Sex ed: Why is the topic so uncomfortable? their transmission(Obstetrics and At our school, sex education is not Gynecology Journal). Sex education doesn’t just teach about sex an established curriculum. There is no set sex education class where and having sex as it is commonly presumed to, but it teaches about a specific module is dedicated understanding your own body and to teaching teenagers about their your own gender. Sex education bodies, protection, and Sexually can encompass a curriculum from Transmitted Infections. Instead, something that should be essential periods to protection to underis left to the Word of mouth. Word standing the social, economic, and emotional gravity of engagof mouth means students explaining it to other students and creating ing in sex unprepared. Time and time again it has been proven that this misinformation cycle that is never fixed because the adults who silence towards a topic such as sex education does not eliminate sex are aware do not step in and proand abstinence is not something vide the proper education. Many students claim their last sex that can be enforced by a lack of education class offer by the school information. “Some parents view teaching it as was in middle school where they a gateway to their children engagwere taken to a computer lab and ing in it,” said Andril Ruben, who showed 40-minute video during teaches with the Pregnancy and class. “Yeah my last sex-ed class was in Parenthood program. 7th or 8th grade I think and I think Some parents view their children learning about sex with their peers we were in this computer lab and and in a public setting to be somewe watch that video and normalthing that will act as a catalyst to ly talk about it after that,” said, engaging in sex essentially equatSenior Zainab Oduloju ing knowing about it to doing it. The effect of teaching sex educathat logic is coming from a pertion as it is now is most notably sonal place and it cannot be disreteenage pregnancies, untreated garded as their fears are also valid STDs among the teenage popubut it also presents the question lation, and misinformation about of whether or not learning about things such as STDs, STIs, and
sex means participating in sex. Considering knowing about drugs and alcohol does not mean that a teenager will begin to take drugs and alcohol yet it is not frowned upon to learn about drugs and alcohol at school. “Adults are weird about that stuff, they don’t want to think about teens having sex,” senior Treasure Amusat said. “It’s weird,” No knowledge can be equated to being lethal but the perspective of those who believe this should also not be ignored. Some students could say that because they know how to protect themselves and because they know the proper things to do they can safely engage in it now or perhaps recklessly engage in it and the consequences of that would fall back on what if they hadn’t begun with but that is simply a hypothetical. “It’s pretty weird, I know this stuff but I’m happy to know it,” Amusat said. “To know my options, and the proper way to protect myself, but not only that. To know that you can get STIs and STDs if you’re not careful, that certain contraceptives only prevent pregnancy and not those diseases and I’m sad that
some of these kids don’t know that.” It’s important to note that sex education is not the antagonist nor is it the cause. It should not and cannot be treated as a catalyst to something that cannot be predicted. Knowing or not knowing about sex does not mean that one’s decisions or the consequences of their actions can be predicted. Knowledge is an essential - one that word of mouth can only pollute - and perhaps by spreading the proper knowledge and creating an openness about the human body and its functions, more teenagers can feel in control of their reproductive organs, while avoiding the shame that many do when they first go through puberty. As long as we remember that sex is real, it’s happening and it won’t stop, the human race needs to populate, and stay aware of the opportunities that surround us and the limitations our bodies hold, we can reduce the unwanted consequences of sex while also maintaining bodily autonomy in a social-emotional and economic sense. It is also important to note that sex education is not only for teenagers but for everyone.
Student spotlight: Peace Oderinde
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whether or not you’re vaccinated. “I’m vaccinated and I’ve still got my mask on.” Only about a month and a half into the school year, about 2% of students have caught the virus. Since sick students must stay home from school, there have been cases where students have been absent from school for weeks at a time. For Hernandez, who was quarantined in her room for two weeks because of COVID, the time was not too bad. “I didn’t have any bad symptoms, just cough, runny nose...over that time I was able to do [school]work,” she said. “I didn’t really feel behind [when I came back].” There’s still a great possibility that Alief ISD schools could close down once more. But for now, the laughter and chatter that can be heard in the courtyard, cafeterias, and hallways show that students are enjoying being back in school, Coronavirus or not.
By Naomi Akinlami
By Litzy Gonzalez-Garcia
Peace Oderinde started her jewelry business on July 19, 2021. Before the lockdowns began, she had sold around 300 dollars worth of jewelry. She creates all her jewelry by herself, at home. Peace sells all types of silver jewelry, including zodiac sign necklaces, friendship bracelets, customized charm bracelets, and more. Oderinde claims that her unproductivity inspired the business. “I don’t do anything in this COVID time,” Oderinde said. So, she decided to be productive and start a jewelry business
with some help from her sister. She stopped selling jewelry up until the end of August because she wanted to get used to her schedule and plan how she could manage her time with school back in session. Oderinde strives to make sure jewelry is affordable. Since she’s a student as well, she knew that some students can’t afford expensive jewelry. Another important part about Peace’s jewelry is that she offers a one-month warranty. “I do a one month warranty because sometimes I have a friend, she plays too much,...she breaks necklaces everytime,” Oderinde said.
Return to School Plan has put in place precautions for all schools, such as regular hand washing, the use of hand sanitizer “after all common contacts”, and refraining from attending school when sick. But in all this it states that face coverings, although encouraged, are not a requirement due to prohibition by the Texas governor. According to Shodeke, the lack of a mask mandate could be a large contributor to the rising cases. “Every time I walk down this hallway, I see everybody’s not wearing their masks, and you could hear them coughing, sneezing, all that stuff and they don’t have their mask on. You don’t know what they have,” she said. “First [off]...what they should do is with the mask.... they have to make sure everybody’s wearing their mask like they used to.” She believes it doesn’t matter
