result of misinformation and low-quality sex education. If nearly three in ten U.S. teenage women experience pregnancy, drastic changes must be made in the way we educate America's youth about contraception. 

 "The Truth About Abstinence- Only Education" explains that when a couple uses condoms consistently and correctly at every act of vaginal intercourse, a woman's chance of becoming pregnant within one year is actually less than three percent. Similarly, women who take the birth control pill correctly without any other form of contraception are only 8% likely to get pregnant (2). If students receive abstinence-only education and are only taught the failure rates of condoms, they are less likely to use them or insist their partner use them. As a nation we are failing to protect young people, and we are failing to prepare them for adulthood.

 The YouTube video, "Is Sex Education Failing American Teens?" by Discovery News claims students who receive sex education wait longer to have sex, and when they do become sexually active they are more likely to use contraception than those who received abstinence-only education. In a study of 35 sex education programs around the world, the World Health Organization found there is no evidence that comprehensive programs encourage sexual activity (Carnal Knowledge Masland 2). Similarly, there is no correlation between condom access in schools and the onset of sexual activity in teens (7 Problems with the State of Sex Ed Sanoff 3). Rachel Sanoff points out that in many high schools condom demonstrations are banned, or they have only just been allowed in the sex education curriculum (7 Problems with the State of Sex Ed 1). An alarming number of college students do not know the correct way to use a condom, which results in poor prevention of pregnancy and STD's in comparison to other countries. Demonstrations and open minded discussions are necessary to help students make the healthiest decisions for their bodies and carry them out effectively. "When societies don't turn information into a forbidden fruit, then we are much more likely to have better sexual health outcomes. We must normalize condom usage among sexually active young people" (7 Problems with the State of Sex Ed Sanoff 3). Abstinence-only education has withheld contraceptive and medical information from America's youth and directly affected rates of pregnancies and STD's. As a country we must realize that we owe our citizens a different type of sex education.

Content Must Be Changed

America must ask itself where our youth should learn about sex. Instead of learning information regarding sex and intimacy from a responsible adult with the correct facts, students are gaining the majority of their knowledge from their peers, the internet, and the media. In Molly Masland's article, "Carnal knowledge: The Sex Ed Debate", she claims "young people face a barrage of confusing messages. Along with titillating images from the media, some kids are told to "just say no" to sex. In school, others are taught how to put condoms on bananas in preparation for the real thing, and still other children receive no information whatsoever" (3). This proves that sex education in America is not equally regulated across the board. As all Americans understand, separate is inherently unequal. If part of the country is taught abstinence-only education while the other part of the country learns the comprehensive model, we are doing our children a disservice. "Abstinence-Only Education and Teen Pregnancy Rates: Why We Need Comprehensive Sex Education in The U.S." proposes that comprehensive sex education should be integrated into the biology curriculum in middle and high school classes. Similarly, the author suggests that risk-aversion behaviors and future planning should be discussed within the social studies curriculum (Stanger-Hall 4). This proposition is great because it holds sex education to the same standards as other core subjects, which helps convey the importance of the information to students. Basic sex education is a right for all American students and it needs to be regulated in such a way that every child is receiving he information they need. 

"The Truth About Abstinence-Only Education" cited a report that reviewed the 13 most commonly used curricula for abstinence-only programs and concluded that "11 programs, used by 69 organizations in 25 states, contained unproven assertions, subjective conclusions, or outright falsehoods regarding reproductive health, gender traits, and when life begins" (1). This source also explains that according to a 2004 report by Government Reform Committee staff, many of the curricula commonly used in abstinence-only programs distort information about the effectiveness of contraceptives, misrepresent the risks of abortion, blur religion and science, treat gender stereotypes as scientific fact, and contain basic errors (The Truth About Abstinence-Only 2). Education will not be equal in America until every student learns accurate information necessary for their adult lives across the board.

Federal Funding is Misguided

Federal funding is necessary in order to teach correct medical information and encompass the needs of every American teenager into a comprehensive sex education curriculum. Abstinence-only education continues to receive the vast majority of federal funding in America, despite an overwhelming body of research proving it is ineffective and that the expenditure has failed to achieve its stated goals. In Amy Schwarz's article, "Comprehensive Sex Education: Why America's Youth Deserve the Truth About Sex", she explains that continuing to federally fund abstinence-only education is an injustice to American teens. Restricting federal funding to abstinence-only programs jeopardizes the well being and lives of teenagers because it limits information and promotes medical inaccuracies (3). Only 22 states mandate sex education, and only 13 require the information be "medically accurate" ("7 Problems with the State of Sex Ed Sanoff 1). While some abstinence-only proponents would argue that the program directly reflects what the American public want, the average onset of sexual activity in America compared to the average age of marriage shows otherwise.  "The Truth About Abstinence-Only Education" cites the median age of sexual initiation among Americans as 17, yet the average age of marriage is 25.8 for women and 27.4 for men (Advocates for Youth 1). This age difference clearly indicates a long time between sexual activity and marriage, meaning there is a large gap of time where teenagers and young adults are vulnerable to unintended pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases. In another national survey, 95 percent of adult respondents reported that they had sex before marriage ("The Truth About Abstinence Only" 2). Abstinence prevents STD's and unwanted pregnancies, however, surveys prove it us unrealistic for the lifestyle of an average American. In order to maintain a government that is of the people, by the people, and for the people, the federal government must place monetary emphasis on what the American public actually wants.

