A Quick Thought: Sex Ed Classes

So yesterday, I was thinking about national and standardized sex education classes. Obviously, I think comprehensive sex education classes should be taught in every school all over the country. I think that the hypothetical standardized sex ed classes should discuss certain topics (as listed in my earlier blog post about my dream sex education classes) and specific points and facts within these topics. The standardized classes should also make room for local needs, i.e. a need for an extended discussion about teen pregnancy. I was also thinking about having three mandatory sex classes: one at age 12, one at 15 and one at 17/18 in their senior year of high school. I think these classes should be age appropriate and the issues could be discussed with more complexity as the students mature. I’d imagine that the first class would focus a bit more on physiology/anatomy and puberty than the other classes and the last class would also discuss college life and entering the “real world”. These three classes would be beneficial for two reasons. First, three classes would ensure that the students do not forget important information and help them understand concepts that a one time semester-long health class does not have the time to cover. Secondly, when I think about the kind of person I was at age 12, 15 and 18, it almost seems as if I was three different people with different needs and questions. Having these three year-long classes at three different points in the students’ life would cater to their specific needs and allow for more knowledgeable and well-rounded individuals.