BHS SHIFT program displays the necessity of sex education

BY SHANZA SYED staff writer

Every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. Part of what contributes to this problem is a lack of sex education. Currently, under the U.S. Federal Law, there are no set standards for sexual health education. In other words, the sexual health education students receive is highly variable. This is why sexual health education needs to be mandated and standardized by the federal government through initiatives like the Sexual Health from Teens program (SHIFT) at Berkeley High School.

One of the best parts about the program is that it allows students to learn about sensitive topics from their peers, which not only makes it less awkward, but also makes it feel more persuasive, as people know that their peers follow the same rules they do. This is especially true during adolescence, when peers opinions often matter most.

SHIFT also helps students by giving them full access to information about contraceptives and consent during a studentvolunteering basis rather than hiring an outside professional. The program can also provide valuable information on how to handle situations in which one may be the target of sexual harassment by teaching students how to say no and how to report any misconduct. Without the appropriate education, many students won’t be aware of the medical facilities and care available to them. As a result, they will have a harder time taking care of their health.

Empathy is also a key aspect of the initiative because the more students learn about the positive or negative impacts their option for Black students who want to join a community that shares their culture, interests, and more, all while providing a prestigious education.

The United States has 107 HBCUs. A majority of these HBCU schools are in the south and on the southeast coast. Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and Virgina, all of which have sizable African American populations, house the majority of HBCUs.

“HBCUs actually have a lot of international students,” Carter said. “There’s a lot of people from the continent of Africa, a lot of people from the Caribbean, even some Afrolatinos, so it’s a lot of different types of Black people and all cultures melding together.” Carter said that the special cultures that HBCUs have developed create a sense of community and safety.

“Culture is at the center of everything that we do (at Howard). It’s the center of our education, whether it be engineering, or history, culture always comes up in the conversation and it’s a big part of our education,” said Carter, on Howard’s culture-centric attitude.

While only 3 percent of all U.S. colleges are HBCUs, many hold prestigious reputations. Howard University is considered to be the “Harvard of the HBCUs” and is one of the top 100 universities in the country, according to U.S. News. Spelman College, a women’s college located in Atlanta, Georgia, is the 51st best liberal arts college in the US. HBCUs often lack a lot of the funding that many PWIs receive, reflected in the school infrastructure, with some schools still having nonrefurbished heating and cooling units from the 1960s. Despite this, HBCUs provide many more benefits for Black students than Ivy League Schools.

Carter emphasized the value of attending schools that support students personally.

As a final piece of advice, Carter said, “When deciding what school you go to, remember that you can receive a quality education from anywhere, but only certain schools will give you the space, resources and the support you need to feel confident in your abilities; that’s where real success comes from.” actions can have, the more conscious and careful they are of their actions. Sex education is a way to normalize consent and make people feel more comfortable asking for it. It is also important that society normalizes consent because it makes any violations the exception, rather than the norm. In fact, according to Planned Parenthood, “Sex education reduces the risk of gender-based violence and bullying through teaching about these things to them or their peers.”

Overall, sex education not only explains to students what healthy relationships look and feel like, but also how to develop them and say no to any toxic relationships where they don’t feel safe or comfortable. It ensures that people understand their bodies and their rights while feeling empowered. This is why programs like SHIFT are a necessity at schools across the nation.