I think tweens and teens should be taught the simple biology of sex at age appropriate times. My daughter had family life at the end of last school year and we discussed what she learned in school at home. All they got was the basic "this is what puberty is, these are the changes you'll experience, yadda yadda". No BC discussions in 5th grade.
I think the 7th and 9th graders should get a simple " this is what you do/don't do to avoid pregnancy and/or stds ", include failure rates, emphasize that abistinence is the only 100% safe option, and that some "alternatives" to intercourse can still result in STDs. The last is crucial in this day and age as many teens are experimenting thinking "oh I can't get pregnant" and end up with things like oral gonnarhea (eeeeww).
What we need to find is the line between misinformed or uniformed teens and giving them too much information. They need to know that sex and sex acts are not casual games. They need to know the real dangers of pregnancy and STDs. They don't need step by step how to's.
I think the 7th and 9th graders should get a simple " this is what you do/don't do to avoid pregnancy and/or stds ", include failure rates, emphasize that abistinence is the only 100% safe option, and that some "alternatives" to intercourse can still result in STDs. The last is crucial in this day and age as many teens are experimenting thinking "oh I can't get pregnant" and end up with things like oral gonnarhea (eeeeww).
What we need to find is the line between misinformed or uniformed teens and giving them too much information. They need to know that sex and sex acts are not casual games. They need to know the real dangers of pregnancy and STDs. They don't need step by step how to's.
