Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Abstinence-Only Sexual Education, Tessa Libby

Fresh Voices: Composition at Cal Poly

In “Abstinence-Only Sexual Education,” Tessa Libby uses a substantial amount of evidence to support her strong, central claim: “Due to abstinence-only sexual education, teens today are naïve concerning the truth about sexual activity and, in turn, they are unprepared to face the consequences.” Think about your experiences with sexual education in the classroom—did you have similar or different experiences? Examine the evidence used by Libby and discuss how it is introduced and analyzed— are her sources supporting her points in the most effective manner? Identify the moments when each rhetorical appeal (ethos, pathos, logos) manifests itself in the essay. Locate …