Sexual education programs may have been good for a laugh back in middle and high school, but I’d be lying if I said there was no useful information in those classrooms. That’s something the students and faculty at Crane High School learned the hard way after a chlamydia outbreak made its way around the Texas high school.

Crane Independent School District became aware of the outbreak after the Texas Department of State Health Services received a significant number of reports. Currently, the district has confirmed around 20 cases of chlamydia and has already sent home a letter to parents explaining the problem. Although the outbreak has only affected high school students, letters were sent to junior high parents on Friday.

"Crane Independent School District would like to make our parents aware or more aware of a problem that has been identified in our teenagers and young adults of our community," the district explained in the letter.

Crane’s student handbook for the 2014-15 school year states, “Crane ISD does not offer a curriculum in human sexuality.” CISD plans on meeting with the School Health Advisory Committee to discuss the school’s lack of sex education and if a suitable program should be implemented to avoid similar incidents in the future.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) in the U.S. Although chlamydia is easily cured, it can make getting pregnant difficult for women if left untreated. Anyone who has unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex can get chlamydia.

Back in June 2014, the CDC presented a study at the 2014 STD Prevention Conference showing that the prevalence of chlamydia among young women is much higher than expected due to the fact most women don’t show symptoms. The CDC urges young people who have unsafe sex to get tested, especially women under the age of 25 who are at an increased risk.