Sex education
can be a particularly awkward subject, especially when its a discussion between student and teacher. However, this is not a reason for students to be denied essential information on the topic. My experience with Mandan High School’s sex education has been lacking, to say the least. The content I have been taught on the matter has consisted of the importance of abstinence and many scare tactics that make students feel bad or dirty when they want to explore their many other options. According to the CDC, 43% of high schools and 18% of middle schools teach key CDC topics for sex education. Without proper sex education in school, students can and usually will obtain a lot of false information on the subject from their peers and the Internet. While pornography is not always harmful, in most cases it is generally degrading and shows hostile sexism.
Photo taken by Nathan Stramer
Sex Education in High Schools
The importance of proper sex education in high schools. Bylines for 2020-2021 School Year — Scout Hurley, Assistant Editor-in-Chief
There are many components to proper sex education. The CDC recommends a few things such as, the course being taught by qualified staff, relevant and engaging topics of discussion, addressing needs of Please copy and paste these and place them on your pages either on the top of your page LGBTQ+ students andinmore. black/white depending on page color. Use them tastfully, and ask us ifAbstinence you need help. is a valuable thing to know about and teaching it in sex education courses is necessary. This being said, believing all students will remain abstinent Kelsie Hildebrand, Editor-in-Chief — Scout Hurley, Assistant Editor-in-Chief during all of high school is an unrealistic expectation. This is why it is important to teach students how to have a healthy sex life if they choose to. According to the CDC, the average age to lose your virginity is 17.1 years old, which means that most students will have had sex at least one time before they have left high school. This is why students need to know how to avoid STI’s and unwanted pregnancies if they do chose to have sex. I hope that in the years to come students Daden Dolajak, General Reporter — Ryan Ulrich, Sports and News Editor will be provided with resources and tools to have a safe and healthy sex life.
04
October 2020
Opinion
