Stay Out Loud: If you could change one thing about your sex ed class, what would it be?
We're all back to school now, and for some of us, that means starting the dreaded Health 101 class…aka, Sex Education. If you're sitting through that class this year, like Amber said, you're potentially being subjected to your gym teacher and some overly dramatic (fairly gross in some cases) slides and cheesy health videos made before you were born. Not fun and not easy to take anything of use out of that situation.
So what to do? Well, we decided to ask what real teens want out of their sex ed classes. Check out their responses below and then tell us what you think in the comments or on Twitter (@StayTeen)!
We asked several members of our Youth Leadership Team to share their thoughts on sex, love, dating, relationships, parents, and a lot more. In this video, from the Stay Out Loud video series, we asked them if they could change one thing in their sex ed class, what would it be. Watch all the Stay Out Loud videos on our Video page.
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WHAT OTHER TEENS ARE SAYING:
we should have sex ed classes because kids are getting realllllllllll willdddddd kids gonna do what they please they don’t really care what adults have too talk about these days
sex is sex. respect it
my parents are always talking to me about what will happen if i ever had sex and i was shocked
i deff. agree sex ed should be in all schools because kids should know what they are getting into!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;))))))))))))))))))))
I think that sex is very important to teen today. so the schools should stop sugarcoating the subject!!
In my opinion…teens are going to do as we please. Sex Ed should be in every school but not to pressure an idividual by having or not having sex. Give us the info so we know what we are talking about. Then leave the decision up to us. it needs to be straight up facts. Facts about your body, sex, birth control for BOYS and GIRLS and the option to wait until your married. This is the 21st century, the majority do not wait until they are married, teens should be taught real information, by a teacher who has been there, cares and specializes in the topic….not a gym teacher who shows you pictures of STDs.
Hi, my name is Marissa and you would not believe the number of teen pregnancies in my high school. I think this reason is because of the sexual education programs in my school. These programs are telling kids thats its okay to have protected sex. . A subject like this is not to be dicussed between a student & a teacher. These programs are taking away the parents responsibilities of teaching there childern about human sexuality. Sex education is a basic term used to describe a wide rang of programs which aim to impact graphic, sexual information to childern. A school is not a place for sex education. The parents should tell there childern about human sexuality when they feel there child is on the actual, mental maturity to take & understand the rights & wrong from sex.
I honestly think it isn’t the kids fault that they got pregnant. It’s their parents fault for not teaching their child or A.K.A. “Having the talk” with their child at the right time. You can’t just say don’t have sex it won’t work…My parents told me whats up about it last year and that they trust my decisions. I don’t think we need more Sex Ed. classes but what we do need is better parents. We need parents that will teach their child right from wrong. I have plenty of friends that have had sex. Some it was a big step in a relationship of two years, in others they were that didn’t even try yo talk to thier parents about it. I don’t want anyone to read this and be like “Ok so i’m a bad parent” i’m sorry if I offend you but it just might be the truth…
i believe sexual classes should be in all school around the world. it will really help student know from right from wrong before they expect something that their not prepared for…. it like what will your parents say when they find out
i feel that sex is bad at a young age
As someone who became sexually active at a young age, I believe strongly in comprehensive sex education. This includes comprehensive information on condoms, pills, diaphragms, patches, shots, IUDs, tube-tying, vasectomies, abstinence, and all other forms of protection. Discussing sexuality in a comfortable, non-judgmental setting is also tremendously important– people, especially teens, need to know that they are not anomalies and that their sexuality is not wrong. In addition to this, it needs to be stressed that sex education is not just about intercourse, but also about human growth and development and the different gender identifications and sexualities that exist in our world.
I think schools should have sexual education classes. I believe that these classes will make teens make better choices! Teens now a days are having sex left and right and it needs to stop. I know a 16 year old girl that is pregnet and will be having her baby in 2 months. This is insane! we need these classes to teach teens about safe sex and what they are getting themselves into. If girls get pregnate at a young age, they tend to drop out of school and give up their education for a child. She put her and her babies life in jeperody! these classes will put sense into these teenagers.
abstinence should be taught or told to students before sex education. they are both really important. but learning you should wait should come before learning how to do it.
Hi Im a 19 yr old college guy and i wanted to tell all the kids that are in high school that your not missing anything when it comes to sex trust me sex is just sex but if you wait and find the right person to share your moment with it will 1000% better then having sex to have sex trust me you can wait thier is alot of things you can do like first finishing your education or pick a sport and excell in it live your life to the fullest dont waste your time wraping your self around sex
I believe that teens should be educated about sex-ed evrey year at school so it can be fresh in your memory and so you won’t forget about it.
