Milwaukee Looks for Feedback on its Planned Sex Education Curriculum

Erin Richards:

After overhauling its K-12 sex education curriculum this summer with the help of community partners and health experts, Milwaukee Public School district officials have released the first draft of lessons to be taught to kids in kindergarten through fifth grade.

The problem: Despite calls to every elementary school principal for help in reaching parents, and a link to the proposed human growth and development curriculum on the MPS home website, only a handful of people have offered feedback.

"I'd like to hear from anyone in the community, but I really need parents," said Brett Fuller, curriculum specialist for health, wellness and safe and drug-free schools.

Responses to the new curriculum can be directed to this online survey.

Expedient feedback is important to the district for several reasons. For one, sex education can be a touchy subject and the more people who see the proposed changes, the better chance there is of everyone feeling comfortable with what's being taught.

Related: Sex Education for Primary Schools:

Primary school children are to be given compulsory lessons in sex education and the dangers of drugs, the Government confirmed.

The shake-up of lessons is aimed at cutting Britain's high teenage pregnancy rate and steering youngsters away from drug and alcohol misuse.

It will mean primary school children will learn about puberty and the facts of life from the age of seven. From the age of five, pupils will be taught about topics such as the parts of the body, relationships and the effects of drugs on the body.

As pupils progress through school they will be given detailed information about contraception and sexually transmitted infections as well as the risks of drug and alcohol misuse.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at October 23, 2008 6:19 PM
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