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We had classes starting in I think 5th grade. The name of the health center where we went to learn about sex ed was basically a dirty word among us kids, because it evoked such terror in us.

It was extremely traumatic for me. The boys in my grade would sing things like, "can you smell PMS" and suggest to girls that they were getting their periods (in junior high they found it very amusing to say to a girl, "what's that red spot on your chair?" as she was leaving class.) And if you were unpopular (like me) it was worse. My friends and I (along with most girls, though we were quieter and so weren't bitchy enough to stand up for ourselves) were sexually harassed all through junior high, and we never said anything until one day in gym class, one of the popular boys suggested that he should put his thing in my thing, would that make me happy (or something to that effect.) I told my mom, who hit the ceiling and there was a whole thing with her and his parents and the principals and formal apologies. It was awful and taught me to keep my mouth shut about stuff like that (although I don't think he ever said another word to me again ever about anything, even though high school.)

But I was very traumatized by sex ed. I really wish they would have kept the girls and boys separate. There was a lot of horrible taunting that the girls (even popular ones) endured that I honestly believe was the result of boys being very uncomfortable learning about this stuff in front of girls. (They are much more immature.)

That is shocking. That's why I think it's important to discuss the difference between rape and sex in schools alongside the more in depth sex education you have in your teens. If they just talk about the mechanics of how the guy orgasms during sex while ignoring the female orgasm , teenage boys will think it's their pleasure that's paramount and more important. This is an unheathly attitude and potentionally dangerous which is why there should be a change in the program and should be updated.I think in the USA a woman has a 1/4 chance of being raped in her lifetime as convictions for this crime is shockingly low and victims are not taken seriously in court. To battle this I think schools need to talk about this issue more.

I grew up in California. I remember starting sex ed in 6th grade. The girls and boys were separated. I went to a Catholic high school and we talked about birth control in health class. For being a catholic school, the sex ed was progressive. There were girls who got pregnant, but most ended up leaving because the administration did not want that type of exposure. Sadly, I have met with some kids today who do not know about birth control. These are 18 year old foster kids. I feel fortunate in a lot of ways.

I grew up in the Bible belt and honestly, there were no sex ed classes. There was always the buzzing talk about developing one, but I don't think anyone was brave enough to be appointed the teacher.

Oddly enough, I don't think it affected the pregnancy rate as there were no teenage pregnancies.

I think the parents in my town would have fallen over if a sex ed class like meam's was given. Although I think there should have been one like that. It is better to learn the true facts rather than believe what Susie said or Joe said when it may not be true. That is part of what gets teenagers into trouble.

My mother took me to see a film at the local Town Hall when I was about 10 or 12 - it was a mother/daughter session.
The film was essentially about the mechanics of sex and reproduction - I was very naive - I attended a girls school and my brothers were much younger so, I really had no contact with males until I went to University. The girls that mixed with the "tech boys" were placed on detention, a few got pregnant and lots failed exams. I wanted to get to University so concentrated on my studies - even at that age I wanted/needed to be in control of my life.
At Uni I felt terribly uncomfortable around males - particularly ones I liked - I was never able to develop an easy rapport with males unless they were friends. A direct approach sent me running...
Not surprising my DH was my friend for 6 months before we started dating...
The film implied that sex was about conception only - "when a married couple decide to have a baby, the male etc"...nothing was mentioned about love and relationships.
I actually cleared this point with my mother after the film.
There was absolutely no information on birth control or wider issues - just the mechanics of sex and childbirth.
My mother was always open to questions and answered me honestly so I got the information I needed...
I didn't discuss BC or wider issues with her - I got the information I needed when the time came...
I think sex eduction is terribly important - young people should be equipped with the information to stay in control of their lives and protect themselves against disease and unplanned pregnancies.

I'm impressed that so many of you had much more extensive sex education than I did. You'd think, growing up in Southern California that I would have. But not so much.

In the 5th grade they had what they called a "Mother Daughter Tea." (There was no tea.) Everyone's mom came and we went to the cafeteria watched a film strip about puberty and our periods that I seem to remember must have very briefly touched on female gentalia, pregnancy & birth, but I was so terribly embarrassed I didn't hear a word of it. The boys teased us a lot beforehand so I'm really glad they weren't there.

Sex Education (if you could call it that) was a couple of days as part of our 10th grade health class. They pretty much showed us filmstrips from the 50's (and yes, this was the 80's) all about various STDs. I don't remember birth control being discussed at all. I think it would have been best if the girls and boys were separated because, again, the boys made jokes and was embarrassed.

SInce I always knew I was CF (and since I have a doctor-phobia and having an abortion is the last thing I'd want to do) I made sure to learn about birth control myself. There would be no unplanned pregnancy and that was that. I often wonder if teens would be more careful if they thought like I did--no babies, no way, no how--which they absolutely should at that age, anyway.

I also, share your dislike of Doctors Cherry Red - I made it a high priority to understand how my body worked so, I could control my own fertility - I never wanted to face an unplanned pregnancy or take the Pill for 30 years...
I feel that my life has been healthier and happier with a deep understanding of my body...
I think girls/women should all study their cycle and be able to identify ovulation - even if they choose to ultimately use other methods of BC - the knowledge is empowering...

Unfortunately, for some women ovulation can be VERY hard to pin down. For my, my cycle is very erratic and will change from month to month depending on if I'm around other women or not. (it figures my menstrual cycle is submissive when I'm the furthest thing from it! ) Funny enough, I just read another woman commenting on a blog about horses how when she worked at a breeding farm, one of the stallions knew exactly when she was ovulating, and would try "chatting her up". (Most stallions don't care if you're ovulating or menstruating, but this one obviously knew when she was ovulating). So for three days she couldn't be anywhere near the barn since she was too distracting to him.

As for the boys teasing...I really only remember the boys acting like little jackasses about that in Jr. High (7th and 8th grade) but then again, everyone was horrible in those two years. I think once highschool hit THEY were also put under the microscope so they couldn't tease girls without "exposing" themselves.

In 5th grade, the boys and girls were separated. Girls were taught about getting her period and given little booklets. I have no idea what the boys were taught. I don't recall having actual sex ed. during that time. In high school, if you took home economics (which wasn't a required course), you spent some time on pregnancy and childbirth. That was the extent of sex ed. in my school. But I grew up in the South in a town ruled by Southern Baptists and (southern) Church of Christers (very different from United Church of Christ). Dancing and music was prohibited to a lot of teens in my town (not for me, though - my parents are liberals), so sex was definitely not something they addressed.

What an interesting topic. I went to Catholic School, and the education was pretty lame. They did separate us from the guys, and they taught us about our periods (6th grade?). I can't remember how much they actually taught us about sex, though.

I know birth control was never part of any discussion. I know people manage to figure it out for themselves, but it's a tragedy that they try to pretend teenagers aren't going to have sex. It shouldn't just be about not wasting sperm, but about having kids when you are ready to have them. I've never heard the Catholic Church say anything sane like that.