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Sylvester Graham
As a result of his lectures, the early sex education pamphlets in the United States not only addressed theology and nutrition, it also focused in on the "immense evils" of masturbation. He warned audiences of self pollution (masturbatuon) and how it caused warts, constipation, insanity, and death. -
Student's Manual
Created by Reverend John Todd encouraged young men to overcome the "secret vice" of masturbation because it decreased energy and productivity. -
The NEA
The National Education Association first discussed sex education by passing a resolution that called for "moral education" in schools. -
Chicago, Ilinois
Chicago became the first major city to implement sex education in high schools. The program didn't last, shortly after it started the Catholic Church launched a campaign against it. -
The American Hygeine Association
This organization was founded as part of the Progressive era social purity movement. It helped teach soldiers about sexual hygeine throughout the war. Instructors used a stereomotograph to show soldiers slides of syphyllis and gonorrhea as well as symptoms of the diseases. -
The Chamberlain-Kahn Act
Passed by congress, this act allocated money to educate soldiers about syphyllis and gonorrhea. -
Sex Education in School Curriculums
As a result of World War 1, sexual education was starting to be seen as a public health issue. Many states began to incorporate sexual education within their curriculums at their respective schools. -
Sex Instruction Through English Literature
Schools began to implement films in teaching sex education, but this article written by a English teacher named Lucy Curtiss encouraged teachers to draw in classical literature when explaining sex to students. During the roaring 20's , 20-40 percent of U.S. School systems had programs in social hygiene and sexuality. -
U.S. Office of Education
As the concept of sexual education continued to explode the office of education began to publish materials and train teachers to teach sexual education. -
United States Public Health Service
The service promoted sex education as an "urgent need" and encouraged the birth of education programs around the United States. Although the initiative was encouraged, programs were not developed until 1953. -
College Curriculum
College courses on sexuality began to appear on campuses across the United States. -
American School Health Association
Launched a nationwide program in family life education. The American Medical association followed suit two years later in combination with the NEA and published "the sex education" series for schools. -
Birth Control
By this time birth control pills became readily available to everyone across the United States. -
SEICUS
Founded by Mary Calderon a physician who was the medical director at Planned Parenthood went on to create the Sexualtiy Information and Education Council of the United States. it was created in part to challenge the hegemony of the American Social Hygeine Association which dominated sex education curriculum development. -
New York University
The United States Office of Education gave NYU a grant to develop graduate programs for training sex education teachers. -
Christian Crusade and John Birch Society
These groups attacked SEICUS and sex education overall for promoting promiscuity and moral depravity. -
Comprehensive Education
Sexuality education was being instructed within a comprehensive family approach including life education programs and human growth and development courses. This style of teaching focused on the use of contraception as well as family planning, parenting, finances, decision making, self esteem, and responsibility. -
State Mandates
23 states passed mandates for sexuality education, and an additional 23 states strongly encouraged sex education. 33 of these states mandated AIDS education -
United Nations AIDS Conference
Surgeon general Jocelyn Elders was asked about promoting masturbation to prevent young people from engaging in riskier sexual behavior. She stated that she thought it is a pRt of human sexuality and it should be taught to students. This answer unfortunately forced her to resign later. -
AIDS Education
By the mid 1990s every state passed mandates for AIDS education resulting from the pandemic of AIDS and HIV that began in the 1989s -
Welfare Reform Act
As a result of religious conservatives who opposed AIDS education, they along with the federal government added provisions for abstinence education ultimately direction tens of millions of dollars to abstinence programs for the first time. -
SEICUS Returns
They published "Sex Education 2000:A Call To Action" this outlined 13 goals that would ensure all children received comprehensive sex education by the year 2000. -
The REAL Act
Meaning the Responsible Education about life Act, it provided federal money to support responsible sex education in schools including comprehensive sex education instruction. -
The Appropriations Bill
Congress passed this bill that eliminated the funding for abstinence only until marriage programs. -
Health Care Reform
Congress allowed for 75 million dollars in federal funds fir states to implement evidence based comprehensive sex education instruction. Unfortunately this reform also provided 50 million in federal funds for states to implement abstinence only until marriage programs by re-instating Title V. -
Recent Developments
22 states have mandated that sex educTion be provided
13 states require that when sex education needs to be medically accurate
2 states have banned the promotion of religion in sex education (California, Louisiana)
18 states require that when provided sex education must include information about contraception
All southern states require that abstinence is stressed as well as the importance of waiting to engage in sexual activity until marriage. -
Sex Education Today
Most adolescents in the United a states receive some form of sex education at school at least once between grades 6-12. Many schools begin addressing these topics as early as 4 and 5th grade. Due to the curriculum decisions based on the state, students learn a variety of things depending on the area. Many states have laws governing what is taught in sex education classes and now allowing parents to opt out allowing their kids to skip sex education.
