The Ethics of Sex Education - Research Paper Example

? Sex Education in Schools and Homes Sex Education in Schools and Homes Introduction Sex education is a very central topic inmost schools as well as homes. Parents and guardians at home do not feel free to discuss issues relating to sex with their growing children especially those approaching puberty or getting into their teens. In addition, teachers at school are also skeptical when dealing with issues related to sex in classrooms. As such, it ends up as a delegated responsibility that never reaches fulfillment. On one hand, the parents and guardians fail to speak of sex and sex education to their teenage children hoping their teachers in schools will take up the task (Angera, Brookins-Fisher & Inungu, 2008). On the other hand, teachers too fail to touch on sex related issues when educating teenagers believing it is the responsibility of their parents and guardians to educate these growing youth about sex education. At the end of the day, teenagers remain in darkness, without knowledge about sex, or even the slightest clue to what pertains to sexual education. Their curiosity to try out new things without a guiding hand ends up in even more dreadful results, such as early pregnancies and school dropouts. As such, this research paper seeks to explore various peer-reviewed journals discussing issues related to sex education, as well as, evaluate how various institutions approach this issue about sex among the youth (Brown, Dunn, Newby & Wallace, 2012). What are Parents really saying then they talk with Their Children about Sexuality? American Journal of Sexuality Education This article explores the communication that exists between parents and their children about sex and sexuality. A research carried out on a number of parents within the United States revealed that parents took an authoritarian tone whenever speaking to their children about sexuality. As such, issues related to sex and sexuality became a thorn in the flesh for many families within the United States. Parents were not free when speaking to their children about sex, or took an authoritative stand, such a banning their children from engaging in anything related to sexuality, such as pornography or early boy-girl relationships, especially among teenagers (Corngold, 2013). Some of the reasons given by these parents on their indecision to discuss sexuality with their children were religious influences and cultural backgrounds, alongside distinct patterns of communication. Some religions forbid open discussion of sexuality, as they consider it as a sacred matter only for the married couples. On the other hand, a qualitative analysis on these parents revealed that these parents sometimes focused on specific issues when discussing sexuality with their children, such as early pregnancies, STDs/STIs, HIV/AIDS virus, and other adversities related to premature sexuality. As such, the lack of sexual orientation, as well as the lack of parental knowledge and support of sexuality, leads these children to exploring murky waters, hence coming out scotched and bruised from their actions (Cox, Gagnon, McDonalds, Meglio, Mitchelle & Rennick, 2011). Asking to Listen: Towards a Youth Perspective on Sexual Health Education and Needs, Sex Education This article explores the perspectives of the youth in relation to sexual health education and needs within a Canadian province. This article seeks to impart some sense of responsibility among the youth by giving them power to take control of their sexual health behavior. As such, participating youths to this program learnt measures of how to take control of their sexuality, as well as develop a number of preventive skills towards the sexual risks involved in premature sexuality. This control and prevention skills over sexuality were particularly important in areas suffering from socioeconomic disparities. Statistics show that the rate of active sexuality is very high in areas with low socioeconomic standings as compared to the areas that live in affluence. For example, girl growing up in the ghetto is likely to lose her virginity between ages 10 to twelve, due to active sexuality within the areas, whereas a girl from a rich family might lose her virginity between ages 18 to 25. In fact, some even go to marriage as virgins (Gilbert, McNeil & Sawyer, 2010). As such, this article explores the importance of empowering the youth to take control of their sexuality. Once a youth has knowledge about his or her sexuality, and is aware of the risks involved with active sexuality, then they will have the power to say ‘NO’ to unnecessary sexual activity or unsafe sex, and as a result, protect their lives from all risks involved (Heller & Johnson, 2010). The Ethics of Sex Education: Educational Theory Sex education is a very controversial issue within the society. Many actors in the sexual field carry varied knowledge about sexuality, and as such, are unable to decide on how best to educate the youth on issues related to sex. This makes it even more difficult owing to the social, cultural as well as religious constrains pertaining to sex education within every community. The article argues that the youth should receive