Dranesville Supervisor Stuart Mendelsohn on Monday asked his colleagues to defer asking high school students eight questions about their sexual behavior, specifically, whether, how often, and with how many partners, they have had sexual intercourse.
His motion was voted down along party lines, with Democrats prevailing seven to three.
Board Chairman Kate Hanley said the 2001 “Communities That Care” youth survey distributed in May, 2001, had proved a valuable investment by helping the county to procure $1.5 million in grants to devise programs that address behavior risks such as bullying behavior and alcohol abuse.
Fairfax County is above the national norm for alcohol abuse among young people, she said.
Because many of their families are in transition, students in Fairfax County don’t as often form strong neighborhood attachments, according to that survey.
Hanley, the daughter of an educator, said the School Board has fallen short on two of its goals: reducing by five percent the number of students who commit repeated acts of violence, and those who are suspended.
Mendelsohn raised several objections, beginning with the issue of repetition.
The first of eight multiple-choice questions asks children if they have had sexual intercourse, yes or no. But even if they answer “no” truthfully, they must answer “no” several more times as they are asked subsequent questions about the frequency and number of partners, just as if they have answered yes to the question about intercourse.
That will be changed, at Mendelsohn’s request, said County Executive Tony Griffin, so that students who answer “no” will then skip the other questions about sexual intercourse.
Fairfax County’s Youth Services Work Group added two questions about oral sex to the eight about sexual intercourse.
“Have you ever participated in oral sex?” and “How old were you when you participated in oral sex for the first time?” will also be asked.
Jan Auerbach, president of the Safe Community Coalition in McLean, said she thinks the CDC questions are “very reasonable, and quite straightforward.”
She said local data is more useful than national data, particularly in recognizing the problems that exist.
“There is a lot of denial going on. If you are going consider changing the character education curriculum or Family Life Education” course content, she said, such information is important to have.
Mendelsohn had asked that the County examine Title XX, the federal code which allows students to “opt in” if they want to take the survey, instead of “opting out” if they prefer not to.
He said the survey’s $60,000 cost could pay for direct services for young people whose behavior places them at risk, rather than conducting the survey.
Hanley said the Board approved funding for the survey last year, but not its structure and wording.
It follows up the 2001 “Communities That Care Youth Survey distributed in May, 2001, Hanley said.