Introduction
Majority of the United States society support the need for sex education among young adolescents. A recent poll carried out by Planned Parenthood showed that 93% of the parents supported their children in middle school to receive sex education. Furthermore, 96% showed great support for it being taught in high school. Sex education that covers a wide range of topics including puberty, STDS, sexual orientation, healthy romantic relationships, and contraception has been advocated among parents in the country ( Hall, Sales, Komro, & Santelli, 2016) . National and state polls have shown significant support for sex education. The Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Program, a grant program of the US Department of Health and Human Services was created to curb rising rates of teen pregnancy a clear indicator that the sex education was not enough or did not achieve the intended purpose. Since TPPs creation in 2010 under the Obama administration, it funded evidence-based initiatives of prevention promoting contraception education, value of healthy relationships, and sexually transmitted diseases. Currently, 24 states and the District of Columbia require sex education to be taught in schools while 34 states mandate the teaching of HIV education. It is important that sex education becomes a part of the middle school and high school curriculum where the students are taught on the numerous related topics. Topics. It is evident that while HIV education may be taught in 34 states, a further 16 states are missing out on this vital education. In order to reduce the high rates of sexually transmitted diseases and teenage pregnancies, the United States needs to implement a formal sex education curriculum across all 50 states.
Social Science: History
The history of sex education in schools has experienced significant transformation over the past century. However, pre-1900 sex education was almost unheard of as it was considered an inappropriate role for schools to play ( Huber, & Firmin, 2014) . It was believed that such education supplants the role of the parent or caregiver. However, it was in the progressive era between the 1880s and 1920s that would create a foundation of formalized sex education due to changes in morality, sex, and sex education of children ( Huber, & Firmin, 2014) . It was recognized that there was a significant increase in illicit sex taking place in the country which could have a negative impact on the individual perpetrator and the innocent as well.
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The progressive era has been a major indicator of the importance of developing more positive attitudes in addressing the social issues that can negatively affect the members of the society ( Hall et al., 2016) . For instance, high level of illicit sex associated with a lot of drunkenness, changing purpose of sex from procreation to recreational, need to control birth rates, government involvement, and role of public schools ( Huber, & Firmin, 2014) . The intermediate era beginning from the 1920s to the 1960s would build on the efforts made in the progressive era. The new morality was developing where sex without strings was common despite the cultural expectation of abstinence until marriage. It was also evident that the Kinsey ’s views that human beings are sexual from birth prompted need for sex education ( Huber, & Firmin, 2014) . Furthermore, evidence in 1920s shows that teenagers were engaging in sex without adequate sex education.
The sexual revolution era was a period beginning from the the 1960s that was marked by strong feelings of love and hate often portrayed simultaneously. The evidence of long hair, sex orgies usually outside the house, racial tensions, Vietnam protests, drugs (LSDs), and student rebellion was a common outcome in this period ( Huber, & Firmin, 2014) . The period also marked the birth of “pro-sex”organizations and movements which marked partial victory through legalization of abortion and the pill ( Huber, & Firmin, 2014) . The organization, SEICUS, would also be formed in 1964 and led to the formation of American Association of Sex Educators and Counselors and Therapists in 1967 who offered training and standards that would be used by providers of sex education. The Modern sex education era would dawn in 1980s following the discovery of HIV ( Huber, & Firmin, 2014) . It would present a point in time where sex education is essential to help prevent illnesses that are transmitted sexually and could kill if not identified ( Hall et al., 2016) .
The changes evident in the history of sex education are an important part of understanding how the practice is today. It was evident that prior to any sex education was provided in the school setting, members of the community were rigid on the practices of sexuality as such behaviors were considered immoral ( Huber, & Firmin, 2014) . However, in the modern sex education era, it has become a necessity as members of the society have the freedom to choose whether to have sex or not and the partners they wish to have ( Hall et al., 2016) . In this approach, the goal of sex education is to help member make proper sexual choices that will help maintain good health status.
Applied Science: Medicine/Health Sciences
Sex education is a basic part of teaching teenagers and young adults of the bodily changes that are taking place during puberty. It is evident that sex education is an important component in medical and health science. It helps identify understanding of issues such as birth control, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, and pregnancy ( Hogben, Chesson, & Aral, 2010) . The lack of understanding of these factors have brought about numerous concerns on the health of the young people ( Hogben, Chesson, & Aral, 2010) . Reports of STDs in the US reached an all-time high in 2017. The rates associated with chlamydia, gonorrhoea, and syphilis experienced drastic high rise of 21%, 67%, and 76% respectively to reach approximately 2.3 million cases ( Hall et al., 2016) . The statistics also showed that there were far fewer people engaging in sex with approximately 22% of the population not having sex over the past year compared to 18% in the previous decade (Fetters, 2018). As a result, it is not about the amount of sex people are having rather the riskier sex that they are engaging in.