A vocal minority of opinionated citizens are controlling how the larger whole is educated. An article by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States claims how ridiculous it is that today's congress continues to funnel over one-and-a-half billion taxpayer dollars into abstinence-only programs that are proven not to work. Although there have been significant drops in federal funding towards these programs since the George W. Bush administration, many American adults should still be concerned about where their tax dollars are going ("A History of Federal Funding" 4). Considering the statement by "The Truth About Abstinence Only Programs" that only fifteen percent of adults are in favor of abstinence-only programs, this allotment of money is a serious misinterpretation of what the American public wants (Advocates for Youth 1). Pressuring a young adult to remain abstinent from sex regardless of their personal beliefs is a largely religious stance, which should not be endorsed by the the government due to the separation of church and state. The concept of abstinence is included in comprehensive sex education, but it should never be forced upon a student that does not agree with it. The use of federal funding towards abstinence-only education is preposterous because the program is ineffective and infringes upon a student's right to make their own personal choices.

Minority Opposition

Many supporters of Abstinence-only education understand the program is imposing a religious stance upon students, yet they believe this is acceptable because abstaining from sexual activity until marriage is a "valuable important public health goal" (NAEA 1). For individuals that choose to wait until marriage to have sex, there are many components of the comprehensive sex education curriculum that would describe effective ways to abstain, and give them the tools they need to stay strong in their beliefs. Just because certain religions may see abstinence as ideal and pure does not mean it should be imposed on every student in America. If students are presented with information and viewpoints from across the board, they are more likely to form their own opinion about what is healthiest for their specific lifestyle and values. The National Abstinence Education Association points out that, "Overwhelming social science data reveals that children who are born within a committed married relationship fare better economically, socially, physically, and psychologically" (2). Without a doubt this has been scientifically proven, however, what the NAEA refers to as a "committed married relationship" does not necessarily equate to abstinence, considering the adults in question could have had premarital sex. The important thing is that the adults in question have a healthy relationship, regardless of if they had premarital sex. It should be stressed to students that relationship skills, communication, and respect are absolutely necessary, while their beliefs on abstinence are a personal decision.

In "Facts About Abstinence Education", Robert Rector makes generalizations and draws false conclusions in order to sway his audience into thinking abstinence-only education is right for America's students. Rector states, "Teenage girls who are sexually active are three times more likely to be depressed and three times more likely to attempt suicide than girls who are not active." (3). Rector claims that sexually active teens are less likely to be happy, more likely to be depressed, and more likely to attempt suicide. This is bogus reasoning, because the teenage years are clearly a time of struggle, hormones, and fluctuations of depression for all individuals, not just those who are sexually active. This claim shows correlation but not causation, it is clear Rector purposefully stretches the truth in order to manipulate his audience. Robert Rector also claimed that abstinence-only programs were effective in reducing youth's sexual activity (Facts About Abstinence Education 2). A highly reputable evaluator of sex education programs for youth, Douglas Kirby PhD, decided to put Rectors claims to a test and discovered that "nine [of his sources] failed to provide credible evidence, consistent with accepted standards of research, that they delayed the initiation of sex or reduced the frequency of sex whatsoever" (The Truth About Abstinence-Only Education, 4). Misconstrued reasoning cannot hide the evidence that abstinence-only education is blatantly ineffective and a detrimental part of our education system.

Abstinence-only education is not only inaccurate in its facts, but also misguided in its emphases. The mixture of false studies and conclusions combined with conservative viewpoints has created about a 15% approval rating for Abstinence-only education among Americans. "Carnal Knowledge: The Sex Ed Debate" attempted to give insight into the views of a specific abstinence-only supporter within the article. A Florida resident, Jodi Hoffman was outraged at the comprehensive sex education her children were receiving in school. She claimed waiting until marriage to have sex "is the way God intended it to be. That's how it's taught in the Bible and those rules were not written for no reason" (Masland 3). Unfortunately for Mrs. Hoffman, she does not understand that the rules of the Bible don't rigidly correlate with the laws of the land. Jodi's children have a right to comprehensive sex education and the knowledge necessary to keep themselves healthy regardless of their mother's religious beliefs.

A stronger background in sex education creates students that stand strong in their beliefs and make careful, conscious decisions regarding their intimate relationships. The National Abstinence Education Association considers it negative that comprehensive programs "encourage contraceptive use, teach teens how to convince sex partners to use contraception, teach youth how to obtain contraception, and have students practice condom use" ("Correcting Misinformation on the Sex Ed Debate" 3). This notion, however, this is exactly what is necessary in order to reverse the negative consequences of sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancies, and sexual assault plaguing our nation. Continuing to federally fund a sex education program that teaches medical inaccuracies and hinders social progress is an injustice to American teens. In order to reach the same standard as the rest of developed nations, America's sexual education curriculum must begin at a younger age, encompass the LGBT community, and stress consent before students even begin to become sexually active. Medically accurate, balanced sex education is a basic right of American youth, and serious changes must be made within our federal system in order to ensure students are as safe and educated as they deserve.

