Parents Who Oppose Sex Education in Schools Often Don't Discuss It at Home

Parents who are opposed to comprehensive sex education in schools often claim that they want to teach these topics at home. However, research suggests that this may not be the case. A national survey on parental attitudes and beliefs about school-based sex education revealed that parents who opposed comprehensive sex education were less likely to discuss health-promoting concepts such as consent, contraception, gender identity, and healthy relationships with their children.

Despite claims that sex education should be taught only at home, many parents who hold these views do not provide sex education to their children. A survey found that about 10% of parents who said sex education should happen only at home reported that they "almost never" or "never" discussed sex, sexuality, and romance with their children. This suggests that many parents who oppose comprehensive sex education in schools are not actually filling the gap with their own discussions at home.

The findings of this survey point to a gap between expert recommendations and what parents do. Comprehensive sex education has been shown to delay sexual activity, increase contraceptive use, and reduce teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection rates. However, despite evidence of its effectiveness, parents who oppose comprehensive sex education often believe misinformation about the topic, such as the idea that discussing sex encourages early sexual activity and that condoms are not effective.

Key Takeaways:

About 10% of parents who said sex education should happen only at home reported that they "almost never" or "never" discussed sex, sexuality, and romance with their children.
Parents who opposed comprehensive sex education were less likely to discuss health-promoting concepts such as consent, contraception, gender identity, and healthy relationships with their children.
A survey found that parents who supported comprehensive, school-based sex ed were significantly more likely to discuss these topics with their children.
Parents who opposed comprehensive sex education were more likely to believe misinformation about sex education.
Residents of states with restrictive sex education policies, such as Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas, have some of the highest teen birth and sexually transmitted infection rates.
LGBTQ+ youth are especially vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections and related health challenges, and are disproportionately affected by limited access to inclusive education.
A 2023 CDC report found that students who receive inclusive sex education feel more connected to school and experience lower rates of depression and bullying.

Statistics:

Nearly half of teens report learning about sex online, with pornography being a top source of information (Common Sense Media, 2022).
Individuals ages 15 to 24 account for nearly half of all new sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. (CDC).
The adolescent family life Act of 1980 was a federal program that promoted abstinence-focused sex education.
The Trump administration's 2025 directive to California to remove gender-identity materials from sex education lessons or risk losing over US$12 million in federal funding.
2022 report from Common Sense Media found that nearly half of teens report learning about sex online.
A 2023 CDC report found that students who receive inclusive sex education feel more connected to school and experience lower rates of depression and bullying.

Sources:

The Conversation -- USA -- By Robin Pickering, Professor and Chair, Public Health, Gonzaga University
Common Sense Media (2022) Report on teens and online sex education
CDC (2023) Report on inclusive sex education and public health outcomes
Parents who oppose sex education in schools often don't discuss it at home -- https://theconversation.com/parents-who-oppose-sex-education-in-schools-often-dont-discuss-it-at-home-258892
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2022) Report on adolescent sexual behavior and health outcomes.