BRINGING SEX.E. BACK
(In response to Anna Bethancourt’s Oct. 20 column “Sex ed abstains from teaching.”)
The information about the sexual education curriculum in the Valley is alarming.
Taking an abstinence-only position on the premarital sex argument is a losing battle and a costly one at that. As mentioned in the article, Arizona is ranked third in the country for teen pregnancies.
This is a serious issue and [if] left untouched could [cause] some serious problems down the road in the local infrastructure.
The only way for a sexual education program to be successful is for it to do that, [teach]! Students need to be instructed on safe sex practices and they must be familiar with contraceptive devices.
Instead of just saying “No,” to premarital sex, the curriculum could explore alternative methods to impress the psychological effects intimacy may have on young people. With a forward thinking and informative sexual education program, students will have a deeper understanding of intimacy and really think twice.
This program should give students access to contraceptive devices, free of charge [and] subsidized by the anti-abortion supporters, because if they take the right precautions, abortions won’t be necessary.
In addition to pregnancy risks, sexually transmitted diseases are an epidemic in our nation’s colleges, due to poor education in the public schools.
There needs to be some serious reform in our sexual education strategies. With this in mind, we have so much opportunity to educate and help to create a better Arizona.
Christopher Veselich
Student
