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Sex Education – Student’s Point of View

One of my colleagues Gabriella wrote a post about this with a very interesting perspective.

You can compare and contrast her article about sex education with mine and get the full story on this issue.

She talked about the consent form her daughter brought home. Maybe this has changed or maybe it’s different in the state of Virginia or consent is required.

I know here in Texas we never had to do a consent form.

Since I’ve never been a parent I won’t speak or speculate on when is the appropriate age to broach the topic of sex education.

Like Gabriella I don’t believe in making cutesy names or lying to your kids about this natural process because it can breed self-consciousness and other negative side effects later on in your child’s life.

My parents never did. And it worked out just fine for me.

Sex is as natural a part of life as breathing and eating and so should not be surrounded by any type of shame even though our society does place those kinds of feelings on it.

I will say you know your child better than anyone else and due to different children’s maturation rates you’ll have the best handle on whether or not your child is ready for “the talk”.

And the point about other children at school telling your kid about sex is very relevant. At least when you talk to your child about this topic you have some control and can direct how the conversation goes.

Anytime you have elementary and middle school kids talking to one another about sex usually there are lots of outright lies and the rest of the information is half-truths at best.

I remember a couple of the rumors circulated when I was in sixth grade were that kissing could spread killer disease (to my knowledge it can only spread Mono, herpes and maybe a few other minor diseases) and you could get a girl pregnant by kissing her (which is of course completely ridiculous and false).

I don’t know where these particular classmates got this information or who started the rumor. But obviously their parents or whoever was the one educating them on this topic led them greatly astray.

I do believe there should be some education about this in a formal classroom with a lively debate and conversation amongst my classmates and peers after getting a basic framework from the teacher.

I believe this would be most effective.

Now to the whole debate of when it’s appropriate.

I remember as early as six grade classmates of mine were talking about sex and there was certainly sexual activity going on.

There were even 3 girls in my sixth-grade class who got pregnant.

So I will make my argument only from the point that once sexual activity is going on there should be some education before it begins.

And I even admit the videos they showed in class were quite cheesy and boring and most people didn’t even pay attention anyway.

But based on these facts in either fifth grade or the very beginning of the year in sixth grade is when the initial education class should start. Who knows if this would have prevented any of my three classmates from becoming pregnant.

But at least they would have had a fighting chance because obviously the parents at home weren’t doing the job.

The other problem is the attention situation.

The only real solution I can see to this problem is having the coolest or most admired teacher in the school be the one to teach the sex ed class because that teacher is the one most likely to be listened to and acted upon.

I’m sure this will be controversial saying that 10 and 11-year-olds should be getting this kind of education but obviously when you look at the alternative something needs to be done.

Would you rather have a slightly uncomfortable conversation with your son or daughter or would you rather see your daughter get pregnant?

Tell me what you think in the comments.