To Teach or Not To Teach (Abstinence)

[chad funfer]

This question pertains to High School Health. Due to an increase in pregnancies of high school students, should we be teaching about safe sex or abstinence? Our current teaching of abstinence during the Reproductive System Unit does not seem practical. Students are engaging in sexual activity at earlier ages. We have seen a dramatic increase in pregnancies over the last 3 years. What are other health teachers teaching? Should we be teaching our students to abstain from sexual activity or should we be teaching them how to practice safe sex?

[Nryan5714]

I teach elementary, but IMO schools should be teaching all of the choices kids have and then the parents and kids can help decide which one fits them best. We need to let the kids know there are choices out there and if we only give one choice then IMO we aren't doug right for the students.

My 2 cents

[curt farneth]

I feel we should give students as many options as possible. It is better to teach safe sex and inform students than to turn a blind eye. That way there decision will be an informed decision.

[johnd34]

I think that we should be educating our students of today about sex at an early age. I agree with the point that students these days are sexually active at such an early age. I am a 8th grade basketball coach and some of my players have randomly just told me that the girls in their grade have things called practice parties. I think we should teach abstinence and let the students know about sex but tell them if they are sexually active they should know about protection for males and females.

[mchenze]

No matter what we teach our students they are going to have a mind of their own and do whatever they believe is the right thing to do. I think we should continue to teach about abstinence, along with teaching them about safe sex.