New York City Makes Sex Education Mandatory

New York City public schools took a brave step forward for sex education recently by requiring all students have sex education classes while in school. This is the first time in 20 years sex education will be taught in the New York schools. The program starts this academic school year and will require two semesters of sex education for all public school students. The first semester will be required in middle school and the second in high school and will be integrated into the health classes already required.

The Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg advocated for the sex education classes and will fund them with help from a donor by the name of George Soros. With the CDC reporting that 41% of New York City students admitting they have been sexually active by 9th grade and 58% by 12th grade, a clear need for sex education is apparent.

The curriculum will include lessons on puberty, birth control, abstinence, teen pregnancy, sexual decision making and HIV/ STD prevention. Parents can opt their children out of the classes on birth control if they go against their value system. Some people feel this is not enough and are not happy with the sex education courses being taught in the schools. Many people feel sex education should be taught in the home and at the same time many parents report being relieved at not having to talk to their kids about sex.

Time will show if the mandatory sex education helps lower teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease rates. It will be interesting to see how the students react to the education and if they report it being beneficial.

http://online.worldmag.com/2011/08/23/mandatory-sex-ed-in-nyc-public-sch...

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/compulsory-sex-ed-in-new-york/