Rogerian Argument about Texas Abstinence of Sex Education on Children

Charmaigne Pangilinan
Composition 1, 33358
Rogerian Argument
March 1, 2018
Rogerian Argument about Texas Abstinence of Sex Education for Children
Introduction
A quarter of public schools districts in Texas teach no sex education and another 60 percent use abstinence-only sexual education program. Studies indicate that 83% of schools offer Abstinence-only or no sex education (Quinn, n.p). The Texas Freedom Network Education Fund (TFN) records suggest that some school districts have maintained no sex education due to the 2009 legislation in Texas, which excluded sex education as a requirement for graduation. Advocates of Abstinence-only sex education argue that not engaging in sexual activities ensures that there are no cases of sexually transmitted diseases or unplanned pregnancy. This view has been opposed by those who believe that children must be taught about contraceptives and their use in the likely event that they engage in sexual activities. It is clear that abstinence-only sex education has resulted in high pregnancy rates in the state of Texas, but it is not the general feeling since some proponents argue that abstinence ensure that children do not engage in sexual activities. Statistics indicate that the rate of pregnancy in teens aged 15-19 years in 1000 females stand at 65% (hhs.gov, 2017, n.p). This paper maintains that instead of limiting sex education to Abstinence-only measures, children should be taught about the safe use of contraceptives to reduce the rates of pregnancies while in schools.
Advocates of the Abstinence-only sex education believe that teens who abstain from sex are in better health than those who engage in sexual activities. Studies have established that abstinent teens record better psychological health and better academic scores than those who are sexually active (Carroll). Furthermore, those who support abstinence-only sex education claim that the only sure way of preventing teenagers from engaging in sexual activities may lead to pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases. They argue that teaching children about sexual health may be sending them a message that it is okay to engage in sexual activities (Carroll). It is apparent young people encounter a lot of peer pressure that may force them to be sexually active and may have to navigate popular culture and the media that may endorse casual sex. Again, many children who should learn about the benefits of abstinence during their teenage years never hear about them, and those who choose to abstain are never provided with the support that they need to push through.
It has been reported that eight out of ten school districts in the state of Texas teach children about abstinence and fail to inform them about birth control. The state of Texas particularly, is struggling with the high rates of teen pregnancies. It is the third highest in the nation and yet some school districts are still oblivious of the pandemic (Quinn, n.p). The situation in Texas does not favoring teenagers who endure pregnancies that could have been prevented by intensive sex education. Abstinence-only sex education has dismally ...