Sex Education in Elementary Schools

The Debate on Sex Education in Elementary Schools

The topic of sex education instruction in elementary schools has been discussed in several journals, magazines, and printed media, with various academics holding opposing views on the subject. The reality that the country’s morality has eroded cannot be ignored, as the number of adolescent pregnancies has grown. According to a recent McCall’s magazine story, the rate of teen births between the ages of 15 and 19 has risen. According to a recent study, sexual behavior by adolescents has risen by 30% in the last year. Many schools are teaching teenagers about sex life, and on the contrary, the number of pregnancies has increased together with the cases of immorality. The above incidences bring us to the question, is sex education teachings in schools helpful? Do we need sex education in elementary schools? Those who run our schools think that the answers lie in teaching the children about sex life in schools. Are they right about that? The answer is No. Knowledge does not keep off teenagers from sexual immorality.

The Ineffectiveness of Sex Education in Preventing Sexual Activities

Teaching our children about sexual functions of their body does not prevent them from sexual immorality or sexual activities. It is not right to say that educating girls on pregnancy and how it occurs prevents them from being pregnant. Some of the teenagers throughout kindergarten through twelfth grade are innocent on sexuality, but the moment they are exposed to the topic, the mind opens thus tempting them to engage in sexual activities (Drazek 104). The teachings on sex education have increased in the schools, and we have noted an increase in sexual abuse by the teenagers thus the education is more destructive. How foolish can we be to be told that elementary sex education is good?

Parental Opposition to Sex Education in Elementary Schools

A recent online article from Mail Online magazine has explored the view of the people on early sex education in schools. The results of the research done indicate that sex education should not be taught in schools. More than half of the parents give views that sex education spoils more children than it benefits them. According to the poll baby product website, parents think that it is inappropriate to teach children about sex and many say that it is the choice of parents to talk to their children about sex. A survey from Mail Online magazine indicates that 59% of the parents questioned on elementary sex education say No, with 48% of the No to sex education parents saying that children must be 13 years and above before sex life is introduced to them (babychild.org.uk).

The Influence of Media in Sexualizing Children

We are currently living in a society where sex has become open, and people are not afraid anymore to express their feelings to the public. The television, newspapers, bookstores, magazines, movies and the internet are frequently bombarding children with sex life and how sex is done (Drazek 108). Does it mean that we should educate children on sex life? I think no. Even the teachers who educate teenagers on sex life are heard talking about sex. There is no essence of teaching what you cannot practice. How many times have we heard cases of teachers being caught in the staffrooms by pupils doing sex? Sex education in elementary schools is meaningless because the children are already innocent. I do understand that puberty starts at the age of 9 Years in girls and 12 years in boys making it the appropriate time to start sex education. Therefore if indeed sex education was to be of the essence in elementary school, then the 11th and 12th class would benefit.

The Potential Risks of Sex Education

Sex life is open to everybody in today’s world. The programs watched on television promote sex thus teenagers have more experience with sex from media. School sex education will make the children more eager to know what they are supposed to do after they know what sex is. Imagine your sixth-grade child coming home and describing perfectly the human reproductive system and the processes involved. The worry of the parent at this stage is what the knowledge will do to the child. The emotional and spiritual aspect of the child’s life is at risk with such knowledge. Just like we are programmed by teachers to learn mathematics in school, it is the same way sex life will be incorporated into our lives as teenagers. It is also important to know that children have the eagerness to know more when they are taught something. Therefore, the moment you teach them about sex education the brain opens, and they realize there is something they have not done.

The Controversy Surrounding Sex Education and Religion

I am not advocating for sex education in elementary schools because of the religious part of life. Sex has been known to be sacred from the religious point of view. When teaching children about sex life, we promote immorality which goes against the Bible. According to the book of Hebrews, 13:4, all sexual activities outside marriage are sinful. As long as we keep informing children about sex, the more spoiled they become thus the increased number of pregnancies, rape, and sexual harassment in the United States. There is a big difference between teaching pupils the circulatory system and when the topic of the reproductive system is on the table. The mechanism of breathing and how blood moves around the body does not raise any emotions, but when it comes to the reproductive system, there is a big difference.

The Risks of Encouraging Open Discussion of Sexual Organs

Sex education in elementary schools causes more harm than good to the children. When the children are being taught about the body parts, the basic teaching is that they should be free to talk about every part of the body. Is it true? How free is a child able to talk about their sexual organs as they can talk about their hand or fingers? If we encourage them to talk freely, then they will eventually have to discover the secret behind it (Marcovitz 2013). I am not against openness but in reality, how can boys share their knowledge freely on sexual organs with girls? If your answer is no to the above questions, then sex education should be abolished in elementary schools. Many of the sex education lessons have turned out to be an exercise to destroy the morals and conscience of children.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Sex Education

The young generation is becoming spoiled because of the sexual education provided in schools. The television and other media forms are promoting sex life in today’s world, thus teaching about sex education will only cause more harm. The current teen birth rates in the country are 23 births per 1000 teen girls. The above statistics show that several pregnancies are occurring irrespective of the sex education in elementary schools. The solution to the problem is to stop sex education in elementary school and promote the biblical teachings on sex in schools. Perhaps sex education can be provided in secondary and college levels than in elementary schools.

Works Cited

Drazek, Andrew, Tom Arnold, Whitney Moore, and Simon Rex. 101 Sex Education. , 2015.

McKay, Alexander, and Mary Bissell. Sexual Health Education in the Schools: Question & Answers. , 2014. Internet resource.

Marcovitz, Hal. How Should Sex Education Be Taught in Schools?, 2013. Print.

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