Give Tennessee Teens Useful Sex Education

Help petition the inadequate Tennessee state law that bans teachings of comprehensive sex education. The state of Tennessee prevents all state schools from providing students with comprehensive sex education and only allows qualified educators to teach "abstinence-only" lessons. As of 2018, Tennessee has some of the highest STI, HIV positive, and pregnancy rates in the United States. Majority of local Tennessee high school students who admitted to being sexually active also admitted to gaining knowledge of sex through media, television, or experience. There is a correlation between providing students with comprehensive sex education and lower STI and pregnancy rates. Students need sex education that discusses important topics such as: self respect, healthy relationships, contraceptives, sexual behavior, gender expectations, the gradience of human sexuality, and fully detailed and correct anatomical explanations. It is highly likely that by exposing kids to topics relating to sex at an early age, and by providing teens with consistent comprehensive sex education, sexual violence, STI, and pregnancy rates will decrease in the state of Tennessee. Students need more, and Tennessee education systems have the potential to give our students what they need!