Palm Beach County Schools Quietly Drop Sex Education Course
Course on Human Growth and Development Scrapped Amid State Restrictions
The Palm Beach County School District has quietly dropped its sex education course, “Human Growth and Development,” which was offered to help students avoid pregnancy, disease, and dating violence. The move comes amid growing pressure from the state to focus on abstinence rather than contraception.
Course Contents and Changes
The course, which was taught annually, covered topics such as human body parts, puberty, menstrual cycles, and child safety in lower grades. Middle and high school programs focused on consent, pregnancy and disease prevention, and online safety. The material was usually taught for about a week in the spring semester, and parents were allowed to opt their children out of the program.
However, the district was unable to get a specific sex ed program approved by the state this year, and as a result, students are only guaranteed to learn about the topic as part of the regular science curriculum in fifth and sixth grade, as well as in high school biology and a high school health class. Human anatomy and physiology, an elective class, also covers some material.
State Restrictions and Guidance
The state has become increasingly restrictive in recent years on what topics related to sexuality can be taught. State laws and rules ban instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in most classes. The state also requires the Department of Education to approve each district’s sex education curriculum.
The department hasn’t issued written rules or guidance on what specific sex ed topics are allowed or banned, instead giving districts verbal guidance. For example, the Broward school district was told to remove pictures of sexual/reproductive anatomy, not to identify specific types of sex, such as anal, oral, and vaginal, and not to include pictures, demonstrations, or activities that include contraception.
Impact on Schools and Students
The Palm Beach County School District is the latest in a string of Florida districts to end or significantly change their sex ed curriculum. As a result, students are no longer guaranteed to receive comprehensive sex education, and some teachers are expressing concern about the lack of resources and guidance on how to teach the topic.
“I was under the impression we were using a (sex ed) curriculum that was approved by the state,” said School Board member Erica Whitfield. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but it seems like there’s been a lack of communication.”
Conclusion
The Palm Beach County School District’s decision to drop its sex education course is a concerning trend in Florida schools, where there is a growing lack of comprehensive sex education. The state’s restrictions on what topics can be taught are creating a vacuum in which students are not receiving the information they need to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
FAQs
* Q: Why did the Palm Beach County School District drop its sex education course?
A: The district was unable to get a specific sex ed program approved by the state and instead is only offering limited coverage of the topic through regular science and health classes.
* Q: What topics are covered in the regular science and health classes?
A: The classes cover topics such as human anatomy and physiology, consent, pregnancy and disease prevention, and online safety.
* Q: Are there any plans to reintroduce a comprehensive sex education program in the future?
A: The district has not announced any plans to reintroduce a comprehensive sex education program, but it may revisit the issue in the future.
* Q: How has the state’s restrictions on sex education affected other school districts in Florida?
A: Many districts in Florida have dropped or significantly changed their sex ed curriculum, leading to concerns about the lack of comprehensive sex education in the state.
