Petrillo, L. (1995, November 8). "Trustees rethink sex ed." San Diego Union Tribune, pp. B1, B8.

OVERVIEW

The sex education policy in the Vista Union School District (in Southern California) is due for an overhaul. Among other things, the district’s policy of teaching sex education without discussing sex organs will be re-examined. Crystal Moore, a 15-year-old mother who is now involved in the Teen Parent Program in Vista Unified schools, is angry about what they did not tell her in school. "You learn about your eyes and ears in kindergarten. Your uterus is an important part of the body, too. Why make it a secret?" Crystal admits that she knew nothing of the facts of life until she gave birth to her son three months ago.

Crystal and other teen mothers have a lot of advice for those who are arguing about the sex education policy. They feel that if sex education was given as much detailed attention as subjects like math or the Civil War, young people would be better off. The girls feel that sex education classes should contain information about contraception, abortion, adoption, the dangers of pregnancy, and childbirth.

There is a considerable gap between what the young mothers suggest and what is currently being offered in their school district. Vista’s current sex education policy follows these guidelines:

• No student is required to learn about reproductive organs, but they receive complete instruction about fetal development.
• Nowhere is abortion mentioned. Adoption is mandated to be discussed and promoted.
• Homosexuality is mentioned as an addendum to the policy. Furthermore, the segment on homosexuality includes controversial material such as, "Homosexual behavior in general is associated with a significantly shorter life span."

The school’s sex education policy was written two years ago, with strict rules imposed by Christian conservatives who ran the school board at that time. Vista’s school politics made international news and were covered on CNN, in The Times in London, and in a PBS documentary. After moderates took political control of the district last November, they spent a lot of time dismantling the program.

Currently, the sex education policy at Vista allows sex education to be taught to only those students whose parents sign a permission form. However, most districts require the opposite. In most districts, sex education is taught to all students unless their parents sign a form to keep them out. Vista Trustee Barbara Donovan reports that Vista has used both the "opt in" and "opt out" methods. She says that in both cases, less than 10 percent of parents have opted to keep their kids out of sex education classes.

An estimated half-million teenage girls give birth every year in America. Of these

• Nearly 70 percent have been sexually abused at some point in their lives.
• At least half are impregnated by men at least twice their age.

Statistics say that teen moms and their kids will face poverty, lower employment, and lower academic achievement. Pregnancy and parenting are the top reason why girls drop out of high school.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. What do you think about sex education in schools?
2. Whose responsibility do you think it is to teach kids about sex?
3. Do you think sex education classes should be mandatory? Explain.
4. What current topics do you think should be included in sex education classes? What should be excluded?
5. What role should youth workers play in educating kids about sex?

IMPLICATIONS

1. Kids today are faced with a barrage of sexual images from the media. Since there is no way to completely shield young people from these images, it is important that they are educated about sex so that they may make intelligent and healthy choices. It is, therefore, the responsibility of parents, teachers, and society at large to help kids gain a true awareness of sexuality.
2. Sex education classes need to change as sex in society changes. Topics such as homosexuality and bisexuality are very real and need to be addressed. Ignoring or refusing to discuss tough issues such as sexuality often leave children confused when they find out about them on their own.

Sheila Walsh cCYS