For my issue brief, I have decided to focus on the prevalence of comprehensive sexual education in the United States across school districts. As the conversations surrounding gender, sexuality, and sexual freedom become increasingly more complex, I believe it is crucial to analyze each new policy and ensure that it keeps up to date with the current political and social environment of the country. At the same time, though, it is important to consider the fine line between personal beliefs and the role of science when including religious schools in the conversation. The resulting issue guide will be an exploration of science, education, beliefs, tradition, and progress toward modernity in our current world.

I will address the rhetorical situation of my issue guide by noting the dichotomy between public and private education of sexual health today, as well as the variance of content across the country. In my high school experience, my switch from public to Catholic education resulted in a radical shift of curriculum, especially in terms of controversial issues like same-sex marriage and abstinence. Many high schoolers across the country have had similar experiences to mine; thus, I believe it is important to establish an unquestionable and comprehensive foundation of knowledge for all students, regardless of background, in order for them to make safe, informed decisions in their adult life.

While this is a complex and multifaceted issue, I believe the cause is mainly mechanical. For one, the establishment of both public and private/religious schools provided districts with the ability to customize their curriculum to their personal opinions. Consequently, this led to increased variability in education across the country, and an unequal distribution of crucial knowledge to students depending on geographical location, school budget, etc.

In addition, society as a whole has placed a sort of stigma around the topic of sexual activity. Whether it be through the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policies of the Clinton administration, or the “shaming” culture from the Catholic church surrounding premarital sex, many teenagers are not given access to the education they deserve due to outdated opinions and cultural conflict. I think that designing policies that remove this stigma and facilitate valuable conversations about a topic seldom discussed is crucial to ensuring that all students make healthy and smart decisions about themselves, their body, and others.

The policy instrument that would most assist me in crafting my issue brief is the Capacity Builder model. Being that my discussion lies mostly in the education of young students, incorporating workshops and additional educational opportunities into nationwide curriculum is by far the best way to improve widespread knowledge about a topic.