SHOULD SEX EDUCATION BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS? Cover Image

DA LI SEKSUALNO OBRAZOVANJE TREBA DA SE UČI U ŠKOLAMA?
SHOULD SEX EDUCATION BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS?

Author(s): Marija Petrović
Subject(s): School education, State/Government and Education, Sociology of Education
Published by: Institut za filozofiju i društvenu teoriju
Keywords: sex education; education; philosophy of education; sexuality; school; reproductive health;

Summary/Abstract: Sex education addresses issues related to human sexuality, including reproduction, reproductive health, reproductive rights, romantic relationships, anatomy of reproductive organs, sexual activity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender roles, contraception, and sexual abstinence. Formal and informal sex education are both important and complement each other. However, although necessary, informal sex education by itself is not enough. Sex education needs to become a formal part of the school curriculum, as schools should play the key role in educating young people about this topic. To examine whether the initiative to include sex education in the school curriculum is justified, we started from these three questions: What are the goals of education and what is its purpose? Do we think that educational institutions should reproduce a preestablished set of values or should the curriculum enable students to evaluate social values for themselves? Should primary and secondary education be designed to allow individuals to choose courses according to their interests, preferences, and abilities, or should the school curriculum be the same for all? In the context of sex education, we tried to answer questions about the goals of sex education and whether or not they are in line with the aspirations of education in general, whether sex education should reproduce generally accepted social values, and whether it should be the same for all students. Education should teach us to use our reason when forming beliefs and making decisions. The main goals of sex education are to provide young people with knowledge on these topics and help them make independent decisions using that knowledge. These goals are in line with the general aspirations of education. The answer to the question of whether sex education should reproduce dominant social values depends on what we mean by sex education. If we accept the definition offered in this paper, then the answer to the question is negative. Sex education understood in this broad sense should strive to change the current value system. To achieve the main goals of sex education, it needs to be the same and mandatory for all young people.

  • Issue Year: 2/2021
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 241-256
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Serbian