Health Enhancement
Curriculum – Info meeting
Helena Youth Advocates
Lewis & Clark Library
June 30th
Outline
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Introduction – Who we are
Overview of the proposed draft
Main Concerns
Things to Consider
What you can do to help
Questions
Sign-ups for volunteers
Who We Are
• A group of parents and concerned community
members that agree that “this” curriculum is not
the best for our children.
• We wish for the board to vote “no” on the
current proposal.
• We want to see a thorough revision of the draft
and want the process to include the input of
many parents.
Overview - Draft
• A two year process
• Committee members included:
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Regular classroom teachers & physical education teachers
Health instructors
Law enforcement officials
Department of Public Health and Human Services
Lewis and Clark Health Department liaisons
St. Peter’s Hospital representatives
administrators, parents and other community members
http://www.helena.k12.mt.us/district/departme/curricul/curricul/healthen/index.dhtm
Critical Competencies K-12
• Health Maintenance and Enhancement:
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Personal Health and Preventative Care
Nutrition
Consumer Health and Safety
Life Management Skills
• Functions and Interrelationship of Systems:
– Structure and Functions of the Body
– Social, Emotional and Mental Health
– Human Sexuality
• Risk Assessment and Reduction:
– Disease Prevention and Control
– Injury Prevention and Safety
– Environmental Health
http://www.helena.k12.mt.us/district/departme/curricul/curricul/healthen/index.dhtm
Main Concerns
Reproductive Health Section
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 36
Reproductive Health Section
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 36
Influence of Family & Peers & Society
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 38
Influence of Family & Peers & Society
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 38
Human Sexuality
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 46
Influence of Family
Family & Peers & Society
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 39
Influence of Family & Peers & Society
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 38
Human Sexuality
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 45
Human Sexuality
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 45
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 54
Safe & Unsafe Substances
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 59
Effects of Pollution on Health
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 61
Harassment/Bullying/Refusal
and Conflict Resolution
Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies – DRAFT, pg 23
Things to Consider
• This does not fit our own Montana Standards for Sex
Education:
– Ought to focus on “disease prevention”
– “Public health supports a program that is age-appropriate,
abstinence based, …”
– “… [T]he program public health supports is designed to: (a)
support youth who have not had sexual intercourse to
continue to postpone the initiation of sexual intercourse, (b)
help youth who have had sexual intercourse re-establish
abstinence, and (c) present information on disease prevention
methods for those unable or unwilling to refrain from sexual
intercourse.”
Montana Accreditation Standards for Health Enhancement, OPI:
http://www.opi.mt.gov/pdf/HIVEd/HEStandardsSexEd.pdf
Things to Consider
• Montana Standards for Sex Education, cont.
– “The content should explain the health reasons for
refraining from sexual activity as well as the health
consequences for engaging in sexual intercourse.”*
• There is no mention of the psychological effects of teen
sexual activity – depression, higher-drop out rates, etc.
– “The content should reflect the values of the
community”*
• On the committee there was only one member listed as a
non-district employee parent – we need more community
parents involved in the committee process
*Montana Accreditation Standards for Health Enhancement, OPI:
http://www.opi.mt.gov/pdf/HIVEd/HEStandardsSexEd.pdf
Things to Consider
• Primary disease prevention focuses on avoiding
exposure first:
– We don’t teach children how to use drugs
responsibly – we teach them to “just say ‘no’” – with
STI rates so high, why should teen sex be considered
differently?
– This program discusses STIs transmitted by fluid to
fluid contact, but does not explicitly mention skin to
skin contact
Things to Consider
• In Montana (Dept. of HHS 2008):
– 53% of all Chlamydia cases occurred in ages 15-24*
– 63% of all Gonorrhea cases occurred in ages 15-24*
– Lewis & Clark County has the 5th highest instances of Chlamydia
in Montana*
– With stats like these we need to have a serious and open
discussion with parents about what approach is best for our kids
and community.
*Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Communicable Disease Stats and Facts,
2008: http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/PHSD/epidemiology/documents/AnnualReport2008FINAL_03_31_2010.pdf
Things to Consider
• Is this really the most up to date science?
– February 2010: NY Times and CNN featured a study
comparing “comprehensive” sex education to
“abstinence” education
• In a high risk population, abstinence education was proven
to be more effective at delaying initiation of sexual
intercourse (Efficacy of a Theory-Based Abstinence-Only Intervention Over 24 Months:
http://www.asc.upenn.edu/assets/other/pressReleases/Jemmott%20abstience%20study%202010.pdf)
Things to Consider
• This curriculum seems to fully lack a
conversation of the psychological effects of early
sexual activity, especially for girls:
– Early sexual activity has been shown to lead to
depression in young girls (Which Comes first in Adolescence – Sex and Drugs of
Depression?: http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/07493797/PIIS0749379705002138.pdf)
– Less likely to go to college*
– Less likely to be happy*
– More likely to divorce*
*The Harmful Effects of Early Sexual Activity and Multiple Sexual Partners Among Women: A Book of
Charts. The Heritage Foundation. 2003
Things to Consider
• This still requires “professional development”
– Do we really want approve something without knowing what
it fully contains? Or who will be involved in this
“development”?
• “Universal values” are referred to, but never
enumerated. Values are also said to “differ” amongst
families, churches and communities.
– Is this appropriate for the school to be teaching to young
children?
– Whose/what value system is being promoted as “universal”?
Things to Consider
• Is this age-appropriate material?
– Does a Kindergartener really need to know the
reproductive body parts?
– Early introduction of sexual material contributes to
the sexualization of young children.
– Child focused prevention programs (K -3) have
failed reduce instances of sexual abuse and have
been shown to increase anxiety. (Berrick and Gilbert. With the Best
Intentions: The Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Movement. New York: Guilford Press, 1991)
What can I do to help?
• Write the Superintendent and Board Members
– Be RESPECTFUL! – you catch more bees with
honey than vinegar
– Be concise and to the point
– Have supporting resources and facts
– Share personal story if appropriate
• Write the newspaper
• Call into your local radio station and make
comments
What can I do to help?
• Inform your PTA and teachers of what is in the
draft
– Encourage them to write the Superintendent and
Board Members
• Inform your friends
– Encourage them to write the Superintendent and
Board Members
• Sign our online petition and encourage others to
do so
• Sign our hand-written petition
– Help us gather signatures by going door to door
Thank you!