Sex Education in Schools

Oct 13, 2026

The text examines how sex and family-life education has been introduced into American public schools over time, describing its slow institutional growth and varying availability. It discusses how information is often embedded within other subjects under related labels rather than offered openly. It also analyzes limits in teacher training and curriculum emphasis, noting tendencies to soften or “de-sex” the material, while highlighting evidence of public demand and continuing gaps in clear guidance for young people.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

EX EDUCATION IN·SCHOOLS

Slow Growth of Sex Teaching in the Schools

Tendency to Play Down Instruction About Sex

Evidence of Popular Demand for Sex Education

Sex Education and Moral Guidance

Manner of Teaching Sex in Public Schools

# EX EDUCATION IN·SCHOOLS by Helen·B.Shaffer Page SrUDY or SEX IN Cougs oN FAMLY LIPs 805 Slow Growth of Sex Teaching in.the Schools 805 Tendeney to Play Down Instruction About Sex 807 Evidenee of Popular Demand for Sex Eduestion ..:808 Lack of Strong Lead From Edueational Groupsi .809 SEx EDUCATION AND MORAL GuIDANCE 811 Changing Goals of Sex Instruction in Schools 811. 812 Factors Eneouraging Growth of Sex Edueation Roles of Home and School in Giving Facts on Sex 813 815 Attitude·of the Churches Toward Sex Edueation ··MANNER OF TEACHING SEX IN PuBLIC ScHOOLS 816. Extent of Sex Instruetion in Elementary Grades· 817 Separate Teaching of Boys and Girls in Junior High 817 Questions Commonly Asked by Senior High Students 818 Need to Train Teachers in Methods of Sex Education·819 Oct.30 1957 SEX EDUCATION IN.SCHOOLS GROWING NUMBER of American children are learn-ing the “facts of life”as a part of the formal educationthey receive in the public schools.People in general hearrelatively little about sex*education today because mostschools do not offer it under that name..Information aboutsex usually'is'given along·with instruction on numerousother subjects under the general designation ·of"FamilyLife Education."Sex teaching takes its place in the groupas unobtrusively as topics like""Making and KeepingFriends”or “Spending One's Allowance Wiseły.” In many schools faets about sex are slipped into the teach-ing of such traditional subjects as social studies,science,hygiene,home economics,or physical education.In addi-.tion,more and more senfor high schools are emulating the ·colleges in offering courses on marriage.These are prac-tical studies aimed to help young people make a success'ofmarriage when the time comes. How much useful information on sex boys and girls areacquiring through school programs.is hard to determine.There is a wealth of texts on what should be taught.aboutsex in school,but little has been done to ascertain on anover-all basis what is actually being taught and the extentto which the teaching fulfills the intended purpose.Infor-mal observations by some authorities in the field indicatethat,while sex education in the schools has become fairlyprevalent,much of it still skirts around the very.questionson which young people need more knowledge,understand-ing,and guidance. SLow GROWTH OF SEX TEACHING IN THE SCHOOL8 Sex or family life education in elementary and secondaryschools has been growing slowly but steadily for 30 years.Community antagonism to introduction of instruction insex matters has gradually weakened,although it has by no means disappeared,while professional support for the sub- ject has gained immeasurably.The most recent survey,conducted five years ago by Chester Lee Eggert of the Uni-versity of Florida,"disposed forever of any lingering doubts about the general acceptance of family life,and sex edu-cation."! ."General acceptance,"however,apparently does not meangeneral availability of sex education in the schools:Thesame author has asked why,when "the whole range of -ourcitizenry [is]strongly in favor”of family life education,itshould still be."so faltering,'so ‘spotty,'so half-hearted a.business except in a few exceptional centers”.A largeshare of the blame has been assigned to teacher traininginstitutions. With parents and clergy,doctors'and nurses,young people'andchildren,teachers and school officials all of one mind二We need itand should have it′—family life education is assured...[But]the teacher training institutions have been slow to hear the ery.They have been waiting for it to graw louder,stronger,moreinsistent...We are,it seems,caught in another of those stale:mates in which no one is ready to take a decisive step.2: Estimates of the extent of sex education in Americanschools are strongly influenced by the importance attachedby the observer to the sex content of family life courses.;In a presidential addr

FAQs

How is sex education commonly presented in public schools according to the text?

It is often taught indirectly within other subjects and under broader labels such as Family Life Education, rather than being offered openly as “sex education.”

Why does the text say sex education growth has been slow?

A major factor described is delays in teacher training institutions, which were said to be slow to respond despite broader acceptance among families and professionals.

What concerns are raised about the way sex education is emphasized or reduced?

Even when introduced, authorities may downplay the topic to avoid over-emphasis; the text also notes a trend toward “de-sexed” family-life education that weakens clear guidance on sex-related problems.

Oct 13, 2026

Upload by MrHarris58