Cultivating Power in the Sex Ed Classroom

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Written by Jessica, RSEI Educator | Published May 1st, 2025

Ah, sex ed class. It could be the first place a young person sees a real-life condom, identifies signs of abuse in a relationship, or learns that yes – STIs can pass through oral sex. But sex education can and should go deeper than that. All of these topics, and others, are opportunities for educators to leverage their privilege to help young people identify their own autonomy and rights through ever-changing personal and national landscapes. 

Today’s youth in the U.S. are facing a lot of uncertainty, and since they’re not eligible to vote, they rarely have any say in the matter. Under the current administration, proposed cuts are threatening crucial supports like free school lunch and funding for disabled students while fears over ICE sweeps in schools may be causing drops in attendance. And since the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022,  laws in many states are making it harder for young people, including child victims of assault, to access abortion. 

Meanwhile, Trump is set on “protecting America’s children” in part by cracking down on gender affirming care and scrutinizing curricula in schools that address issues like racial and gender equity in the name of “parental rights.” On its face, the parental rights movement may look like an attempt to protect young people, but is actually rooted in adultism. Adultism, according to Psychology Today, describes a form of oppression that comes from idealizing and devaluing children based on age. It is opposite to ageism, which describes a similar form of oppression that happens due stigma and stereotypes regarding old age. 

Often, it is adultism standing behind the idea that young people are “too young” to learn about certain topics or access resources on their own – and can explain why youth face heightened barriers to resources like medical care and comprehensive sexual health education in the U.S.

So in the face of so much uncertainty, what can a sexual health educator do? There’s actually a lot! 

At the Responsible Sex Education Institute, educators frequently incorporate information about the rights of young people, laws that may affect their wellbeing, and autonomy, into sex ed classes. This can include everything from discussing state age limits on access to confidential care, to emphasizing that there actually are no rules that tell us we can only leave a relationship if it’s abusive – it’s enough to feel unhappy or curious about what else is out there. 

Here are some ways to emphasize youth autonomy in the classroom. 

Take a rights-based approach

Don’t be afraid to say it in the classroom: access to sex ed is a human right – and it’s connected to other integral human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. 

Luckily, many organizations in the sexual health realm are emphasizing the rights of all people – like reproductive justice organization SisterSong, which offers a framework for reproductive rights, or Advocates for Youth which offers free curriculum centered around protecting the rights of young people. Meanwhile, the ACLU offers “know your rights” information tailored to students. 

Discuss “Trusted Adults” 

In the sex ed classroom, we encourage students to turn to trusted adults in their lives whenever possible. It’s important for a lot of reasons – including because young people are marginalized, and adults can use their privilege to help them access helpful resources.

Discuss what traits exist in a trusted adult, and don’t assume that all students can easily turn to parents or guardians. 

Sometimes, a young person may not be able to identify any adults they feel comfortable turning to. That’s why providing youth directly with information they can use to navigate situations like a doctor’s appointment, a difficult break up, or abuse at home is key. This is also where addressing rights and laws can come in handy. If students have some idea of what might happen if they do turn to an adult for something like a medical or abuse issue, some may feel more comfortable opening up. 

Focus on autonomy

When it comes to interpersonal relationships, emphasize personal agency. Phrases like “everyone gets to decide how they feel about sex,” and “you know what is best for you,” and “a person doesn’t have to have a reason to break up,” can help build confidence for youth when it comes to personal decision-making. 

A youth-centered approach in the classroom can go a long way. Asking questions students can answer by drawing on their own expertise and lived experiences encourages confidence and autonomy. So does letting students have a say in choosing between different activities during class, or letting them make decisions as a group –  like voting on when to take a break during class, or what to do with free time. 

Build time into lessons for answering questions, even if they don’t seem related to that day’s class. This allows young people to direct their learning, reinforces the value of curiosity, and gives access to needed information. 

Acknowledge local laws

You don’t need to be a lawyer to discuss laws that affect young people during class. Even simply mentioning that laws and policies exist can help students be aware of how the legal system in the U.S. affects day to day life. 

It can be helpful to have basic knowledge of some of the local laws in your area, and also be equipped with resources online and examples of other, real-life adults in the community who a young person might be able to trust. 

Just because a law exists, doesn’t always mean it’s enforced. For instance, pornography is only accessible for people over 18 – but many young people are accessing it earlier than that, and that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll get in legal trouble. 

Often we may want to tell students these laws and policies exist to help people keep “safe.” But it’s important not to moralize them, since we know that laws and policies are enforced unequally across different identities due to the bias of people enforcing them. 

This shows up in different ways, including in how students are disciplined in school and the rates of unsubstantiated reports of neglect and abuse made against families of color, poor families and families of children with disabilities. A law or policy that helps one student feel “safe” could also unfairly expose another student or their family to the criminal justice system. 

Here are different examples of some laws or policies that could be discussed, or may come up, in class: 

  • Confidential care laws

 (esp. for accessing birth control, abortion, STI testing & treatment, and 

counseling)

It’s 2025, and the state of the country can feel overwhelming regardless of age. The good news is, by cultivating power in the classroom,  we can use our status as adults to help young people navigate changes and make their way to a future that feels safe and empowered.