I realize that Catholic schools do not teach sexual education the way that public schools do. They believe that kids who are still in school and who are not married should not be having sex.

They also believe using contraceptives is wrong. But what happens when those kids turn into adults?

I went to a public school. I learned all about sex, contraceptives and the reproductive parts of both males and females. I feel that learning all of this has helped me feel more comfortable and prepared.

As college students, we are thrown into many situations that involve members of the opposite sex. If I had gone to a Catholic school, I feel I would have been worried about these situations.

Not knowing what certain things are or what to do in these situations can cause anxiety.

Being ignorant of your own body and reproductive parts, let alone those of the opposite sex, may make teens nervous to have sex and therefore prevent them from having sex before marriage. However, it could also make them more curious.

If teens are not taught about the opposite sex in the classroom, they may find out on their own outside of the classroom.

The Catholic Church does not believe in sex before marriage. They believe that sex should only be performed in order to procreate.

While I do not agree with the Church’s beliefs on sex, I do respect them. However, I believe that sex education should be taught in greater depth in Catholic schools.

In its defense, it does (usually) discuss STD’s, how babies are born and necessary health information. They teach most of the necessary subjects, but not teaching teens about having sex and using contraceptives will not prevent them from having sex.

It is important to know all about your own body. It is also important to know all of your options when dealing with your body and sex. Learning about contraceptives is against the Catholic religion, but I think it is better to teach teens about them. The Church can try to prevent sex out of wedlock, but not everyone is going to listen.

Not teaching kids about sex, contraceptives and the reproductive organs can cause anxiety, curiosity and teen pregnancy. It’s better to teach it than to have teen pregnancy rates increase.