By Erin Maxson
May 20, 2010
This is is the second of a two-part series looking at how sexual education is addressed in public schools. Viewer discretion is advised because of sexual content.
MEDFORD, Ore. - Every public school student in Oregon, from kindergarten through 12th grade, gets a lesson in sexual education each year.
"Beginning this upcoming school year, 'My Future, My Choice' program will be in all schools in Klamath County School District," explained Melissa Klegseth of the Klamath County Department of Public Health.
'My Future, My Choice' is an abstinence first curriculum. That means it stresses the effectiveness of abstaining from sex, but still presents the options of safe sex, such as birth control and condoms. Like with any public school sexual education course, parents always have the option of withdrawing their middle or high school student from the program
"Probably 99 percent of kids' parents sign permission slips and allow us to speak about it," said Doug Smith, Director of Curriculum & Instruction for Klamath County School District.
Sexual education programs must meet the requirements by the state, which are extensive.
"This program is not a requirement, however, it is a program that meets the requirements set forth by the state," Klegseth clarified
State law and the Oregon Board of Education require sexual education in public schools be, among other things:
"age appropriate, comprehensive, medically accurate, and research based". And it must cover several topics, including but not limited to "the emotional, physical, and psychological aspects of sex, different forms of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, sexual development, STD's, pregnancy, and HIV/Aids."
Most of those terms are self explanatory but "age appropriate" is subjective. It is most easily defined as a lesson plan meeting a child or teens real life exposure. It's also based on a standard maturity level of students in a given grade. For example, graphic pictures of an STDs physical effect on the human body or explicit language would be inappropriate for middle school students. However, the majority of high school students can comprehend this level of disclosure. In Oregon public schools, human sexuality classes start in kindergarten.
"With young kids it's about safety, so they don't really look like sexuality classes. What we are trying to teach young children is to make good choices," Smith said.
Individual school districts still have control over the curriculum they choose. For example, in the Klamath County School District, a committee reviews the Board of Education approved and recommended health curriculum. The committee presents its selection to the district's school board, which can then adopt a basic curriculum and most often a supplement. As a result, neighboring school districts can have slight differences between what is taught. For example, a progressive curriculum could be used in a community which has a higher level of STD's or teen pregnancy.
Klamath County School District uses 'My Future, My Choice' in 6th, 7th and 8th grades.
"We add that as a supplement because I think it really gives our kids a better chance at having a more appropriate human sexuality education," says Smith.
Back in the classroom, teen leaders like Mazama seniors Shaymaa Taha and Karla Recino fulfill an important part of 'My Future, My Choice'. With this particular curriculum, high school leaders facilitate half of the sessions.
"The teen leaders are a great experience because the kids, they are closer in age and it has more validity to the students than if it came from teacher-directed than student-directed," Brixner Junior High Health Teacher James Morey said.
"We don't teach them that sex is bad. We teach them the consequences, and that it is better to wait until you are more mature and then you can handle the consequences if they come up," Shaymaa Taha explained.
Middle school sexual education classes cover what is considered sexual actions, how to say no, what the consequences and benefits of sex are, and behaviors and flirtations that can lead to sex. Games, movies and classroom discussion aim to keep students engaged. At the high school level, following the age appropriate requirement, things can become more graphic. Klamath County School District Health/PE teacher and football coach Beau Fullerton is familiar with both age groups.
"If I am talking to a high school class about sex education, I am going to talk about primarily STDs and what those STDs cause," says Fullerton
"The human sexuality piece for most kids, it's going to be Health I and Health II, which is freshman and sophomore year. And in the junior and senior year, most kids don't take health, but we do update them on any medical information, on HIV/Aids," Smith said.
"Sophomore year is the big class. It's half a year. It's a health class, and it jumps pretty much right into sex. You talk about sex, how your body works, the difference between boys and girls. And they tell you what can happen if you choose to have sex," North Medford High School Senior Zach Willits said.
"It's not an easy issue to talk about. But its extremely important, and we must have those conversations at school for health reasons, as well as for life choices," Smith said.
