Despite some protests by a handful of parents, the Howell Public Schools Board of Education approved changes to its middle school and high school sex education curriculum Monday night.
A recently published report said that most of the concerns raised by parents dealt specifically with the proposed changes to the seventh-grade curriculum, which will provide students with a one-page brochure that defines what a condom is and how it can be used to help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
The district based its proposed curriculum changes on the results of a state-approved survey of parents. The majority of the nearly 600 responses indicated that parents wanted such information to be given to middle school students, although many of the parents who spoke up at Monday's school board meeting said they felt that was too young of an age for such information.
"I think it's dangerous to offer too much information about contraception," parent Michelle Gonzalo, who volunteers with the Pregnancy Helpline, told the Livingston Daily Press & Argus.
Vicki Fyke, a member of the Livingston Organization for Values in Education traditional values group, also questioned whether the district would bear any legal responsibility from a student who used contraception but developed a sexually transmitted disease.
Other parent concerns centered on teachers defining such terms as anal sex, oral sex and homosexuality.
Yet, Jeanne Farina, assistant superintendent of curriculum for Howell Public Schools, as well as members of the district's sex education advisory committee, addressed and answered each concern that was raised.
Christopher Nagy reported that Farina said the survey the district used to evaluate parent sentiments on sex education is the same survey that is recommended for use by the Michigan Department of Education. Howell received 592 returns on the survey.
For districts averaging roughly 8,000 students, the state requires only 381 responses.
"They feel that gives you enough cross-pollination or opinions in the district," she said.
Despite the introduction of some contraceptive options into the seventh-grade curriculum, Farina said the curriculum is abstinence-based, something that is required by law. She added that the law requires a district's sex education curriculum to also teach about the emotional, economic and legal responsibilities of unplanned pregnancy, stress the seriousness of sexually transmitted diseases, and advise students of the laws and responsibilities of parents.
In addition, after the eighth grade, sex education isn't taught in Howell schools again until the 11th grade, Farina said, which is a large gap to have. She added that the proposed changes give students information about sex and the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases that may be important in the years between that gap.
The story went on to report that Mary Beno, a member of the sex education advisory committee, said statistics have shown that 42 percent of high school students become sexually active, and that more than 50 percent of people between the ages of 15 and 24 years old will contract certain forms of sexually transmitted diseases.
As for the concerns about teachers defining sexual terms for students, Cindy Perlman, one of the district's health teachers, said teachers are instructed only to define terms that are raised by students, and are referred back to parents for further explanation.
"We do not integrate our personal values," Perlman said.
Parents are also notified that their student will be taking a sex education class, and parents have the option of removing their child from that class.
"Students are given an alternative assignment that has nothing to do with reproductive health," Perlman said.
The report concluded by saying that school board members sided with the curriculum changes recommended by the committee, and approved the changes in a 6-0 vote.
The changes approved Monday night will be implemented in the 2006-2007 school year.
