Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Kentucky

Discussions of sex education of any kind can be controversial in a given setting. Traditional approaches to sex education prompt debate regarding effectiveness. Key indicators central to the effectiveness of sex education continue to be rates of teen pregnancy and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). With discontentment surrounding the effectiveness of “traditional approaches,” a more wide-ranging method is worthy of being explored. The curriculum approach of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) includes six key concepts, and subsequent sub-concepts, intended to provide a broad and even all-inclusive range of topics for a similarly broad and even all-inclusive range of ages of youth. When considering utilizing CSE in a community one must consider the influence community leaders have in success of implementation. This qualitative study seeks to explore how community leaders in one Kentucky community respond to six key concepts of CSE and its possible delivery. Utilizing snowball sampling in one Kentucky County with low teen birth rates, ten community leaders were interviewed. Results of this study show openness to the topics included in CSE but reveal a need for parent education as it relates to communication within the family as well as the topics of each key concept of CSE

Sextension?

Many programs in Extension deal with sensitive issues; however, one issue that seems to be comfortably omitted is sexuality education. How can Extension address this issue? This article highlights existing sensitive issues already addressed in Extension programs and offers a challenge to examine the situation for the benefit of individuals, families and communities