Sexuality education - What adolescents' educational rights require

Levesque, RJR

Rjr. Levesque, Sexuality education - What adolescents' educational rights require, PSYCH PUB L, 6(4), 2000, pp. 953-988

145

INGLESE

Review

Psycology

PSYCHOLOGY PUBLIC POLICY AND LAW

1076-8971 → ACNP

6

4

2000

953 - 988

ISI

1076-8971(200012)6:4<953:SE-WAE>2.0.ZU;2-N

Sexuality education continues to fail youths and society. Research reveals a pressing need for reform in the manner in which adolescents receive, lear n, and practice information relating to their sexual development and their intimate relationships. However, legal systems generally fail to provide op portunities for such experiences. This article reviews reasons for the poli cy failure and suggests that the legal system can be harnessed to ensure ad olescents' right to sexuality education. The proposal rests on the democrat ic notion that society must prepare youths for their future and for immedia te social participation. Taking that fundamental truth as a starting point allows for rethinking how schools prepare youths for responsible citizenshi p, including the manner in which youths treat others and themselves in thei r intimate relationships.