Dena Levitz, The Examiner
2007-01-06 08:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

Montgomery County -

Next week, Montgomery County Board of Education members will have their say on a controversial sexual education curriculum that will be piloted in select schools this spring if their vote is favorable.

The curriculum is the product of a nearly year-long effort by a special committee of parents and community members assembled as a result of a lawsuit settlement by the school district in 2005.

At issue is the content of two 45-minute lessons on sexual orientation for eighth-graders, two 45-minute lessons for 10th-graders and a controversial DVD on proper condom usage for 10th-graders.

These teachings would be within the confines of a voluntary nine-week health unit for eighth-graders and a required 18-week health course for 10th-graders.

For the middle schoolers, the focus is on teaching tolerance. They are also supplied definitions for terms such as "homosexual" and "sexual identity."

The high school curriculum is stepped up a little from there, with examples of life experiences of transgenders and bisexuals to illustrate the toll of intolerance.

According to Betsy Brown, director of the county's curriculum department, the main factor that's different about these hot-button lessons is that they will be strictly scripted, and teachers will not be allowed to bring in their own information or materials.

"If kids ask a question that's outside the scope of what's taught, the teacher is encouraged to tell them to talk about it with a health professional," she said.

"That way they're not getting shut down."

As for the condom DVD, what is being proposed is an extremely clinical demonstration that repeatedly gives students steps to follow in storing,

applying, using and discarding the prophylactics.

If board members at Tuesday's meetings support the lessons, the plan is to try them out on students at three different middle schools and three different high schools during the spring semester. Administrators will get student feedback, adjust any objectionable parts or tweak the length of any particular portions and then premiere them at all applicable schools in the fall, chief public information officer Brian Edwards said.

dlevitz@dcexaminer.com