Students agree. They say they need to see and hear the facts in the classroom even if they are graphic, because it's not the only place they are learning about sex.
"I think that all students need to be educated on sex all the way around. Because, if they do choose to be sexually active, at least they know that they can use condoms, they can use the pill," Senior Karla Recino said.
Teens say talking and teasing about sex is common in high school.
"It just comes up. Sex around my friends isn't really a hush-hush topic. We talk about it sometimes and it's just kinda normal for me," Recino said.
When kids leave school they are also bombarded with sexual influences from an early age.
"Nowadays you see it all the time. It's on TV and advertisements, " Willits said.
The 'My Future, My Choice' curriculum addresses the media's influence, through popular music, movies, and television shows. After years of the media's sexual influence Willits says teens can developed skewed ideas of sexuality.
"You see that sex is good. You see that you're not a man unless you've been with a girl before you get out of high school," says Willits.
To combat a cultural obsession with sex, experts say parents need to get involved. It's an awkward subject for most moms and dads, but the iconic "sex talk" is necessary. Both Jackie and Chloe say their parents have already sat down with them and talked about sex.
"I am lucky, because growing up I got a lot of support and a lot of information from my mother. She always told me it is something very important, it's something sacred, and she always taught me about the different STDs that are out there and the different consequences," Recino said.
"I just talked to my dad about it," Willits said. "We sat down one day and he said, 'you know son, you're growing up, you're in middle school now, I think it's time we talked about this and some of the consequences can come along if you decide to follow that route.'"
Some parents would be surprised to learn what their kids actually know, or think they know about sex.
"You hear guys, come back on a Monday after the weekend and they say, 'yeah, I have hooked up with three girls this weekend," explained Willits. "And, it's like, 'yeah OK, did you use protection or anything?' And they go, 'nah, we don't, I don't believe in that.' And it's kinda like, 'really?' These are seniors in high school and you think, 'after all the stuff you've been through? You've seen the pictures of different diseases and what not, and you are still not gonna, you know, try and protect yourself?"
"It's a sad fact. It's really sad, but you know, some of the things that they know, some of the things that they've done," Fullerton said.
According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unintended Pregnancy, in the U.S. each year 900,000 teens become pregnant, meaning 4 out of every 10 teenage girls are pregnant at least once before the age of 20.
Between the years of middle school and high school, the knowledge and experience change dramatically. Research shows a knowledge base is greatly impacted by socioeconomic status and cultural background.
"Many kids come in very naive about sexual situations.Bbut then there are other kids who have been promiscuous or have been around those types of circumstances," says Morey of the students he teaches.
According to data compiled by Oregon's Youth Sexual Health Plan, comprehensive sexuality education combined with access to health care has curbed dangerous sexual behaviors. Caring adult role models and a sense of future also play roles in health sexuality. It's something that is mirrored in the youth we talked with.
"I just have higher standards for myself. I wanna go to college. I wanna do everything," Chloe said.
"I am abstinent because I do not want to get a disease. I know my boundaries. I know I am not going to pass them if I don't want to. I'll know when I am ready," Recino said.
For more information on sexual education in public schools, how to talk to your kids about sex, or to see studies and research on pregnancy and STDs among teens, see the links below.
Oregon Healthy Teen Survey:
http://www.dhs.state.or.us/dhs/ph/chs/youthsurvey/index.shtml
Klamath County School District:
http://www.kcsd.k12.or.us/
Oregon Department of Education:
http://www.ode.state.or.us/
Planned Parenthood of Oregon:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/index.htm
Oregon County Health Department Directory:
http://oregon.gov/DHS/ph/lhd/lhd.shtml
Oregon Aids Hotline:
http://www.thinkhiv.org/dp/node/299
National HIV and STD Testing Resources:
http://www.hivtest.org/
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States:
http://www.siecus.org/
Kids Health:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/sex.html
Talking to Your Kids About Sex:
http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/guide/talking-to-your-kids-about-...
Oregon House Bill 2509:
http://www.new3rs.info/docs/OR%20Comp%20Sex%20Ed%20HB%2025844.pdf
