Young Americans today face strong peer pressure to be sexually active and engage in risky behaviors ( Merino 100-109). Anyone who decides to have sex should first think about all the risks involved. Kekla Magoon, author of Sex Education in Schools, states that "half of all adolescents aged 15 to 19 in the United States have had sex" (Magoon 64-65). Currently, federal law does not require schools to teach sex education, and the few schools that do teach sex education have the discretion to determine how much information is allowed. Proponents on both sides of the sex education debate agree that adolescents need positive influences to make practical decisions (Magoon 88-89). Opponents of abstinence-only education believe it fails because it does not prepare adolescents for all the risks associated with sex (Magoon 64-65). Those who support comprehensive sex education believe that if adolescents get complete and accurate information about sexuality, they will succeed. being able to make better decisions (Magoon 57). Even those who remain abstinent until marriage must be able to recognize an STD because their partner could have made a different decision and not remained abstinent (Magoon 57). There are many groups and organizations that promote abstinence-only education or comprehensive sex education (Magoon 80-81). The debate over sex education is almost entirely a discussion about what is moral and what is practical, says Kekla Magoon (6-95). The main problem abstinence-only proponents have with comprehensive sex education is the debate over whether giving adolescents more information actually leads them to be sexually active (Magoon 73). "In a study of 35 sex education programs around the world, the World Health Organization found that there is no evidence that ...... middle of paper ...... on, Kekla. Sex education in schools. Edina: ABDO Publishing Company, 2010. P. 6-95. Print.Chen, Grace. “Schools, parents and communities should help educate adolescents about sexuality.” Adolescent sexuality. Ed. Aarti D.Stephens. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rep. Excerpt from “Public schools and sex education”. Public School Review. 2008. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Internet. October 22, 2013. Ballaro, Beverly and Ann Griswold. “Condom distribution: an overview. » Points of view: Condom distribution (2013): 1. Points of view reference center. Internet. October 23, 2013. Masland, Molly. “The Sex Education Debate: An Overview.” » Sex education. Ed. Kristen Bailey. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. At issue. Opposing viewpoints in context. Internet. October 23, 2013.Merino, Noel. Ed. School policies. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press and Gale, 2011. P. 105-115. Print.