The current state of sexual behavior among members of the US society shows that there is significant risk in sexual encounters. In this case, individuals are less likely to use condoms among gay and bisexual men as well as heterosexual couples ( Hogben, Chesson, & Aral, 2010) . Sex education typically teaches individuals from a young age the importance of utilizing condoms as one of the important contraceptive that will help avert sexually transmitted illnesses ( Hall et al., 2016) . The availability of lifesaving HIV medication has enabled individuals to be relaxed on the use of safety measures to prevent sexually transmitted diseases (Fetters, 2018). One of the measures recommended for dealing with the rapid increase in STDs is sex education where individuals are asked to talk openly on the issues and ways to identify symptoms. Another is the use of condoms or mutual monogamy among sexually active individuals (Fetters, 2018). Finally, regular testing is essential to prevent spread from one person to the next.
Over the course of year 2017, approximately 194,377 babies were born to women between the age of 15 and 19 years . As a result, this led to a rate of 18.8 births per 1,000 women of that age group. The findings demonstrate that the teen pregnancies experienced a significant decline by 7% of the previous year 2016 ( Hall et al., 2016) . The rate of decrease was most evident among non-Hispanic Asians as a decline of 15% was noted while girls aged 15-17 experienced a decline of 10%. Although the evidence for the decline is not clear, it is primarily attributed to the use of birth control than in previous years and abstaining from sex. Sex education can help further maximize decrease by providing young girls and boys with evidence-based findings of why they should use condoms and birth control pills as a measure of preventing teen pregnancies in case they are sexually active.
Diversity Component: Ethnic and Cultural Studies
The US is credited for its high level of diversity with individuals immigrating from all over the world coming to live their lives in the greatest country of the world ( Breuner & Mattson, 2016) . Despite a common culture that advocates for the freedom to discuss sexual practices from a young age, it is evident that the individual cultures influence perception on sexual education ( Jones , 2011) . Each culture has a significant influence on the understanding of sex education as an important tool in the social lives of adolescents. The fact that comprehensive sex education is mandated in only 24 states and the District of Columbia is a clear indicator that cultural practice is a significant issue that derails the ability to ensure it proper dissemination in the classroom. For instance, individuals of Asian descent believe that discussing sex in public is a taboo that should not be practiced.
To address the concerns associated with cultural influence, it is important to discuss directly with parents on the importance of sex education in the lives of their adolescent children ( Breuner & Mattson, 2016) . It will be unethical for sex educators to go directly to the child as they still remain under the care of their parents ( Jones , 2011) . Understanding the different cultures present in the US will help sex educators develop appropriate educational programs that will serve the purpose of reducing teen pregnancies and STDs ( Jones , 2011) . In this way health educators can ensure that the entire adolescent population in the country has adequate information to help prevent these health risks.
Conclusion
The United States currently has high rates of STDs and teenage pregnancies which can be eliminated by the implementation of formal sex education curriculum in all 50 states. At the moment, only 24 states and the District of Columbia mandate a comprehensive sex education in middle and high schools. This is just to show that more than half the country lacks an appropriate education on sexual behavior and best ways to protect oneself from the involved risks. Over the past few years, there has been significant increase in STDs while the teenage pregnancies remain at a high rate per 1,000 women. Failure to incorporate the knowledge acquired from sex education curriculum may be the reason. However, it is also evident that cultural differences plays an integral role in rejection of sex education. Some of them consider speaking about sex in public as a taboo. It is important to overcome these barriers to ensure all adolescents acquire appropriate knowledge to prevent the associated health risks of engagement in sexual activity.
Self-Reflection
I believe that a formal sex education program is necessary in the modern society. There has been an increase in immorality where open sex relationships as well as casual sex have become a norm. With the availability HIV medication which was the major threat in the previous decades, majority of the members now believe that they can engage in sexual promiscuity as much as they can. Many individuals are reluctant to utilize condoms as an important contraceptive as they believe it significantly reduces the passion of sex. Young people are also likely to emulate behaviors that they observe on Hollywood movies where they can have multiple sex partners without consequences of health or pregnancy.
References
Breuner, C. C., Mattson, G., & Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. (2016). Sexuality education for children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 138 (2), e20161348.
Fetters, A. (2019) Why Are STDs on the Rise If Americans Are Having Less Sex? The Atlantic, Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2018/08/why-are-stds-on-the-rise-if-people-are-having-less-sex/568909/
Hall, K. S., Sales, J. M., Komro, K. A., & Santelli, J. (2016). The state of sex education in the United States. The Journal of adolescent health: official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 58 (6), 595.
Hogben, M., Chesson, H., & Aral, S. O. (2010). Sexuality education policies and sexually transmitted disease rates in the United States of America. International Journal of STD & AIDS, 21 (4), 293–297. https://doi.org/10.1258/ijsa.2010.009589
Huber, V. J., & Firmin, M. W. (2014). A History of Sex Education in the United States since 1900. International Journal of Educational Reform, 23 (1), 25–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/105678791402300102
Jones , T. M. (2011) Saving rhetorical children: sexuality education discourses from conservative to post-modern . Sex Education, 11 ( 4 ) , 369 - 387, DOI: 10.1080/14681811.2011.595229
