The media presents various ways to foster sexual immorality in the younger generation, while parents rely on school systems to instill values and knowledge on how the youth can minimize, if not eradicate, this current "trend" especially among teens.
According to education professor Clark Hetherington in 1914, "youth is subjected by our civilization to aggressive sex stimuli and suggestiveness oozing from every pore." He condemned the proliferation of racy movies and magazines. He also added that schools should teach "self-control" and "higher standards."
Cañon City High School in Colorado revealed that over 100 students exchanged naked photos of themselves and others. This "phenomenon" is called "sexting". Critics pointed out the negligence of the school to act and stop the pressing issue.
Though this often happens in schools since students are easy targets, schools can only do much. And no further evidence suggests that "sexting" can be dangerous especially for teens.
However, there are undeniably serious risks in teen sexting. Cyber bullying and exposure to sexual pedophiles and predators are among the many risks. According to studies, teens who "sext" are more likely to involve in real sexual activities compared to those who don't. A study in 2012 conducted in seven high schools in Texas, results showed that 28 percent of sophomores and juniors admitted that they sent naked photos of themselves through email or text. Most of teenagers regard sexting as a part of normal courtship.
Texas launched the "Before You Text" program where students are made aware of the effects of sexting such as "embarrassment, humiliation, fear, and betrayal."
The Miami-Dade County public schools on the other hand declared "Safe Sexting, No Such Thing."
Though the schools create programs to disseminate the negative effects of sexting, it is inevitable that the mass media had been more influential to the younger generation compared to school systems.
When pornography and sexually explicit rock 'n' roll lyrics streamed the media in the 60's and 70's, The National Association of Secondary Schools admitted that "schools are a puny David without even a slingshot against the media Goliath."
To date, text-messaging service initiatives were launched to reach out to teenagers. In this way, teens can send a message anonymously to ask questions and receive answers. In North Carolina and Texas, these services are handled by the public health department and other organizations such as Planned Parenthood. According to a study, teens coming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were among the biggest percentage who avail of the services.
Schools acknowledge the influence that they have on teenagers but claimed that sex education should first come from parents and values should be nurtured at home.
