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NEWS & LETTERS, February - March 2007Right scripts sex ed courses in MichiganDetroit--A quiet victory for the right wing in Michigan is the state public school HIV/AIDS and sex education policy. Unlike any other curriculum area, legal restrictions cover everything from a complicated approval process for all materials to the rights of parents to opt out of the curriculum to topics and information that may not be discussed at all. Although school districts in Michigan are “required” to teach about dangerous communicable diseases including HIV/AIDS, they may “choose” to teach sex education. Half of Michigan school districts have chosen to teach “abstinence only” curricula, which means that no other form of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections prevention may be mentioned. Detroit Public Schools has chosen the less restrictive “abstinence based” curriculum. The law specifies a comprehensive approach which includes teaching students legal, emotional and economic consequences of sexual activity, defines criminal sexual conduct, and how to control personal behavior. Yet “sensitive subjects” are actually scripted: for grades 5 and under, condoms are not to be discussed as a means of preventing pregnancy. For grades 6-12, the suggested response to a question is, “Condoms prevent the transmission of diseases during sexual intercourse. Condoms also help prevent pregnancy.” Homosexuality must be discussed only as, ”all human beings have feelings and rights to live their lives as they choose without persecution.” Although there is much of value in the Detroit policy, it is disturbing that so much of the right wing philosophy has been allowed to prevail in the state law. Much of the content is valuable despite the restrictions, but the far-reaching detail of the law has ominous implications for other curriculum areas that the Right wishes to control. After a protracted battle, language to discredit evolution was defeated in the updated science curriculum standards. The detailed procedures, restrictions and guidelines also reflect the Right’s desire to determine not only what is moral, but to limit what is considered appropriate human thought and behavior. The downplaying of pregnancy prevention by the unrealistic over-emphasis on abstinence reflects their disrespect for women as full human beings. In every other subject area, teachers are expected to make curriculum content “our own” and add to the basic materials anything and any viewpoints that will make it real for our students. But in this area the teacher’s professionalism is to be reduced to following orders. --Public School Teacher |
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