Sex should be taught in schools in order to educate teens about the consequences of sex. Some parents dont touch on the topic of sexual intercourse, so teens experiment to find out. these experaments may lead to pregnancy and STD’s. if the teens are taught at least the basics of sex in school they will know how to minimize the risks.
ok so last year in my eight grade sex ed class we were taught our PE teacher and like this guy didnt seem to know what he was talking about and he said if you have a baby thats a boy dont drop him on a metal pole in between his legs im like duh and i know its hard to belive but he really knew nothing and the videos are so out dated also i wish they gave condoms—
A GIRL <3
In my state of Texas it is really sad and scary how many of my classmates, girls and boys alike, have absolutely no understanding of the human anatomy—we need to know about our bodies and the opposite gender’s bodies, for health reasons. We need to be told the truth—that no matter what you can get pregnant even if it’s your first time (so many kids believe all these old myths). There is nothing taught about STDS. Basically to sum it all up: to change all these things, but put it as changing 1 thing: ABOLISH ABSTINENCE-ONLY EDUCATION AND REPLACE IT WITH COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION FOR ALL GENDERS AND SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS STARTING IN GRADE 6.
Sex isn’t a bad thing I mean okay if you want to wait then wait
I wish we didn’t have sex education at all.
hi my is rebecca and we should have sex educatin becuz kids should kno how the boddy worksw out and what will happen like badd riscs …………….
Sex education should be an important part in school. I don’t think having sex before you are married is wrong. I think that you should wait until you have a special person first . Sex ed should teach you how to have safe sex so to prevent pregnancy and std’s. It should also teach you about different forms of birth control, something other than condoms.
Okay people need to stop making SEX sound like its a bad thing. its not bad to have sex. Sex is a normal thing. if you have religious beliefs and would wait until you are married then good.Second of all, teens get embarrassed in a sex ed class. Girls and Boys together learning about sex and the consequences is not going to go good. We all know that girls are far more mature than boys.If i could change something from this class i would separate the boys an girls. One class for boys, one class for girls. That way they could really engage in what is being taught. And if the boys aren’t learning or taking it seriously, at least the other side is, and vise versa…
I think that Sex Education is a very important part of a teenagers education. Teenagers should be given the most information possible about life and what they will experience within and out of high school; this includes sex. Sex is a natural part of life for every person regardless of your religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, etc.-it’s going to happen at some point. Teens should be educated in schools not to fear sex but to understand all aspects of it. They should be taught about sex and it’s consequences (good and bad); about STD’s (how they are transmitted, their symptoms, the short and long-term effects of contracting STD’s); about contraceptives, there are so many options out there that are not known about by teens, and this can include abstinence since it is the most effective solution for not getting pregnant or contracting STD’s (even though it is not the only solution); and they should learn about what sex is, what it means, and why people engage in it. At the end of the day, it’s the teenagers’ decision. They will do what they want to do, what they feel is right to do (whether it is or isn’t is not for anyone else to decide). If they are educated about sex and understand all aspects of it, then maybe they will be better equipped to make better, safer, and more educated decisions.
Sex education is taught by unqualified teachers. Our teacher gives us assignments to write about God punishment for having sex rather than the social and personal consequences of having sex while you are young. Sex education should not interfere with my personal values, ethics, and religion, but now it does. It focuses on protective than preventive measures. No discussions in class whatsoever, we sit listening and then do what the teacher wants us to do. No active discussions because no one including the teacher really care. More important, I truly feel I lost my innocence with these classes rather than learning any useful thing. Too much unnecessary information. I feel totally uncomfortable in class. I have been raised to know and understand the consequences of having sex at early age. I do not need anyone to tell me or give me the wrong morals or force me to go through experiences I do not want to go through, like forcing me to buy a condom and I am a girl. We came from different families and we have different values. We are not the same and we think differently. I am so upset from sex education classes the way it is now: Have sex the right way!!
hi my name is ealena rodgers i am 12 and my best friend who is fourteen is pregnate and she had sex with a random guy at our school it was border line rape. he is 16 and was sentenced and sued the funny thing was she didnt know what she was doing and no she is suffering the consequenses and she even admited that she enjoyed it
dear teens, sex education is offered to be knowledgeable about the topic and the consequences from this action. Look at all those girls out there who had sex and now are pregnant and suffering trying to manage; school,a baby, work, friends, and everything that comes with. Sex might be a fun and enjoyable action but at a certain age. Girls cry for giving the wrong guy their virginity don’t fall for “i love you” because feelings change, know teenage knows what they want, they change their mind constantly. So why not wait and make it special…. think twice before you do something?
