3020 -COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM
The Durham Public Schools Board of Education is committed to providing a comprehensive health education program for grades K-12 which will include all major components of the state adopted healthful living curriculum.
As mandated by law, this program will include a reproductive health and safety education program commencing in the seventh grade which teaches the benefits of sexual abstinence until marriage, and contains instruction in the causes and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, FDA-approved contraception methods, and awareness of sexual assault, sexual abuse, and risk reduction. Materials and information used in this instruction will be age-appropriate, objective, and based on peer-reviewed scientific research.
Any instruction concerning contraceptives and prophylactics must provide accurate statistical information on their effectiveness and failure rates for preventing pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS, in actual use among adolescent populations and shall explain the difference between risk reduction and risk elimination through abstinence.
The program objectives and instructional materials for the reproductive health and safety education program will be available for review at all middle and high schools prior to their use with students. Before students may participate in the program, the school will notify the parent/guardian of the opportunity to review the material and the right to withhold consent for the student to participate. A copy of this policy will be enclosed with the notification.
Any parent/guardian wishing to withhold consent must do so in writing and return to the school's administration by stated deadlines. Otherwise, consent to the program is presumed. In addition, the school administration shall notify parents/guardians of their right to consent or to withhold consent for students to receive information about where to obtain contraceptives and abortion referral services.
Personnel involved in instructing students are expected to follow the program objectives and use only the instructional materials that have been reviewed and approved for appropriateness and accuracy. Instruction shall be conducted with maturity and sensitivity and in compliance with the spirit and intent of this policy.
A Health Advisory Committee will be established to suggest supplementary materials to be reviewed and provide support for the approved comprehensive health education program. At least every three years, the committee shall review the existing supplementary materials for continued appropriateness and accuracy and recommend new supplemental materials, as needed. A bibliography of the selected materials will be provided to the schools to have as a resource.
This committee may include: parents/guardians and representatives from community and religious organizations and agencies, medical personnel, relevant advocacy and service organizations and Parent-Teacher Association.
The Board of Education authorizes the administration to develop procedures to implement this policy.
Legal Reference: G.S.115C-81
Adopted Effective: October 30, 1996
Revised: September 23, 1997
Revised Effective: July 1, 1999
Revised: June 17, 2010
