According to STA’s mission statement, our school is committed to the education of young women–but only in theory when it comes to sexual education.
STA’s philosophy (posted on the school’s website and elsewhere) states that “women’s issues” and a “healthy lifestyle” are both “integral parts of a St. Teresa’s Academy education.” However, in terms of sexual education, our school does not live up to this.
As freshmen, all students spend one quarter learning about the menstrual cycle, the female anatomy and sexually transmitted diseases in health class. In this class, our sexual education at STA does not cover much information about birth control. We have learned little about the forms of contraception besides vague discussions about using condoms.
If STA is truly committed to preparing young women for the real world, then our curriculum should provide in-depth information in our one and only health course. Specifically, this course should teach girls about all forms of birth control, not stopping with condoms. We should learn about different types of contraceptives, their side effects and how to talk to our parents about our sexual safety. Additionally, we should also learn and discuss the Catholic perspective on these new topics and sex in general. For example, we should learn about natural family planning, which the Church advocates.
We have this gap in our otherwise comprehensive general education because STA must uphold and teach Catholic values. The Church opposes sexual activity outside of marriage, which the use of birth control can facilitate. Birth control prevents conception, and Catholicism opposes all forms of contraception on principle.
We understand that STA is a Catholic institution and that the class will be taught with a Catholic perspective. However, as young women, we simply need the facts. We need to learn about contraception as well as the Catholic-approved natural family planning. Informing students of types of birth control is different than advocating sexual activity or the use of contraception.
Currently, our health class does not address the issue of contraception in depth, leaving students at a disadvantage. Ninety-eight percent of Catholic women have used some form of birth control, according to a study from the National Survey of Family Growth. According to that statistic, in all likelihood, most of us will use some form of birth control in our lives. If we are going to use it, we should know about it.
Some would argue parents should solely educate their children about sex. However, the more informative conversations young people engage in about sex, the more likely they are to bring up the otherwise intimidating topic of sex to their parents. The more we learn about sex, the better we can make educated and safe decisions.
STA should be realistic. On average, most teens have sex for the first time by 17, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Prepared with information about birth control options, teenagers can make healthy decisions about sex and their bodies.
Our sexual health is important, and we will make safe decisions if we are informed.
