Sexual Education Topics Recalled by Students from Public and Private Schools

This research aimed to determine which comprehensive sex education principles (as recommended by the Sexual Education Information Council of the United States (SEICUS)) were recalled among people who attended private and public schools. We surveyed 80 participants at a private, religiously affiliated university to see what they recalled from their sexual education in public vs. private schools. Only two topics (sexual anatomy and puberty) were recalled by more than 70% of the participants. All other SEICUS standards were recalled by fewer than 30% of the participants, with the fewest recalling sexual fantasies, sexual dysfunction, sex and the law, sex and society, and sex across the lifespan. While students who attended public schools were more likely to recall being taught about puberty and sexual assault/abuse, students who attended private schools were more likely to recall being taught about sex as it relates to religion. This is important because the data highlights a small number of topics that are being effectively taught in schools, along with a large number of comprehensive sex education standards that are being neglected in both public and private schools.