Failing Sex Ed

I think sexual education should be mandatory. I also think, sex ed should be a full-fledged class, split into single-gender classrooms for a semester, and then merged for second semester. I also think it should be a second-semester required course for all collegiate freshmen.

Now, before everyone gets their backs up about "it's my child, and I'll decide what's healthy for them to learn," "if we teach them about sex, they'll have sex" or my favorite "It's against our religion to teach kids about sex," hear me out. I've a few valid points.

Sex is something your child is going to hear about, even in the bible. It's in music, on TV, in classroom, and in their parents bedroom (otherwise, they would not exist.) Therefore, you must assume that you child is going to recieve some kind of sexual education. It is your job as a parent, and teacher's jobs as professionals, and the state's job as education mentors, to provide that child with the best, most correct, most comprehensive information possible.

Now, I am in no way advocating showing pornography or graphic pictures, or teaching masturbation and oral sex techniques in a classroom setting. No. I'm proposing that we teach children things like birth control options (alongside abstinence lectures. Because, let's face it, no state would be so liberal as to forget the "stay abstinent" lecture.), practical STD information, sexual health information (like signs of cervical or breast cancer, god forbid they ever need it). Teach them that the pull-out method and the rythym method DO NOT PREVENT PREGNANCY. Teach our boys how to put a condom on properly, explain to them the female menstrual cycle, and the dangers of promiscuity.

Then, merge the classes, and show them the last ten minutes of the movie "Knocked Up." (Just kidding.) Teach them together, in a non-threatening environment, about various kinds of sexuality (straight, gay, bisexual, asexual) and the science behind that, WITHOUT SLANDEROUS SUBJECTIVITY.

In college seminar, set the boys on one side, set the girls on the other. Set a panel with one expert, one teacher, two male college students, and two female college students at the front of the room, all of whom have been selected for their ability to be open and honest. Then, let the questions begin. Anything and everything, truth and rumor, fact and science, wivestales and positions. ANSWER EVERYTHING.

Then, I won't ever have to explain to a 28-year-old man what a menstrual cycle is EVER AGAIN.

Think about it?