3. THE PROBLEM
The problem that we have identified is the fact that a
lack of adequate sex education is harmful to students.
There is also the problem of students with different
sexualities who need to be educated about what to do
and how to protect themselves. Some of the public say
that abstinence only education is the answer to stop
teens from having sex along with teen pregnancy. There
are some teens who won’t chose abstinence, so
abstinence-only are not the answer.
4. Teen Pregnancy
Did you know that birth rates fell 13% for women aged 15-19
years old? In 2013 a total of 273,105 babies were born by
women ages 15-19 years old. Birth rates were about 26.5 per
1000 women in this age group. If sexual education was
taught this situation would be prevented, this is another
reason why we would like to improve the sexual education
system to decrease the percentage of teen pregnancy.
5. Here you can see a pie chart of the Pregnancies by Intention Status. As you can see
the majority of these pregnancies are unintended.
6. Abstinence-only programs is a form of sexual education that teaches no
intercourse until marriage. Abstinence-only programs are an issue because some
schools only teach abstinence only which some students will chose to follow. If a
student chooses not to follow this form of education then they should know what
to do in case they do make that decision, if the school is not an abstinence- only
school, then the student can learn from the other units that the health class will
teach.
Abstinence-Only Programs
7. Diseases that could be prevented with
adequate sexual education
STD- Sexually transmitted diseases are infectious disease that can be spread from person
to person through contact.
AIDS- Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a disease that handicaps the body’s ability
to fight viruses.
HIV-Human immunodeficiency virus, a disease that handicaps that body’s ability to fight
viruses.
HPI- Human papillomavirus infection, an infection that causes warts in various parts of
the body.
Gonorrhea- A sexually transmitted bacteria that, if untreated, may cause infertility,
inability to become pregnant.
8. ISSUES THAT ARE PREVENTED USING SEX ED
Some issues that are prevented through sex ed classes are teen pregnancy,
sexual diseases and unprotected sex. If students have proper health and
sexual education, these issues could be reduced immensely. Sex ed is very
important because it shows and teaches the students how to be safe, how
to be prepared for the future and make the right choices.
9. Why The Government Should Be
Involved
The level of government that needs to be involved is the federal government. The government should
be involved because the material that health class covers are world wide problems. Health class examines
drugs, teen pregnancy, sexually diseases, unprotected inercourse, and the human body and how to protect
it. Recent estimates from the lab of Center for Diseases and Infections, show that are 19.7 million new STD
cases every year in the United States. Teens need a new, reformed health class. Each year one in four
young people becomes infected with an STD or STI before or by the age of 25.
11. Have Sex Education in gym class.
Have Sex Education in science class.
Have a separate semester or year long health class with a Sex
Education Unit.
12. Pros and Cons of Alternative Policy #1: Have sexual education in gym class
Pros
Students can learn about what they want or
need to learn about.
Students can learn about stuff involving
health.
There would be enough teachers to teach the
class
It wouldn’t cost the school any extra money
Cons
The students may not be mature enough to
talk about sexual education in gym.
It will be a shortened unit because gym class
is more about physical education.
13. Pros and Cons of Alternative Policy #2: Have sexual education in science class
Pros
Learn more about the body
Learn how hormones work and what they do
to the body.
There could be advantage in having sexual
education in science and learn more about
the body than given in health class in gym
Cons
The other units in science class may have to
be shorter
It is taking an important class and shortening
it instead going to it’s full extent
14. Pros and Cons of Alternative Policy #3: Have separate health class or year-long
health class with a sexual education unit
Pros
Health class will taught to the full extent.
It will spend more time on the health issues
that are major.
Having a long health class lets students have
more time to ask questions and have a
better understanding.
Having a separate health class gives the
students enough time focus on specific
units that the students need to learn
Cons
The school will have to get more teachers,
along with being more costly.
The school will have to figure out how to fit
the health class in the schedule.
The semester or separate health class will be mixed with grades.
15. Controversies and Conflicts
● Alternative policy #1: When having sexual education in gym
class, no other subject would be disrupted by taking time out or
even adding an extra bell.
● Alternative policy #2: By having a sexual education class in
science you can see many ways in how science is involved with
your health.
● Alternative policy # 3: When having a separate semester
health class, you can have more time to take a understanding
in what health really is with out moving on to other things in
the unit.
17. PUBLIC POLICY THAT ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM
The public policy that we chose to address the problem is to offer a semester long
health class with a sex education unit. The branch of government that we think
should handle this situation is the state. This shows how without these materials
that health talks about sex education, more people would take sex education a
little more seriously. This policy will best improve the students understanding of
sexual education because they have an hour of every school week, for an entire
school year, and that will give them more time to learn about what they need to
stay safe and be prepared.
18. Our Evidence
Students will feel more comfortable talking about other thing mixed in with sex
education.
Student would take sex education a little more seriously and be more prepared
for life.
Students would see how sex education fits into health, by showing things like if
you get some sort of disease and what body part will affect it.
19. OUR SURVEY RESULTS
Based on informal surveys and conversations, many students
at WWMS believe there is a need for reformed Sex Education
at our school. More data is needed regarding this aspect.
Part of our Action Plan would include distributing a survey to
students, parents and teachers. Those surveys would be
given as soon as they are approved by the principal.
20. Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
You can learn more things about
your body that you don’t
understand
You talk about how to protect
your body for diseases or
getting sick
Having a long health class lets
students have more time to
ask questions and have a
Disadvantages
Finding a way to fit a health
class in school schedule.
Hiring more teachers on a low
budget.
Might extend school a little
longer.
21. Why this public policy is constitutional
Health Education helps motivates students to maintain
their health from diseases and risky actions in the near
future.
Health education teaches students about physical, mental,
emotional and social health, which they might need in
the future.
Health education also helps encourage students in picking
the better choice in what they do with there body.
23. Groups Affected by Policy
Supporters
Students
Parents
Physical Department
Science Department
Principal
Opponents
Principal
Parents
The PTA
Superintendent
24. Government Officials Affected by Policy
Supporters
Superintendent
School Board
Opponents
Superintendent
School Board
25. Action Plan
Our plan is to make surveys and present our presentation to
the teachers and students to make sure that they support us.
The information that we get from the students, we will use it
when we present to the principal, Mr. Sanker. Once we have
his support, the group will then present to the Superintendent
who, if we get his support, will make it easier to the get the
support of the School Board who will get more teachers to put
our policy into effect.
26. Steps For Action Plan
Present this project to our peers in class.
Take this to the principal.
Present this problem to the school board.
Show our evidence and gain support from the
PTA
