Thesis: Sex Education should be taught in schools in order to create greater awareness of the dangers of careless sex as well as sexual predators. In view of the findings regarding the positive aspects of sex education versus the negative ones, legal approaches would reinforce the necessity of this form of education in schools.

In contemporary times, it has come to everyone’s knowledge through the media that children are not safe, as several of them have been sexually abused. The biggest reason for this happening is not just the working of ill-minded adults who take advantage of gullible children, but also a lack of awareness on the part of parents and their children.
If parents were more aware of how much risk their children are at there would be far greater chances of children preventing themselves from being taken advantage of sexually. The precautions advised consensually refer to educating all age levels of children in order to make them safe. Legal aspects of this understanding reinforce the need for se education. However, there are views that contradict the societal need for sex education as well as the legal stance.

Sex education is a subject area within the broad framework of community awareness. It is a subject that has become increasingly important for all age groups of growing children as well. Parents cannot always be around their children and guide them 24 hours a day, so by creating awareness among children is essential so that they can protect themselves. In order to this, it must be emphasized again that parents first of all need to be taught more about the issue of sex abuse and educated about sex in general (Harrison, 2000, 5-19).
In contemporary times the degree of exposure to everything is immense. Exposure refers to the manner in which people are more aware the world around them, even though there are still a great many things that they are not aware of. However, all that one is aware of needs to be carefully dealt with in order to prevent severe repercussions. This is particularly the case with the youth that are exposed to so much regarding issues like violence and sex.

Of these two fundamental issues, sex is something that the youth need to be more aware of. This is because of the fact that there is a great deal that is exposed but misunderstood. The youth are not in fact aware of the repercussions of being ignorant of facts regarding sex. This is why it is mandatory to tell them about what it and what isn’t good for them. They may be indeed presented with all that they need to know, and beyond that the choice is theirs. This is something that goes for all age groups of those that are growing up in a fast-paced world, where parents cannot always keep an eye on them (Epstein, 1997, 105-115).

People in communities may be double-minded or reluctant about accepting se education because it perhaps puts their children ahead of their time for learning about such content. Indeed, when one looks at the issue closer, they have reasonable arguments. Some say that children who learn about this kind of content are more likely to fall into sexual activities. This includes either still going ahead with a sexual relationship during their teens or even getting into such a relationship prior to puberty. The mind of the individual could also be fickle and give into sexual activity in spite of being warned against it (Buston, pp. 2002, 59-72).

Parents also may feel that educating children about sex and sexual activities is inappropriate because it robs them off their childhood way before they ready for it. However, as opposed to this argument, parents should be aware and explain to their daughters the manner in which they can so easily be tempted to have sex before it is the suitable time to do so (Castro-Vazquez & Izumi Kishi, 2002).

The role of the parent is to try and help daughters refrain from sexual activity during their teens. The reason for this essentially is because it is a complete diversion from the life that a teenage girl should be living. It must be noted that during one’s teens one should be into studies as well as healthy activity that has no risks or severe side effects.
Though it might be asserted that sexual activity is healthy and refreshing, but it is age factor that also must be considered. This especially refers to the teenage girls that are under discussion. Moreover, their general lack of awareness regarding themselves as well as sexual activity is something that has to be taken into account (Ayer, 1997, 23-25).
Another factor that is considerably important here and reinforces the reason why teenage girls should not participate in sexual activity is that according to the law, they are minors. This is to say that they are not supposed to be married before the age of 18 due to the fact that they are not adults till 18. It must be emphasized here at this point that there are several teenage girls that indulge in sexual activity before the age of 18, regardless of the knowledge of sex. This is in fact a result of peer pressure, media influence etc. With their peers indulging in the latest fads, they are often urged into competing to make their impression as adults.

Quite commonly, it is known that teenagers associate activities such as sex, consumption of alcohol, smoking of marijuana, etc. with adulthood; they feel that these are the things that they should be doing by the time they are in their teens in order to feel better about themselves as grown ups. However, they are sadly mistaken, as these are things that can so easily get them into trouble. This also brings into play the legal aspect of the problem that prohibits abuse of particular substances. With regard to this, there is even greater need for educating the youth (Barlow, 1995, 15-19).
Having asserted the importance of educating the youth regarding sex, it is important to highlight what exactly it is that they should be taught about. It must be realized that they should be educated in regard to those areas about sex that are vital to their health and well being.

