Newswise — Hinsdale, IL, April 29, 2024 – Recent data shows that kids are interested in and participating in sexual behavior. According to the CDC’s 2023 “ Youth Risk Behavior Survey ,” 30% of high school students reported being sexually active. Among younger students, a 2020 study reports that half of 11-to-13 year-olds have viewed pornography.
Another 2021 study shows that 34.8% of 13-to-18 year-olds have received a sext. May is #SexEdforAll Month , an annual initiative to encourage accessible sex education for young people.
While research has consistently shown strong support for sex education among parents and educators, the U.S. currently does not have a national sex education program, leaving programs to vary significantly state by state in terms of funding and accessibility.
What concerns many parents and educators is that a lack of consistency leaves young people without the knowledge and skills they need to make informed and responsible sexual health decisions. To insure updated, fact-based information, most parents believe sex education should be taught in schools. In particular, 85% of parents recently surveyed agreed that it should be taught in middle school.
Some experts say it should start earlier. A 2022 study concluded that sex education should be taught before fifth grade based upon social media and internet usage among young people. “Kids have round-the-clock access to information about sexuality,” explains Katie Gallagher, Director of Educatio.
