Madison Co. Students to Get Abstinence-Only Sex Ed
Abstract
A majority of Madison County parents who responded to a recent request for input want the school district to adopt an abstinence-only sex education curriculum.
Superintendent Ronnie McGehee said the district received 60 e-mails from parents. Fifty-five percent expressed support for teaching fifth- and seventh-graders how to abstain from sex, but not for providing additional instruction on STDs and contraceptives. “Comments were very well thought out. There were no attacks saying ‘I can’t believe you’re teaching that,’” he said.
The county’s School Board will vote to implement the sex education approach for next year at its June 4 meeting. All Mississippi districts were required to select either a state-designated abstinence-only or abstinence-plus curriculum.
Under the abstinence-only course, students will learn the social and health benefits of abstaining from sex; the negative effects of sexual activity, including children born out of wedlock; current state law regarding sexual conduct; and tools for rejecting sexual advances.
The two-week class will be given to fifth-graders in the second semester and seventh-graders in the first. Students will be separated by gender and receive the curriculum from their regular science teachers. Parents can opt their children out of the course.
Germantown Middle School Principal Brad Peets has reviewed the curriculum and said, “It looks pretty good. I’m all for teaching the subject the right way.”
Source
http://search.clarionledger.com
Date of Publication
05/23/2012
Author
Lucy Weber
Article Type
General media
Article Category
Local and Community News
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