Students in Boston’s Jamaica Plain Neighborhood — which has a high teen pregnancy and Chlamydia rate — want trained professionals to teach them about sex, and I don’t blame them. Schools tend to not teach students some of the most important things during the critical years of development. Check more details and the schools shocking video after the jump!
In order to grab the attention of officials, a task force of students in Boston made a documentary revealing where their peers get information on sex. There was one resounding answer that was repeated: pornography.
Students in Boston’s Jamaica Plain Neighborhood — which has a high teen pregnancy and Chlamydia rate — want trained professionals to teach them about sex, CNN reports. As part of the documentary, a teen says:
“I want to fight for sex education as part of a fight for health equity.”
High schoolers approached Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley, who called for an official hearing. She says current teachers might have to be trained to provide sex education since Boston Public Schools recently cut the health and wellness department.
Barbara Huscher-Cohen, health education program director, tells CNN the student task force is helping the school system to see the importance of the issue:
“Now we’re recognizing sexual education as part of the whole healthy child.”
Sex education in Boston schools has been met with controversy in the past. The group Pure in Heart promotes chastity and says they want to make sure they’re included in the discussion.
CNN education contributor Steve Perry says it’s important to note that sex education classes aren’t promoting sex, but rather teaching kids how to prevent pregnancy and contraction of STDs.