Remember tinckle twice… hahaha get it think! SINCERELY, Mr. Tinckle.<3 😉
I would say that how to handle ways.when people are trying to rape you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! REALLY IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi, my name is Jamey and you would not believe the number of teen pregnancies in my high school. I believe in waiting until marriage to have sex but not everyone does. I personally feel that if we, as in my school, had a better sex ed program then we wouldn’t have all of the pregnancies and such.
I agree you should be able to feel comfortable with this
very right you are I agree
sex ed class was good until teens started thinking it was okay to have sex before marriage or even while your a teen. i understand prefectly! the purpose of the class is to help prevent diseases like stds or aids but, thats not what is going in these teens minds! the teachers say ” don’t have sex but, let me show you how to by using condoms”! BOOM! your are basically helping them to be sextually active. DUHHH…!!! please, take it from a teen who actually know! i am 16 trust me okay! just remember teens are teens! they will do whatever! if they wont listen to their parents, then what makes you think they will listen to you? YOU AINT SPECIAL
I’m am a Christian too, but u Cathy needsa reality check. The lady Kelsey-Dana is right teens are going to have sex whether they are taught or not. I’m 14 years old and listen to me . There’s alot of girls who been in a sex – ed class ,goes toc churc or any of the religion blessing towers and stll break their sacred book’s laws about Chasity . Whether or not us teens liste through one ear and it goes through the other. Those kids are eventually going to pay for it if they are caught doing it unprotected! But, some kids do wear protection and I wish that my excellent 8th gade health teacher would have asked them to bring condoms over to the health fair because in real life our generation is out their doing what they please , you can’t tell them to use abistinence , evenutally they might ended up learning from their experience or they migt just keep on doing it. Besides, they should just use protection when their doing it and just be aware of what could possibly happen.
you shouldn’t have sex out of wedlock
Um, why those teens were not careful about having sex? :/
people should just educate us more about how much sex affects a relationship. honestly it is so emotinal for the girls expically. it causes so many problems if you dont really love your partner i know from personal expierence I would have wanted to wait untill I was in high school in a relationship with someone who i acually liked and i knew cared about me!!
We need to be realistic teens are going to have sex. Only small minded people could think that teaching abstanace is going to work all on its own. sex ed should be about protecting yourself not only from getting pregnant but from stds as well. Birth control not only condoms but the pill and the shot need to be taught. There are so many different birth control options out there that teen are unware of. I think that sex ed should provide condoms as well I have heard so often that teen males who are sexually active don’t buy condoms because they are imbarrassed to do so. Even though this should be a red flag to them not to have sex its not the case. Also I think in my sex ed class they should teach about the conciquenses what its really like to get pregnant and having to raise a child how it will effect your whole life school work and both your futures.
Cathy,
I, too, am a Christian. However, in public schools you can not force our beliefs onto others.
Now being realistic schools definitely need to be teaching these teens that girls and guys should worry about protecting themselves. I.e: Girls should be on some sort of birth control if they are sexually active. And not the pill, because it is very easy to forget to take one. Guys should always, ALWAYS, use a condom. I really don’t want to hear about how it is uncomfortable, because do you know what is more uncomfortable then condoms? Being a teen parent.
Girls and guys need to remember that contraception is not one persons job but BOTH of your jobs.
When I was in Malden High there was absolutely no sexual education, I was very mad and am hoping to help change that by working closely with our mayor and superintendent to enforce a sex ed course in MHS. And am planning to become a Sexuality Educator.
Stay young!
Kelsey-Dana T,
I’m not in Sex ED yet, but I know kids who are. I would change how they teach it! I would use bible scriptures, and tell the class God made it for Marrage. God made it for a reason, and not for the reason A LOT of teens use it for now these days! I am 15, I don’t believe in Sex before marrage, and when they’re teaching this in schools, it makes people think it’s OK to have sex before marrage. I would change how they teach it, and I would do it in a Godly manner!
Cathy Mae Rose Scurlock
There are a lot of classes in high school like Physics that have abstract applications, but then there are classes like Wood Shop that have very obvious, practical applications. Sex Ed is one of those classes with a very concrete application. If you plan on being a carpenter you need to be an active participant in Shop class, and if you plan on engaging in sexual activity you need to be an active participant in Sex Ed class. You need to ask questions, and absorb all the information that you can because when you’re tested (in real life, not in school!) you don’t want to make a mistake with something so important.
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