Academic literature on the topic 'Sex education'

Introduction In 2015, compared to the national rates, Tennessee had the 9th highest teen birth rate, 15th highest rate of reported cases of chlamydia, and 14th highest rate of reported cases of gonorrhea. Sex education that includes instruction on contraception along with abstinence has been found to delay sexual initiation, decrease number of sexual partners, and increase condom or contraceptive use. These behavioral choices by young people can help reduce teen pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Introduction of contraception topics in earlier grades can equip young people with necessary tools to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STIs before they become sexually active. We explored the grades in which sex education providers taught topics such as birth control, condoms, and abstinence and the lowest grade at which they prefer to teach these topics. We then compared providers’ responses with responses from ETSU college students who had their sex education in TN. Methods To obtain information from sex education providers in TN public schools, we sent a recruitment email or letter with a weblink to a web-based survey from April to June 2017, to 3,249 potential providers. Of all potential providers, 509 completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 15.7%. Of those who completed the survey, final analysis included 137 providers who taught sex education in the 2015-2016 school year to any of grades 5 through 12 students. To get information from recipients of sex education in TN schools, a convenience sample of ETSU college students were asked to complete a survey using the ETSU SONA system in Fall 2017 semester. Of 385 students who completed the survey, final analysis included 216 (56.1%) students who were between ages 18-24 and attended the grade in which they had most of their sex education in TN. Provider and student surveys had similar items on grades in which sex education topics were taught and the lowest grade in which they would want these topics to be covered. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive tests. Results Most providers (83.9%) taught abstinence by grade 12, and 37.2% had taught it by middle school (i.e. at or before 8th grade). Similarly, many students mentioned that abstinence was taught by 12th grade (92.1%) and by 8th grade (62.5%). Whereas, fewer providers taught topics, such as, birth control (65.0%), how to use condoms (22.6%), how to use and where to get birth control (31.4%), and much fewer providers taught these topics by middle school (17.5%, 8.0%, 8.8%, respectively). Most students expressed that these topics be taught by 12th grade (97.7%, 97.2%, 96.3%, respectively), and over two-thirds preferred that these topics be taught by middle school (71.8%, 67.6%, 63.9%, respectively). Also, about half of providers expressed that these topics be taught by middle school (68.6%, 46.7%, 51.8%, respectively). Conclusion This study finds that students want contraception topics to be taught in earlier grades, and that providers also prefer to teach these topics earlier. Future research should focus on factors that can enable providers to teach these topics in earlier grades.

There is a settled stereotype for women and men which give them different possibilities in our society. The schools, which are one of the most important sources of knowledge, have a great possibility to influence. This is the reason why we are interested in how the schools are working with a project, which we will call X henceforth. What was the purpose with the project and what does it contain? What is missing in the former education, since the project was started? Are there any obstacles or prerequisite in the design of the project or in the school teaching on the basis of X? We have done interviews in the gathering of empirical material to find out all the answers to our questions. To support this, we have chosen a few theories which we find suitable for the material. The teacher´s and the principal find the project X very important in the development of a more open-minded pupil. They also think that the project is helping them a lot by being supported with material and knowledges how to work with the subject.

As sexualities educators, we rarely examine the broader social context our sexualities are shaped within, nor do we often give meaningful instruction to students on how to come to terms with emotions and desire or choosing and being good partners. Some of the ways we 'do' masculinity, femininity and gender in this culture can compromise our ability to fully engage in loving relationships with our selves and others. Teaching sexualities as transformational learning, critical theory challenges us to do better, both as individuals and as a society aware of and resisting oppression. Instead of teaching as though the body and spirit can thrive independently of one another, an authentic sexualities education would address the many dimensions of human experience, including morality, physicality and emotionality.

Public concern about teenage pregnancy and the threat of sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS make sex education information vital for today's teenagers. A 1986 Harris survey of 1,000 teenagers cited parents as their primary source of sex education information, but 42% said they would be too nervous or afraid to bring up the subject of contraception or birth control with their parents. States like Kentucky have mandated sex education courses for all public schools to provide necessary instruction for teenagers. This study identifies communication barriers which teenagers say prevent communication with their parents about sex and sex-related topics. Questionnaires were administered to 249 high school sex education students. The majority of teenagers (71%) said they could communicate freely with their parents about most topics, but only half (52%) said they could communicate freely with their parents about sex or sex-related topics. Thirty percent of the teenagers said they could not talk comfortably with their mothers about sex as compared to 47% who said they could not talk with their fathers. Results showed gender differences in the ability to talk with fathers about sex. Fifty-eight percent of the females reported closed communication with fathers about sex topics as compared to 33 percent of males. Teenagers cited 13 main reasons why they could not talk with their parents about sex or sex-related topics: embarrassment (20%), poor communication in general (11%), different values about sex and dating (11%), avoidance of conflict (10%), teenager chooses not to discuss it with parents (10%), it's a topic simply not discussed (9%), parents might accuse them of being sexually active (7%), parents think they are too young (5%), they are too busy to talk about it (5%), parents don't want to discuss it (4%), parents are overprotective (4%), teenager is not close to parents (3%), and parents wouldn't understand (2%). Items which teenagers say would make it more comfortable to discuss sex topics with parents include: parents being more understanding, non-accusing, not embarrassed, willing to listen, closer in age, less old fashioned, more informed about today's teens, open minded and less judgmental.