1. Abstinence Isn’t Realistic
Of course, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases are most effectively prevented through just not having sex, but that is in no way realistic. We should be teaching students about how to practice safe sex including condoms and birth control. While abstinence is great in theory, most teenagers are experimenting and will have sex no matter what. So instead of shaming them for their actions, we must teach them how to be safe.
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2. Sexual Assault is Not Okay
Students may know that rape is not okay, but do they know what constitutes rape? Do they know what constitutes sexual assault? We need to be conditioning girls and boys that no means no as early as possible. We need to be teaching students the severity of the matter and how to protect themselves. We also need to let teens know that there will always be someone to help and support them if they are assaulted.
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3. STDs Aren’t the End of the World
We all know that sexually transmitted diseases aren’t the ideal situation, but they do happen. So, instead of shaming those who may be dealing with it and ignoring it, we should be teaching how you get them, how to prevent them, how they spread, and how to treat them.
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4. Romantic Relationships are About Respect
Domestic violence and divorce rates are at an all time high. This could be combated by teaching high school students what makes a healthy relationship. They need to know warning signs of an abusive or unhealthy one and the perks of a healthy one. They need resources and knowledge of those willing to listen if they feel like they are in danger.
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5. Self Image is as Important as Physical Health…
High school is a very formative time in both boys and girls. It is important to stress to students the importance of a healthy self image. They should be told about the dangers of eating disorders and where to go in order to receive help. They should be talking about the unrealistic expectations of the media. I also feel it is important to stress the importance of humor, intelligence, and sincerity because they outweigh beauty every time.
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6. …But We Should Still Take Care of Ourselves
I feel like every high schooler has seen the Supersize Me Documentary and if you haven’t, consider yourself lucky. School just teaches you that sugar is bad and vegetables are good and to eat in moderation, but there is so much more that goes into a proper diet. What about veganism, vegetarianism, going gluten-free, paleo? We should be learning about all of the different diets so we can gauge what is best for us. Students should also be told about differents kinds of exercise that fits with their lifestyle and that can be fun so that they are more likely to stay active.
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7. How Do I Cope?
Mental illness is at an all time high for teens because they are unaware of healthy coping mechanisms to deal with the stress and heartache of high school. Health class should have time dedicated to explaining the warning signs of mental illnesses like depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc. and also give resources if a student needs to talk. The class should also focus on healthy coping methods so that students grow accustomed to these good ideas rather than becoming addicted to doing something that could damage them forever.
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