If you look up the definition of moral in the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, it says, "relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior."
What's right and what's wrong when it comes to sex?
Society seems to frown on sex among teens still in high school. At the same time, sex seems to be everywhere.
I find it in the teen magazines I pick up, just about every television program I watch, even the newspapers I read.
So how could sex not be on the minds of every teenager? The topic really can't be ignored. And in my opinion, it shouldn't be taken lightly.
To me, there is no such thing as casual sex. It's so intimate, I think it should be something you share with your spouse only.
Not every teen believes this. And who am I to tell them they are wrong?
In talking with my fellow students, I'm surprised at how many of them are sexually active. It seems a lot of students at my high school are choosing to have sex now. It seems whether sex is right or wrong is a personal choice.
The reason I choose to refrain from having sex is I'm not ready. I'm not ready to have a baby, catch a sexually transmitted disease, or give up my dreams.
Babies need care 24/7, and I want to have a life. I want to be a kid, get good grades, and go to school basketball games. I can't imagine dragging an infant along with me. I want to go to college, travel, see the world. If I choose to have sex now, there are lots of consequences that could come with it that I'm not ready to deal with.
But what is right for me isn't necessarily right for every other teenager. Your morals are yours and yours alone.
* Molly Scofield attends Eisenhower High School.
THE EDUCATION
"Mommy, where do babies come from?"
This question, dreaded by many parents, is often presented to them by their sons or daughters in the early years of their children's lives.
And typically it leads to "The Talk," which is usually more about birds and bees than how life is created by a man and a woman.
To ease parents' pain as well as educate kids on the basics of sex and health, schools provide sexual education. At Eisenhower High School, and many schools throughout the Yakima Valley, this class is called "health" and encompasses a variety of ways in which teens can lead healthy lives.
In it, students learn about their bodies' reactions to everything from diet and exercise to drugs and sex. One of the main portions of this course is teaching about abstinence as well as condoms, birth control, sexually transmitted diseases and, of course, pregnancy. It is a required course for students to take before they can graduate. And it can be controversial.
How does sexual education impact decisions made by teens about their sexual activity? Does sex ed help or hinder? And does it even matter in the heat of the moment?
These are questions I asked several teens from the Yakima area. And this is what I found:
* To the teens who have had no sexual experience, sexual education was a valuable and needed asset to all public schools.
For example, one 16-year-old Ike sophomore who didn't want to be named but has taken health class said she learned about things of which she was previously unaware, such as "disgusting STDs" and other risks.
However, those aren't the only reasons she has remained abstinent. She said "my religion as well as my morals" have helped more than anything else when it comes to questions about sexual activity.
Still, she said sex ed is a good asset in schools: "If it can protect one person, it's all worth it."
* To teens who have had some sexual experiences, including oral sex, sex ed has taught them about sex, but not impacted their decisions whether to have sexual experiences.
* And teens who already have sex have about the same take.
For example, two 17-year-old Ike juniors who also didn't want to be named said the class helped them learn and made them more cautious and aware of their surroundings.
"It was my favorite class because you learned about stuff that actually applies to you," one of them said.
All in all, students seem to think sex ed is a valuable asset.
* Lety Clark-Olivero attends Eisenhower High School.
THE EFFECTS
Many high school students do not fully understand the drastic impact sex can have on them.
Teens need education on how to protect themselves from getting pregnant or from getting a sexually transmitted disease. But they also need to know about the social and emotional effects sex can have on teenagers.
"Many teens feel regret, pain and hatred" after having sex, says Lee Garcia, a peer-to-peer coordinator with Full Circle, a program that teaches the importance of making healthy choices.
It's offered through Life Choices, an organization that started in 1986 with the mission to provide options to abortion. Before changing its name, Life Choices was known as the Crisis Pregnancy Center.
In the Full Circle program, teens learn about sex -- not only in a physical way, but the feelings that often come with it. According to Garcia, the program aims to help young people understand the bigger picture.
For example, Garcia says, teens who have engaged in sexual activity in a relationship are more likely to have sex in subsequent relationships, and this can compound feelings of regret when those relationships come to an end.
Another thing to consider is that the effects of having sex are often different for girls and boys, says Gerry Gibbons, an Eisenhower High School guidance counselor. According to Gibbons, girls normally feel more regret, more guilt, and more fear of the consequences.
Can teens have too much information about sex? I don't think so. Being taught about sex doesn't encourage kids to engage in it.
Teens normally make wiser decisions about being sexually active when they have all the facts. And the emotional and social effects of sex should be a big part of teaching teens about sex.
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