Each year nearly half the teenage population has had sex at least once, and the majority of teens use condoms when having sex. Most of these teens have been enrolled in or are currently enrolled in sexual education classes. Sex education teaches that sex is okay as long as you are careful and safe. Abstinence delays teens from having sex. Schools should teach abstinence-only classes.
Abstinence-only classes don’t exactly tell students to not have sex before marriage. The classes, in fact, would teach students the drawbacks to sexual activity while in their age. The classes include teaching the pros and cons of sex. Of course the cons that are taught outnumber the pros of sex. On the other hand, sex education classes mainly teaches birth control information and contraceptives, saying that sex is okay as long as you are careful and in control. Studies shows that teens are less likely to engage in sexual activity when in abstinence classes compared to students who are in sex education classes. In a recent study, in an abstinence-only class, about 30 percent of those teens became sexually active. In a sex education class that taught both condom use and abstinence, about 40 percent of those teens became sexually active. In a sex education class that focused only on safe condom use, about 50 percent of those teens became sexually active. Clearly, about 70 percent of those teens did not engage in sexual activity when they were in abstinence-only classes. Moreover, in another study, only about a third of teens who completed an abstinence-focused program started having sex within the next two years, researchers found. Nearly half of the students, who attended other classes, including ones that combined information about abstinence and contraception, became sexually active. Emphasizing abstinence only—ignoring moral implications of sexual activity—can reduce sexual activity by nearly a third of the teenage population compared with teens who received no sex education. However, there are teens that find abstinence extremely difficult to practice. Granted, peer pressure and things on TV and in the movies can make practicing abstinence more difficult, but when practiced consistently, abstinence is really effective. So if abstinence is practiced consistently, teen pregnancy and STDs would not be such a problem. Numerous studies show that fewer teens were sexually active. It is surely evident that abstinence classes could work. Dr. John B. Jemmott III even says that "Our Study shows this could be the one approach that could be used." Abstinence-only classes are more effective, furthermore preventing more teens from having sex.
Gladly, abstinence-only classes can prevent and delay students from having sex. On the other hand, the abstinence-only classes cannot ensure a decrease in teen pregnancy across the U.S. In abstinence-only classes, most teens have no influence on the use of condoms or other birth control when having sex. Abstinence-only strategies may deter contraceptive use among sexual activity, furthermore increasing the risk teen pregnancy and STDs if having sex. Of course, there will be some teens, even though in abstinence classes, that will still have sex—sex without any condom or birth control. Admittedly this would mean that a handful of these teens would have a 90 percent chance of getting pregnant and/or getting a disease or infection. Therefore, if that handful of teens were not to practice abstinence consistently and were to have sex, the number of births, pregnancies, and STDs would increase.
Schools should teach abstinence-only classes. It would motivate most teens to not have sex. When practiced consistently, abstinence can be very much effective in preventing teen pregnancy and any spread of diseases. Abstinence-only classes delays teens from having sex. It is much effective because basically what is being done when abstinent is…nothing.
