Announced in August 2011, New York City has mandated lessons on sexual health and sex education starting today. Public middle schools and high schools are now required to introduce sex education lessons into health classes.

At least one semester of health education is required in 6th or 7th grade and then again in 9th or 10th grade. Previously, the health classes did not include sex education. This has now changed.

What will be taught includes physiology, the understanding of male and female reproductive systems, recognizing healthy and unhealthy relationships, sexuality and sexual identity, handling unwanted sexual advantages, contraception methods, and how to prevent unwanted STD’s.

The NYC Department of education has implemented a “research-based sex risk reduction curriculum” called “Reducing the Risk”. Research has shown that this helps to increase the use of contraception among teens and increase parent-child communication about contraception. It emphasizes that students should use protection consistently and correctly when they become sexually active.

Students learn to avoid high risk situations and recognize healthy and unhealthy relationships by role-playing situations on resisting pressure to have sex. This has proven to have direct results of safe sex behavior.

The sex education mandate takes effect today in NYC high schools and middle schools.

ONE® Condoms supports sex positive decision making and increased condom use to eliminate the spread of diseases. A portion of every ONE® Condoms sale goes towards HIV/AIDS prevention efforts at home and abroad.

What do you think of NYC’s new mandate on sex education?

Boston social conservatives and lawmakers debated on Tuesday whether or not requiring parents to opt their children out of state legislated sexual education courses infringes on parental rights. Also on the agenda was the topic of mandatory sex education and its policies of a parental opt-in or opt-out system.

There are two schools of thinking in regards to the opt-in vs. opt-out system. Some think that having to opt out of the program isn’t enough because if parents aren’t actively engaged in their child’s education, then parents won’t be aware of the curriculum being presented. On the other side, others believe in a parental opt-in system, which would be more supportive of parents getting involved in their children’s education. This would require parental consent to state mandated programs. Which ever side you’re on most litigators agree, that sex is still being treated as taboo. This hindrance effects the growth and physical developments of kids being able to make healthy choices.

What is lacking now is worthwhile and meaningful sexual education. Curriculums currently teach lessons limited to biology and not healthy decision-making and relationship building. The issue of safe sex education is not “a liberal issue or a conservative issue,” Robin Loconte, a Healthcare official argued. “It’s a health issue.”

The changes to the program that need to be made, according to Sumru Urkut’s a sexual health research scientist, “is medically accurate and age-appropriate information to help students make responsible choices about sexual conduct or whether to abstain from sexual activity altogether.” Without this, misinformation will endanger youths sexual health.

Under this new legislation, school districts could choose whether sex education would be a part of the student body’s curriculum. Those who do choose these programs are

“required to teach the benefits of abstinence and delaying sexual activity; stress the importance of effectively using contraceptives and barrier methods to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS; teach students the skills to effectively negotiate and implement safer sexual activity; help students develop the relationship and communication skills to form healthy, respectful relationships free of violence, coercion, and intimidation and make healthy decisions about relationships and sexuality; and be appropriate for students regardless of gender, race, disability status, or sexual orientation.”

ONE Condoms fully supports legislation that assists with integrating “medically accurate” and “age-appropriate” sex education in schools. ONE Condoms donates a portion of every sale to HIV/AIDS education and prevention efforts at home and abroad. 

As for the debate at hand, do you think that school districts should allow parents to opt-in or opt-out of these sex education programs for their children?