Did you grow up in Connecticut? If so, did you receive sex education, and was it inclusive and comprehensive?
Your answer likely depends on what town you grew up in, because Connecticut has no state sex ed requirements beyond human development and HIV/STI education. For many students, that means no information on consent, communication, healthy relationships, or contraceptives.
Lots of schools avoid sexual health topics because they fear the ire of the community. Unfortunately, a vocal minority think that sex ed encourages youth to have sex. That simply isn’t true. Youth who receive comprehensive sex ed have sex later on average than students who do not get a high quality sex education. They’re also more likely to use condoms and contraception, and to report having healthy relationships. Sex ed does students a lot of good.
The National Sexuality Education Standards, developed by SIECUS and Advocates for Youth and endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control, provide detailed, age-appropriate recommendations for school sex ed, including topics like relationship communication, consent, puberty, and safer sex. These standards are backed by extensive research.
The curriculum starts as early as first grade, where educators discuss healthy friendships and family relationships to set the stage for later conversations on romantic and intimate relationship health. By the end of high school, students should have adequate knowledge to maintain healthy, satisfying intimate relationships. There is no reason Connecticut schools should be overlooking these important life skills.
On the positive side, Connecticut does NOT have laws requiring abstinence-only education or exclusion of gender and sexuality diversity education. Schools are not forbidden from providing comprehensive sex ed, which is good for the health and well-being of students. The problem is, while such education is permitted, it isn’t required, so many students are missing out.
If we want the current generation of students to have healthy relationships as teens and adults, we should be advocating for better sex ed in our public schools. You have the power to push for sex ed requirements in your town and state. Educate yourself on sex ed best practices, and bring this information to your school board, town government, and state representatives. Teach your own kids about sexual health and wellness, and encourage them to be a resource for other students.
Sex is an ubiquitous part of adult life, and throwing someone in unprepared leads to risky behavior and poor health outcomes. When we teach our kids how to stay safe and healthy in sexual relationships, we are setting them up for success as adults. Pushing for adequate sex ed in schools leads to better community health and safety, an outcome we can all agree is positive.
Kim Adamski is a Health Educator in West Hartford