News-Letter

It was only a short while ago that President George W. Bush stirred up the world of health experts by blocking an international drive to provide sex education for teenagers. His decision was believed to have been based on his strong Christian belief in chastity before marriage.

He had already spent millions of dollars promoting abstinence out of wedlock as the best way to avoid underage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Many critics argued that his approach would threaten funding to encourage condom use in the Third World countries, and it would eventually have a devastating impact on many young people in the world.

Now the focus has shifted to our own population. Statistics show that approximately 2 million people are now living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, and the number is projected to increase over the next few years. Also, it was recently revealed that STDs are most prevalent among teens and young adults, with nearly two-thirds of all STDs occurring in people under age 25.

In a Texas school district, for example, educators became concerned after receiving anonymous questions from students asking them about the health risks of oral and anal sex.

These educators are, however, in an awkward position because sex education curriculum does not allow them to answer such questions. Members of a curriculum advisory panel, which is composed of parents, teachers, counselors and ministers, opposed the idea of teaching or describing the act of oral and anal sex.

There is an increasing concern about how children are not getting the proper sex education from the school system. It is probably because there is no set of rules that governs how much sex education should be offered to students in schools.

The extent to which children are learning about sex is usually left to the decision of members of the school panel. However, to be able to provide effective sex education programs to children, many feel the need for a governing body that can organize matters so that the interests of parents, students and schools can be equally balanced.

According to the Washington Post, critics like Michael J. Fucci, however, defend President Bush's proposed idea, arguing that "no matter what method one uses to 'protect' oneself, nothing - aside from abstinence - can assuredly prevent one from catching sexually transmitted diseases or from becoming pregnant."

Sexual education, however, is crucial to the general education of elementary and middle school students. According to the New Scientist Magazine, sex education promotes the awareness of the ramifications of prenuptial intercourse as well as the negative outcomes that could ensue. This includes educating young adults on the harm of STDs and the proper usage of contraceptives.

According to him, safe sex has become an oxymoron in our society, and the focus should be on promoting celibacy before marriage. Teaching them about safe sex is somewhat similar to supplying them with the safest car possible so that children can drive home drunk from a party.

With the international community's growing focus on the AIDS and STD crisis, sex education is imperative for a better future for all young adults.

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