What Happens if Schools Don't Teach Sex Ed?
A mom recently told me she overheard her 13-year-old son at a sleepover explaining that girls can’t get pregnant if they’re standing up. He said it with confidence — the kind of confidence only a 13-year-old boy can muster.
What really happens when kids don’t get sex education in school?
Kids don’t “just figure it out.” When schools skip sex ed, kids fill the gaps with myths, half-truths, and whatever they pick up online. It’s not that they’re lazy learners — it’s that we’re leaving them to piece together one of the most important parts of growing up from unreliable sources.
Decades of research show that comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education is one of the most effective tools we have. It not only reduces teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but it also teaches life skills — empathy, communication, decision-making, and respect for boundaries.
The Problem with Abstinence-Only Education
The research is clear: abstinence-only programs don’t delay sex or reduce risk. In fact, states that rely on them have higher rates of teen pregnancy and STIs. When we don’t teach kids how to make informed choices, we’re not protecting them — we’re leaving them unprepared.
And because there’s no national standard for sex ed, what a child learns depends entirely on where they live and who’s teaching. One district may offer thoughtful, evidence-based lessons; another might spend twenty minutes teaching “just say no.”
What Parents Can Do
If your child's school isn't teaching comprehensive sex education, you can fill in the gaps:
- Ask your school what’s being taught
- Use trusted resources like:
- Start small, talk often, and keep it honest.
- Listen The “Private Parts” Episode or Talking About Sex and Privacy
If kids aren’t learning from us, they’re learning from someone else — and we can do better than TikTok.
