In Atlanta Public Schools, many students haven’t taken a sexual education class since elementary school, a class where they learn the fundamentals of sexual behaviors and reproductive health. In the years between elementary and high school, students’ bodies and lives change immensely. As Trump’s presidency begins, he plans to enact tighter restrictions upon a woman’s fundamental right to bodily autonomy. This makes sexual education vital for students so that they can stay safe and healthy throughout the Trump presidency and beyond.
Sexual education classes cover content such as sexual interactions and behaviors, sexually transmitted infections, contraceptives and reproductive health. If adolescents are engaging in sexual activity, they should also have the knowledge to do it safely. According to the CDC, students who participate in a sexual education course are more likely to use protection during sex. Because of what is taught in this course, students can implement these practices into their lives, keeping both them and their partners safe.
Through adequate education concerning contraceptives and sexually transmitted diseases, students can be more prepared for real life scenarios. With this knowledge, they can take the right steps to ensure their safety, not only in high school, but for the future as well. The ability for adolescents to make educated choices in their daily lives should be a priority for schools.
Georgia is one of only 39 of 50 states in the US that require sexual education to be a part of school curriculum. Beyond that, only about half of adolescents, or around 20 million people, have received an adequate sexual education by the standards set in Healthy People 2030, a 10 year initiative that is aimed at improving the health and well being of citizens across the United States.
In many areas, sexual education classes begin in elementary school. While this may provide students with a basis of knowledge, it is important to make sure the subject material actually resonates with students. By age 18, 70% of the American youth population has already engaged in sexual activity. If students are receiving their education almost 10 years before actually using it, it is not realistic to expect them to remember what was taught in elementary school.
In 2020, 15 of every 1000 girls from the age of 15 to 19 gave birth. In 2022, there were 5 reported abortions of every 1000 girls in the same age group.
Abortion bans were consistently a main principle of Trump’s 2024 election campaign. In June 2022, the Supreme Court, carried by three conservative justices put on the bench by Trump, overturned Roe v. Wade, which previously protected women’s right to an abortion. Since that decision, many states across the country have limited or banned abortion. As a result, one of every three women in the United States is denied the right to an abortion because of where they live. In states where abortion was completely banned, it is estimated that over 60,000 rape victims endured a rape-related pregnancy. With the denial of an abortion, sixty thousand people were forced to have a child that was created through sexual violence.
In less than 50 years, instead of progressing, our society has moved backward, with more rights being stripped from women yearly. Despite living in the land of the free, millions of women across the country still don’t have the promised freedom of their own bodies. Rather than making changes that aim for improvement, these very changes are leading us closer to the detriment of our society.
As Trump’s presidency begins, it is vital that we implement sexual education into high school curriculums across the US. School is a place to learn for the future, but it should also be a place to prepare for reality. We are quickly approaching a time where women will not have the freedom to choose what to do with their own bodies. This makes it essential for schools to educate students about the basics of sexual education so that we as a society know the implications of these new policies and are equipped to protect ourselves and others in the future.
