Cleveland Public Schools Revising Sex Ed
 

I share this mainly because it could potentially be your school system next.


Cleveland schools revising sex ed
Program includes lessons on abstinence, contraception
Friday, October 20, 2006
Regina McEnery
Plain Dealer Reporter

Troubled by the city's high rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, Cleveland is backing both abstinence and contraception in a sweeping sex education curriculum change that appears to be unequaled in the state.

Cleveland schools already offer sex education to many of their middle and high school students. The schools are also required to teach HIV prevention. But the city wants to incorporate a program that will begin in kindergarten with age-appropriate lessons and continue through the high-risk high school years.

The effort, intended to reach all 58,000 students, is being financed by an $800,000 block grant from Cuyahoga County.

The classes, which begin soon, will address self-esteem and peer pressure as well as biology.

Children in grades K-3 will learn about how viruses work and appropriate and inappropriate touching.

Grades 4-6 will start learning about menstruation and other aspects of reproductive health.

In grades 7-12, the discussion shifts to interpersonal relationships, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy and respect for sexual orientation. Condom demonstrations are not planned.

Abortion will be explained and defined but not promoted, said Lita Townsend, responsible sexual behavior coordinator for the district.

Participation is voluntary, although public health and school personnel hope parents support the effort.

"One-third of all the HIV/AIDS cases in Ohio are in Cleveland," said Townsend. "Really, the best weapon we have right now is education."

Continue reading article here: http://www.cleveland.com/education/p...l=2&thispage=1

Is a comprehensive sex education curriculum an answer to higher STD rates and teenage pregnancy? Is kindergarten too young?

Did it say kindergarden? See this is where I would have the problem. I would prefer that I be the one in control of what and how my child learns about sex and so forth. I may not believe that some of these things are age appropriate for my child (based on their maturity and such) and not to mention how it is being taught and the type of discussions that take place.

I do hope they offer an "opt-out" option for those parents that feel such as I do. Because if I lived in Cleveland, my child would not be apart of thiss.

That program looks very good and while I'd want to monitor what my child is learning, it appears age appropriate.

Would you rather your child be HEARING about age-inappropriate things or DOING age-inappropriate things?

I agree. I think there should be an opt out option for parents, but I don't have a problem with it so far.

I think that what you are saying is valid, and I would not want my young children(when I get some) being taught something I don't believe in. However, there are probably some parents out there who don't care what their children learn at all. Those children can grow up with warped perceptions of what is healthy and appropriate. Cleveland's plan doesn't seem like it would be giving out "how to have sex" guides for elementary school children, but rather guiding them to be aware of the dangers out there. If I were a parent in that area, I would want a syllabus or copy of the curriculum so I know where my role would differ, if any, from that of the school district's.

I think that the program is great. The system should give parents a "trial run" before they actually inplement it in the schools especially to younger children. I actually think that telling children about touching and so forth at a young age is a good thing!! Pedifiles are praying on children and I would rather my child be informed by the two most important entities in their life..i.e. Parent's and School.

It does say participation is voluntary, so it may be more of an opt in than opt out.

It sounds like a good program actually. I wouldn't want my kindergartener (if I had one) hearing about viruses and inappropriate touch every single day because they NEED to learn how to read and write, but it is a good thing that they need to learn early on. Maybe these kids will be more apt to yell, "NO," or not believe a molester who claims I'll hurt your family if you don't do this. Plus, they need to understand early about the AIDS virus so they won't be ignorant like many of us were in the '80s and '90s. Whether some of you will admit it or not, some of our kids will attend classes with HIV positive kids, and they need to know they can exist together.

Like PhrozenGod01 said, some parents don't teach their children anything at all. My mom didn't attempt to talk to me about sex until I was 12. I wasn't doing anything, but I already had ideas in my head thanks to my older friends. Kids need the facts, not what their friends heard.

Good start, Cleveland!

Who is D. West from Maury Povich?

Whenever he does the "bad teens/I'm 12 and I want to have a baby right now," D West is a Black man (former military) who comes on the show and scares them straight by showing them the reality of being a teen mother or being a general bad azz. He also gives them a hug.

Oooooh that guy! I love him! I'm voting for him. :)

Darn, I woulda voted for him if I'd known.

You can vote for multiple options. :)

as a public health educator, I'm down for the revised sex ed program... I might not vote for the scare tactics/D. West, but I can see where he would have success...