Sex education in the United States is often viewed as a very contentious, and polarizing issue within the country. While the political left has traditionally pushed for a more “comprehensive” education program that gives youth information on preventing pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, the political right believes that abstinence only programs are the only form of sex education youth should receive. Instead of seeing these two sides as polarized opposites, both the left and right are ultimately giving youth very similar and dangerous messages about sex, and ultimately their place within in society. I will argue that the education system in America promotes a conservative ideology that serves to maintain the unbalanced class structure through sex education programs. The status quo is maintained within society through sex education by promoting a heteronormative society, by maintaining power inequalities between the sexes, and by creating a curriculum that is promoted as “value free", when in actuality the program is biased and reinforces the hegemonic ideology. All three concepts have a tremendously negative impact on youth that do not conform to society’s ideal of sexuality, which keeps the disadvantaged in a marginalized state.
