As a parent, you need to be fully aware of what your teen is taught about sex at school for two reasons; 1. You want to be sure that the information is complete, accurate and reflects your family’s values. 2. You want to be sure that you are prepared to answer questions your teen may have.
Today, there aretwo different types of sex education classes. Depending on what your state or local school district mandates, your teen will either be learning the Comprehensive Sexuality Education or the Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program. These programs represent two completely different schools of thought, but either way, it is imperative for you to know whatyour child is learning. You will need to do your best not to get caught up in the politics of sex education classes as much as be the buffer or the fill-in person for your teenager.
Comprehensive Sexually Education is a program that starts in. Kindergarten and continues through high school. It brings up age appropriate sexuality topics and covers the broad spectrum of sex education, including safe sex, STD’s, contraceptives, masturbation, body image, and more. If this is the type of sex education your teen is receiving at school, there maybe times that you need to buffer some of the information, as it may have come sooner than teenager needed it.
Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs emphasize abstinence from all sexual behaviours and do not cover on contraceptives, STD’s , masturbation ,etc…. If this is the sexual education your teenager is in, you will need to be prepared to be the person who fills them in on the information.
Typically, most schools fall in the idle of the two types of programs. Either way, you will need to know what your teenager is being-or-is not being-taught about sex and their sexuality. Then, you can be prepared for their questions with the correct answers and not leave it to their friends or media to educate them.
By: Hermelita C. Meregildo | Master Teacher I | Limay National High School | Limay, Bataan
