So Much More Than “Sex Ed”: Teen Sexuality as Vehicle for Improving Academic Success and Democratic Education for Diverse Youth

Abstract

Although sexuality saturates adolescent life, schools do little to address teen sexuality. As educators feel increasingly burdened by competing societal demands, caring for youth sexual health becomes a secondary goal at best. This article argues that the public health costs are only one reason for addressing sexuality in schools and suggests that academic and democratic reasons for addressing sexuality also exist. It illustrates how sexuality can be a potentially powerful resource for increasing the academic achievement and civic engagement of a diverse range of youth. As such, addressing sexuality serves not only public health goals but also academic and democratic goals—goals that have long been central for schools. To make this argument, the author draws from her ethnography of ESPERANZA, a community-based sex education program, illustrating how ESPERANZA used teen interest in sexuality to help youth become leaders, increase academic skills, expand career aspirations, and engage in democratic civic action.