Safe sex education vs. abstinence only has been a heated debate topic for decades. Schools play a large role in this topic. Many teachers feel it is important to teach teenagers safe sex education while others feel strongly about teaching abstinence only. Regardless of the parents' or the teacher’s feelings, if a teenager is going to engage in sexual activity, it is unlikely anyone will be able to stop them. Therefore, when it comes to safe sex education vs. abstinence only, the safe sex education will usually always win.
Most parents and teachers agree that teaching a teenager about safe sex is a wise decision, even if the teenager “promises” to remain abstinent. Teenagers barely have any control over their emotions and most would agree they have little to no control over hormones. Therefore, teaching teens about safe sex education will help protect them from unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.
Yes, it is possible for a teenager to remain abstinent, however, teaching a teen to remain abstinent is something that has to begin in early childhood. Education should continue throughout the preteen and teen years. Peer pressure can and often does play a critical role when it comes to sex. Even after years of “conditioning” a child/teen to abstain from sex, there is absolutely no guarantee that teens will not give in to pressure. Therefore, when considering the options of safe sex education vs. abstinence teaching teens about safe sex education is the best option.
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