1955 marked the debut of sex education programs in US schools. Over the years, many have debated whether or not sex education should be taught in schools. Many believe that sex education encourages students to engage in sexual activities that lead to more pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). As the number of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases increases every day in our country, one can only think that sex education is a necessity in our school systems. Adolescents as young as fourteen admitted to having previously engaged in sexual activity. No teenager should perform such acts at that age. Many schools give parents the option to have their child opt out of the lesson or course. Few states are required to teach sex education to secondary school students unless they are pulled from class by their parents. As a teenager, I strongly believe that sex education should be taught in schools because students need to be educated. Many parents don't address this topic at home, so school is the best opportunity. States that require sex education programs require that all students participate in these programs unless their parents choose to exclude them. How can parents do this? Parents have the right to have a say in whether or not their children participate in these types of programs because "parental rights arise from parental duty and exist only as long as they are necessary for the protection... of the child." sex education should be mandatory in all public schools because it is every student's right, the knowledge they have about sex concerns the student, not the parents. Students must... middle of paper... .T. 'Let's talk about sex': Balancing children's rights and parental responsibilities." Legal Studies 26.1 (March 2006): 88-108. Opposing Views in Context. Network. 23 October 2013. Kasun, Jacqueline R. “Condom Nation: Government Sex Education Promotes Teen Pregnancy.”Parker, Alison Mia. Does your browser not allow iframes? What a shame." YOUniversityTV. YOUniversityTV, April 22, 2011. Web. October 30, 2013Pardini, Priscilla. "Federal law requires 'abstinence only' sex education." Rethinking online schools. Rethinking schools and the web. October 30, 2013 .Paolo, Regina. “10 Reasons Why We Need Comprehensive Sex Education in Our Schools.” Yahoo Contributors Network, February 3, 2007. Web. October 30, 2013. “Sex education should be taught in public schools." Debate issue:. N/de Web. October 30. 2013.