New sexting curriculum modernizes sex education
In an effort to revamp sex education, Los Angeles Unified School District announced last month that “sexting” will be added to school curriculum. LAUSD will roll out a thoughtfully designed initiative that includes videos, lesson plans and handouts for students. By informing students about the risks and consequences of sexting, the program will effectively illuminate the possible repercussions of sexting, bringing a much-needed update to sex education curriculum.
As technology has increased access to every aspect of people’s lives — even the most private elements — the constant sharing of personal information, combined with the permanent nature of materials sent into cyberspace, can spell out detrimental consequences for sexters. According to the Department of Psychology at the University of Utah, of those who received a sext, 25 percent sent it to someone else. Stemming from the trophy syndrome, which makes the receiver of a sext highly likely to share it with friends, such resharing can lead to revenge porn — the sharing of sexually explicit photos without the consent of the owner. If shared across social networks, sending sexually explicit photos could result in loss of control of the original interaction, the destruction of the sender’s reputation and future humiliation and retaliation. Educating youth about the potential consequences of sexting can greatly decrease the chances of extortion and bullying.
Some LAUSD parents might echo the same concern with sext education as they harbor with comprehensive sex education: Teaching sexting could encourage the practice. However, ignoring the reality of sexting leaves teenagers unprepared for modern sexual interactions. It is far preferable for teenagers to learn about how to avoid extortion and sext safely than to sext without fully understanding the consequences.
As LAUSD brings sex education to the 21st century, many other sex education curricula are stuck far, far in the past. According to the Guttmacher Institute, only 22 states mandate that sex education be taught at all, and 37 states mandate that abstinence be incorporated in sex education when taught. As the second largest school district in the United States, LAUSD plays a pivotal role in the behavior of other school districts. If implemented correctly, the district could influence the curriculums of other schools, working to update sex education nationwide.
Whether educators recognize it or not, sexting is a large part of modern sexual interactions. In an age in which most sex education is far too archaic to be a realistic source of information, LAUSD is stepping it up, and other school districts need to as well.