Why Talking About Sex in Schools Still Matters
Sex education in American public schools has long reflected the nation’s broader cultural debates. Earlier programs of the 20th century focused on abstinence and a notion of “moral hygiene” that emphasized gender roles and marital fidelity. By the late 20th century, some districts began to include more comprehensive sex education that covered not only anatomy and reproduction, but also consent, contraception, and sexual orientation. But even now, there is no national requirement for a medically accurate curriculum. What a teenager learns about sex in school varies widely from one state to the next.
For teachers, talking about sex with students can be, quite frankly, awkward, but also emotional and politically charged. But these conversations matter deeply. Students who receive age-appropriate, fact-based instruction about sexuality are better equipped to make informed choices, and they generally report lower rates of unintended pregnancy and sexual violence. Avoiding difficult topics doesn’t make them disappear—it abandons students to learn from unreliable sources instead. The real question for teachers and parents alike, therefore, is this: are we more comfortable with our children hearing half-truths on the Internet than evidence‑based facts in the classroom?
Journalist Claire Woodcock, writing for EdSurge in her article, “Teaching Sex Education in Schools Is More Fraught Than Ever,” explains how the tension of this question continues to intensify. She describes how one teacher uses an anonymous “question box” to field students’ more uncomfortable inquiries. Her tool protects students’ privacy, certainly, but it also reminds us of just how sensitive the subject has become overall. In Michigan, where this teacher was located, the state legislature had recently approved new state health standards that recommended lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity. Those recommendations sparked a grassroots opposition, an echo of the broader national divide over parental rights and local control.
Across the country, teachers like this one—and another featured in Woodcock’s article, a Maryland teacher who spoke anonymously out of fear of retaliation—say that they’re forced to navigate both new policies and public backlash at the same time. Federal pressure has only added to the turmoil, with the Trump administration threatening to withhold funding from districts that teach about gender identity. Teachers are reporting higher rates of parental opt‑outs and an increase in classroom hostility, even as health experts stress that sex education should be inclusive and more supportive, particularly for LGBT+ youth, who face disproportionate rates of bullying and suicide.
Still, not everyone agrees that expanding sex education to include topics like gender identity ultimately serves students best. Many parents and community leaders believe that schools should focus on biological and moral foundations, rather than social movements or ideology. They argue that parents (and not teachers or state boards) should remain the primary guides in shaping their children’s understanding of sex and identity within their family’s values. For these critics, the conversation about modern sex education isn’t a question of information, but of moral authority, and whether or not schools will replace, or reinforce, familial influence in the long run.