Learning about sex is one of the most important aspects of developing a healthy sexual lifestyle in the future. I’m not talking about positions, techniques, or finding the elusive G-spot. What I mean is that the sex education kids receive in schools is vital to their understanding of the subject, and should be conducted in a way that is both informative and extensive enough to allow students to make responsible personal decisions as to when sex is right for them.

The United States has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the world. Ironically, we are also the only country where you can find an “abstinence-only until marriage” curriculum for sex education. In fact, over half of the schools in the United States utilize this method as their only source of sex information.

I was surprised to learn that in schools that use this approach, topics such as condom use, abortion and sexual orientation are not allowed to be discussed in the classroom at all. Don’t get me wrong — I see nothing wrong with teaching abstinence, though I strongly believe that children and young adults should be educated enough about all aspects of sex before they are expected to make that choice.

Personally, I am a very strong believer in sexual abstinence because it is the only 100-percent effective method of birth control and sexually transmitted disease control. However, there is a big difference between believing in abstinence and teaching it in schools as the only available option.

Though I had a very comprehensive understanding about sex, birth control, STDs (including HIV), and the anatomy of men and women by the time I was in sixth grade, I chose not to have sex until the age of 19. This was the time in my life when I decided I was ready for the responsibilities of sex. I made a choice that I am still happy with today, and have no regrets about my decision to become sexually active.

I attribute my educated choice to my parents, who, along with my school’s sex education program, talked openly and honestly about all of the benefits and potential risks involved with sex.

Although there are many benefits to abstaining from sex until marriage, I still feel that it is problematic to provide kids with only one option. By keeping students ignorant about contraceptives and safer sex, these education programs are asking for trouble.

With the lack of school-provided education about topics such as birth control, STD prevention and abortion, students must find their information elsewhere, whether it be from friends, older siblings, media or parents. Unless the person from whom the student gains information about sex is knowledgeable about the subject, kids can accumulate misconceptions about sex that may lead to the things that abstinence is intended to prevent, such as STDs or unwanted pregnancies.

For example, one of the urban myths going around middle schools is that douching with cola immediately after sex is an effective means of birth control. It blows my mind that someone would believe that, but without the proper education, how can we expect a student to differentiate fact from myth?

Some “abstinence-only” programs also offer misinformation, and tend to use scare tactics in their curricula as a way to persuade students to be abstinent, which could potentially lead to psychological problems with sex later in life.

The opposing argument is that a student of an “abstinence-only” method of education wouldn’t be having sex. Well, somehow I don’t think it is possible to prevent every young individual from engaging in sexual activity. In fact, there are no conclusive studies that prove abstinence-only sex education students wait longer than students who are taught about the subject comprehensively — that is, about the whole nine yards of sex.

There are, however, studies that show students who had “abstinence-only” sex education programs are less likely to use condoms when they do become sexually active.

One of the big issues that some promoters of “abstinence-only” education take up with comprehensive sex education is the conflict between religion and sex. Because some religions do not advocate sex outside of its procreative use, teaching about birth control is said to promote sex for recreation. This argument does not stand very strong, though, because informing students about birth control is as much of a promotion of sex as teaching about war in a history lesson promotes violence.

Along with a full educational program about sex in schools, I believe that parents should share the responsibility of teaching sex to their children. Through open communication, parents would be able to not only further their child’s understanding of sex, but would also be able to discuss sex within the context of their own moral or religious beliefs. This would allow the students to receive multiple points of view about the subject, which would help them come to a reasonable decision for themselves.

If you would like to know more about sex education, whether it is for school, home, or personal use, check out the Planned Parenthood website at www.plannedparenthood.org. They also offer the Reality-based Education and Learning for Life (R.E.A.L. Life) kit, a collection of documents that provide information about sex and that advocates healthy sexual education.

Take your G.R.E. (General Romper Examination): Which is safer? A. Condom or B. No Condom — If you said A, you are correct.

What are your views on sex education? Share them by e-mailing [email protected].