Monday, April 30, 2012

To Teach Sex Education OR Not to Teach Sex Education: That is the Question

Hi everyone! My name is Adrian Diggins. As of May 2012, I am a graduate of Nazareth College of Rochester, with a Bachelor's degree in Inclusive Education and Spanish. As part of a final component for my Gender & Education course, I have designed a blog, which provides information for parents and students in the subject of sex education. It is my hope that this blog will help me in my future as an educator. In other words, I believe that it is essential as an educator to work with parents to ensure that the students are learning the same information and values in school and at home and that they are consistently being reinforced.

Sex Education is a hot topic in the field of education. In many states, it is not mandated to be taught within the public school system. However, for many students, school may be the only place that they would be able to receive or to learn this sort of information. Many students may not have parents that are willing to sit down, talk, and teach them about sex education. On the contrary, some parents may not agree that it is the school's job and/or responsibility to teach their children about sex. Some parents believe it is their role to discuss sex with their children. This can be a problem though. How do we know that ALL parents are teaching their children about sex education? We don't. We will never know whether there is a conversation, comments, or even acknowledgement of the existence of sex for children from their parents. So, how can we be sure that our children and our students are being taught sex education, safe practices, etc?

Sex is a controversial topic. As an educator, I must consider what it is I want to teach within the topic of sex education (with the approval from administration and parents). What is sex? Are there many forms of sex? What are safe sex practices? What are the positives/negatives of sex? HIV/AIDS prevention? What are possible sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)?  Where can I find resources to learn more about sex?  These are just some questions to consider when beginning to design a program or a class unit about sex education.

Overall, as a woman, a student, and a pre-service educator, I understand the importance of sex education. I truly believe that teachers, parents, and community members need to work together to ensure that our children and our students are safe. Within my blog, I hope to provide basic information for a future sex education unit as well as sources for parents to utilize because sex is not just a talk about whether your son/daughter are having sex. Teachers and parents need to provide adequate information and resources to ensure that our children and our students are well-informed about sex. I hope to continue adding to this blog throughout my career as an educator.

Charlie Brown - Questions concerning Sex Education

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