Regarding the means of prevention of pregnancy as well as disease through contraception, it also needs to be emphasized that education content should also encompass those areas that are crucial to younger children (Ayer, 1997, 23-25).
It is important for one to consider the importance of education content regarding younger children, as they are the ones who are most unaware of themselves and others who can take advantage of them. The role of communication in sex education here is vital too
Communication with one’s child should never suffer any lapse, and children of this age should be guaranteed that their parents are there to support them in times of need. With communication kept unbroken, it becomes easier for parents to discuss dangers that they children might be in, even if children argue that they are not. At the very least, they would oppose a parent’s view but will not out their parents completely (Koop, 2004).
Knowledge of type of relationships that children may get caught up in should be explained in detail. These relationships may include all kinds ranging from parent-child ones to stranger-child ones. However, the core of the discussions will be centered on relationships between peers and relationships with elders.
The latter encompasses relationships of Middle Childhood aged children with adults inside and outside the family. This part of the curriculum is extremely essential due to that it aims at preventing children from being lured into sexual practices that they know little about. Balancing the awareness aimed at from this angle, children should also gain from this program, as they are taught about what the implications are in relationships with peers.

With all the knowledge of relationships that children might indulge in, parents and children might be intimated far beyond what is intended. So, in order to prevent this there is a need to also emphasize on discretion that parents and children need to implement at this stage in their lives. While emphasizing this point, better communication is suggested. Communication is an important factor because without it this whole sex education program would be futile (Koop, 2004).
Explaining the dangers to children is also important, and parents are advised to go ahead with this as a regular feature in their communication. They cannot overemphasize it with the children, but it should be made clear to children by their parents that they are very mush aware of what is dangerous activity. Regarding sexual abuse, this is essential, and in the future too sexual activity with peers would be taken more seriously. Parental guidance is the most important when dealing with these two areas in a child’s life because there most probably will not be any other adult in the family who would so much time advising and drilling awareness into them (Koop, 2004).
Conclusion: Considering the conflicting views that people in society have regarding whether or not sex education should be taught in school, it must be asserted that there are valid points on both sides. This is because of the fact that parents are concerned with the age level of children at which they are taught about sex. This is said to distort a child’s view of life too early, and could in fact not really do any good for children besides pushing them more towards sexual activity. However, as opposed to this, there is evidence that eposes the manner in which sex education can reduce the risk of children becoming victims of sexual assaults and prevent them from getting to sexual relationships as well. In addition to this, it is said that sex education also advises children what exactly should be their line of precaution should they get involved in a sexual relationship.

In view of this it is mandatory to include sex education content in the curriculum that deals with the precautionary measures which males and females may take regarding contraception as well as disease prevention through the exchange of fluids. This can be done effectively through adequate communication between parents and their teenage children. As far as young children are concerned, it must be asserted that communication is also essential in addition to them being taught about how people might offend them sexually. Ways to protect themselves from things like this must be emphasized upon extensively enough to make them aware of people who are dangers to them.

Works Cited:

Ayer, E. It’s Okay to Say No: Choosing Sexual Abstinence. New York: Rosen, pp23-25. 1997.
Barlow, B. A. Worth Waiting for: Sexual Abstinence Before Marriage. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret. Pp 15-19, 1995.
Buston, Katie, Daniel Wight, G. Hart, and S. Scott. Implementation of a teacher-delivered sex education programme: Obstacles and facilitating factors. Health Education Research, 17(1), February, pp. 59-72. 2002
Castro-Vazquez, Genaro, and Izumi Kishi. (2002). 'If You Say To Them That They Have To Use Condoms, Some Of Them Might Use Them. It Is Like Drinking Alcohol or Smoking': An Educational Intervention With Japanese Senior High School Students. Sex Education, Volume 2 Number 2, July.
Epstein, Debbie. Boyz Own Stories: Masculinities and Sexualities in School. Gender and Education, 9(1), pp. 105-115, 1997
Harrison, Lyn. Gender relations and productions of difference in school-based sexuality and HIV/AIDS education in Australia. Gender and Education, 12(1), pp. 5-19. 2000
Koop, E. Middle Childhood. Accessed on 11-16-12-2004.