ERIC Number: EJ1390463
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1468-1811
EISSN: EISSN-1472-0825
'They Were Trying to Scare Us': College Students' Retrospective Accounts of School-Based Sex Education
Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning, v23 n4 p464-477 2023
To gain an understanding of how students perceive the messages they receive in their K-12 school-based sex education (SBSE) courses, it is important to talk with students who have recently taken these courses. This paper explores the curricula, messaging and environments of sex education courses delivered in schools in Ohio through twenty in-depth interviews with undergraduate college students. Three main themes became apparent from the data: (1) sex negativity in the messages being communicated to students; (2) the unique experiences of LGB students; and (3) missing pieces in the curriculum that students must fill in on their own. SBSE was found to impact cultural norms concerning sex and sexuality which had an effect on students' interpersonal and intrapsychic sexual scripts. We discuss the implications of students' experiences for how policy and practice change, particularly in Ohio, can move towards ensuring that school-based sex education is more inclusive, sex positive and thorough for the next generation of students and beyond.
Descriptors: College Students, Sex Education, Student Attitudes, Elementary Secondary Education, Undergraduate Students, LGBTQ People, Student Experience, Course Content, Cultural Influences, Sexuality, Educational Policy, Educational History, Socialization, Social Influences, Social Bias
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ohio
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A