Statistics show that almost all states promote some form of sexuality education through either mandates or recommendations. At present, 46 states require or encourage teaching about human sexuality, and 48 states require or encourage instruction about HIV/AIDS. Young people receive information about sex and sexuality from a variety of sources including friends, music, and television. Some of this information is accurate and some inaccurate. School based education is an important and effective way of enhancing young people's knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about sex, relationships and intimacy. A comprehensive sexuality education program has many benefits for teens. It teaches them that abstinence is the safest choice, it stresses the consequences of risky sexual behavior, such as unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, and it addresses the issues of birth control and safe sex. .
Abstinence is important for teachers to focus on with teenagers in regards to sex education in schools. Most sexual education based programs in the United States teaches abstinence. Abstainers can be defined in ways by: waiting until marriage, sustaining from the moment, and waiting until they are emotionally and physically ready. Through teaching abstinence teenagers become aware of a safer option to be able to make the right choice for them.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) are diseases that are transmitted through sexual contact. There where over 3 million teenagers who contracted STDs in the past year. Static's have shown that most adolescents are sexually active by the 12th grade. A significant number will have acquired an STDs by graduation. Sexual Education teaches the students about the many different types of STDs and their severer. Some STDs may cause sterilization and even death. Sexual education programs need to be graphic and informative for the students.