BOARD LIMITS SEX ED DEMOS
In a meeting Monday, June 17, school board members approved the final piece of the puzzle in the controversial new approach to Family Life Education, or “sex ed.”
After approving textbooks last month, school board members needed to adopt a policy on how teachers will present the material.
The guidelines will direct teachers of the ninth and 10th grade Family Life Education course on how to present sensitive topics including human reproduction, transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, contraceptives, sexual assaults, abortion, masturbation, sexual orientation and suicide.
Most of the new textbooks received no complaints from parents or activists. But a supplement to the ninth grade course attracted attention from national abstinence education advocates, who turned the Education Center into a protest zone last week.
The most controversial element proved to be whether teachers should be allowed to demonstrate how to use condoms.
Senior staff members suggested that condom demonstrations might be inappropriate to whole classrooms of students, but should be allowed for small groups.
Board member Dave Foster immediately took issue with the recommendation, before formal debate even started. “[Contraception demonstrations] should at most be available on a one-on-one basis,” he said at the previous board meeting, when board members heard the policy as an information item.
As expected, last week Foster pushed several amendments to restrict demonstrations. He found an ally on the board in Mary Hynes, who made a motion to prohibit the demonstrations. That support wasn’t enough though.
“This is a really difficult issue. I’m not comfortable with it either,” said board member Libby Garvey. But she trusted that senior staff members were correct in identifying the importance of the demonstrations, and joined board Chair Elaine Furlow and member Frank Wilson in voting down Foster’s amendment.
The controversy didn’t stop there. Foster next tried to allow teachers to demonstrate contraceptives only in one-on-one situations with individual students.
Wilson objected that individual instruction on such a sensitive topic would open the door to even greater problems like sexual harassment lawsuits, and Foster’s amendment failed by a vote of 3-2, with Hynes again siding with Foster.
Ultimately Hynes provided the language that brought agreement among board members. Her amended language allows teachers to “deliver instruction about sensitive issues… in small groups” as appropriate, while allowing different demonstrations for any students who want more or less instruction. In addition, the new policy would separate classes by gender for such instruction, and allows teachers to bring “health-care professionals” to supplement lessons.
The new policy also establishes how parents will receive information on the Family Life Education program.
Parents will have the option to remove students from any or all of the Family Life lessons, and will be notified of the option by a mailing. In previous years, parents received notes sent home with students.
Several speakers at previous board meetings had asked board members to create an opt-in, rather than the opt-out program, but board members rejected that idea.
Kathy Grove, assistant superintendent for instruction, said her staff will pay close attention to the number of students who opt out next year. If a large number of parents pull their students from the class, board members may revisit the curriculum issue again next year.
METRO BOARD OKs FARE HIKES
Last week, the Metro Board of Directors approved a fare hike for both Metrobus and Metrorail Service. At a meeting on Thursday, June 19, the board approved a 10-cent increase in the basic fare for both bus and trains. Beginning on Sunday, June 29, the basic Metro bus or train ride will cost $1.20, instead of $1.10. Maximum fare on Metro trains increases from $3.25 to $3.60, and a one-day pass will cost $6. Daily parking fees will increase by 75 cents and monthly permits will cost $35. Express bus fares increase to $2.50, and bus transfers will cost 35 cents.