the best education about sexuality in order to posses the right knowledge in order to take charge of their sexual activity (Milstein, 2009). However, are a number of credible explanations that underlie this contentious state of exploring sexual affairs and knowledge exist, making it almost impossible for the youth to receive the right knowledge on sex and sexuality related issues? This is because most of the concerned stakeholders to this topic, inclusive of the policymakers in the country, parents as well as educators carry varied understanding levels about humanity sexuality due to its vastness and complexity. Hence, it becomes harder and harder for the youth to get the right knowledge on sexuality, and as such, it is harder for them to take control of their sexual behavior since they lack the right guidance and advice (Angera, Brookins-Fisher & Inungu, 2008). Resource Review: A Review of Sex Wisdom, American Journal of Sexuality Education An analysis if sexual wisdom provides that the readers get to understand the varied views on sex and sexuality related issues, as well as, how these issues may affect their lives in one way or the other. As such, the book contains a number of strengths and weaknesses that educators might savor possessing knowledge of before they make a critical decision on whether to make use of the book in a number of educational settings. For effective sex education, educators require the best resources that would enable them learn how to approach these issues as well as generate the best results when dealing education to the youth. This makes it important for the young men and women as they get to learn firsthand from experienced and talented educators on the effect of their sexuality, as well as how to control or prevent the risks associate to their activeness in sex at an early age (Brown, Dunn, Newby & Wallace, 2012). An Investigation of Parent/Child Communication about Sexuality, American Journal of Sexuality Education The initial sexuality education between children and their parents is very important in educating the children on the best ways to become sexually responsible. This underlies a number of factors, beginning with the way parents talk to their children about issues related to sexuality. In addition, it exposes the importance of this initial sexuality education to youngsters as it has massive influence on their sexual activity, especially after they grow up to become teenagers and adults. The communications that parents have with their children pertaining sexuality empower their children to become more sexually responsible, as well as, giving these young men and women to power to control their sexual activities. This means that the children get knowledge from an early age and then grow it progressively up to the time when it is necessary for application, and hence generate the best results (Corngold, 2013). A Survey of English Teenagers’ Sexual Experience and Preferences for School-Based Sex Education, Sex Education The rate of infection of STDs and STIs, as well as early pregnancies among the youth, especially those below the age of sixteen, is cause for increasing concern. This is also because of the limited resourceful knowledge about the sexual education and the sexual behavior preferences at this age group. As such, a high level of risks associated with early sexuality especially among the young boys and girls who take up sex from an early age exists. In addition, it becomes even more complicated for educators to teach these youngsters on the value of having responsible sexual behaviors. Consequently, it becomes inevitable for the youth to learn the hard way about the dangers of their sexual activity, as well as, come to terms with the consequences of their actions. Some of them end up with early responsibilities as parents, other have to nurse sicknesses to death, while others suffer the blow of blurred destiny whereby they leave school to take charge of their responsibilities (Cox, Gagnon, McDonalds, Meglio, Mitchelle & Rennick, 2011). References Angera, J., Brookins-Fisher, J. & Inungu, J. (2008). An Investigation of Parent/Child Communication about Sexuality. American Journal of Sexuality Education, Vol. 3(2), 2008. Brown, K., Dunn, O., Newby, K. & Wallace. (2012). A Survey of English Teenagers’ Sexual Experience and Preferences for School-Based Sex Education. Sex Education Vol. 12, No. 2, April 2012, 231–251. Corngold, J. (2013). Introduction: The Ethics of Sex Education. Educational Theory, Volume 63, Number 5, 2013. Cox, J., Gagnon, A., McDonalds, J., Meglio, G., Mitchelle, C. & Rennick, J. (2011). Asking to Listen: Towards a Youth Perspective on Sexual Health Education and Needs. Sex Education Vol. 11, No. 4, November 2011, 443–457. Gilbert, G., McNeil, E. & Sawyer, R. (2010). Health Education: Creating Strategies for School & Community Health. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Heller, J. & Johnson, H. (2010). What are Parents really saying then they talk with Their Children about Sexuality? American Journal of Sexuality Education, 5:144-170, 2010. Milstein, S. (2009). Resource Review: A Review of Sex Wisdom. American Journal of Sexuality Education, 4:79–82, 2009. Read More