Frequently, we receive questions from parents as to whether or not their children may be opted out of Sex Ed courses - the answer is YES.
Because Sex Ed curricula is being bombarded onto your child in different ways through public school programs, I thought it might be nice to publish the state laws regarding Sex Ed in order to be clear about what IS and ISN'T to be taught.
First of all, please know, that as a parent, you have the right and responsibility to remove your child from ANY teaching that you believe undermines your rights as a parent to educate your child within your family's values. Write a note to your child's teacher, the Principal and the Superintendent simply saying something like;
"I reserve my right as a parent to remove _____ from ____ class for the reason that it undermines my family's values, Signed _____"
You can do the same thing for a class assignment or book reading - YOU are the PARENT, not the state. It is of absolute importance that you take this right seriously and assert your rights when necessary.
Next, please also know that Oklahoma schools are not mandated to teach Sex Ed programming and where it is, it must be taught with ABSTINENCE as the PRIMARY GOAL. This is important because organizations like SEICUS (Sex Ed For Social Change) are working to make the most graphic Sex Ed programs available to your child - especially within state schools.
This year, the Oklahoma Health Department (OSDH) has received funding from PREP (Personal Responsibility Education Program), a 501c3 non-profit somehow affiliated with the federal government, of a bit over $600,000. According to the OSDH website, they are providing schools with four separate 'evidence-based' sexual education programs - all produced by a company called ETR (Education, Training and Research); Making a Difference, Making Proud Choices, Love Notes and Positive Prevention Plus.
Above is the PREP website homepage. Please note the 'abortionfinder' in the upper right corner next to the 'bedsider'. The Bedsider is an online magazine that only deals with sex issues. Mind you, this 'magazine' is linked to a YOUTH SEX EDUCATION provider. Here's a screenshot from down further on the page.
A group in Tulsa, Amplify - whose mission and vision are; "Advancing youth sexual health and well-being through collaboration, education and advocacy", "Informed Youth, Equitable Access, Vibrant Communities" - provides all four programs found on the OSDH website along with training and support.
I was unable to find anything about these programs but brochures - which appear nearly harmless. The descriptions posted on the Amplify website also set off no alarm bells at all. I was only able to find them on the ETR website for PURCHASE. There were no samples to see but the Table of Contents.
Family Watch International apparently ordered facilitator guides for several of the curricula, however, and posted a PDF of several pictures from two of the guides.
The one for Making Proud Choices (provided by Amplify and the OKDH) is alarming. Here is the page on the ETR website. Below is a screenshot of the FWI PDF.
Not very 'ABSTINENCE'-friendly at all.
This is exactly why parents need to get involved and ASK TO SEE WHAT THE SCHOOL IS TEACHING THEIR CHILDREN - and make sure to ask to see the FACILITATOR'S GUIDE, not just the lessons - which, beyond making 12-year-olds fully aware of sexual issues they are not developmentally ready for - are relatively tame.
In closing, PARENTS are the people who should be informing their children about every issue they encounter - even if you need an 'easy button' because they're uncomfortable. Get a book from Amazon to help you - or carefully check one out of the library - that might give you a start, but don't leave this very important job up to Kaiser-funded non-profits and state schools that don't have the same investment in your children you do.
Check out this website for more information. It provides a long list of the harmful effects sex education can have on children - one of which reminds us that the 'consent' portion added to the sex ed curricula in Oklahoma (proposed by Kay Floyd - a Democrat - but was passed by a Republican legislature), teaches children to consent to sex.
PLEASE NOTE! Your school MUST "conduct for the parents and guardians of the students involved during weekend and evening hours at least one presentation concerning the curriculum and materials that will be used for such education", in terms of AIDS Education - AND - your school Superintendent (or designee of the school district) MUST "provide prior written notification to the parents or guardians of the students involved of their right to inspect the curriculum and material and of their obligation to notify the school in writing if they do not want their child to participate in the class, program, test, survey or questionnaire."
If your school/Superintendent does not do either of these things, you can SUE the school for breech of duty and not following the law.
OKLAHOMA LAW
AIDS PREVENTION EDUCATION: OS 70 Section 11-103.3
A. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention education shall be taught in the public schools of this state. AIDS prevention education shall be limited to the discussion of the disease AIDS and its spread and prevention. Students shall receive such education:
1. at the option of the local school district, a minimum of once during the period from grade five through grade six;
2. a minimum of once during the period from grade seven through grade nine; and
3. a minimum of once during the period from grade ten through grade twelve.
B. The State Department of Education shall develop curriculum and materials for AIDS prevention education in conjunction with the State Department of Health. A school district may also develop its own AIDS prevention education curriculum and materials. Any curriculum and materials developed for use in the public schools shall be approved for medical accuracy by the State Department of Health. A school district may use any curriculum and materials which have been developed and approved pursuant to this subsection.
C. School districts shall make the curriculum and materials that will be used to teach AIDS prevention education available for inspection by the parents and guardians of the students that will be involved with the curriculum and materials. Furthermore, the curriculum must be limited in time frame to deal only with factual medical information for AIDS prevention. The school districts, at least one (1) month prior to teaching AIDS prevention education in any classroom, shall conduct for the parents and guardians of the students involved during weekend and evening hours at least one presentation concerning the curriculum and materials that will be used for such education. No student shall be required to participate in AIDS prevention education if a parent or guardian of the student objects in writing to such participation.
D. AIDS prevention education shall specifically teach students that:
1. engaging in homosexual activity, promiscuous sexual activity, intravenous drug use or contact with contaminated blood products is now known to be primarily responsible for contact with the AIDS virus;
2. avoiding the activities specified in paragraph 1 of this subsection is the only method of preventing the spread of the virus;
3. sexual intercourse, with or without condoms, with any person testing positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies, or any other person infected with HIV, places that individual in a high risk category for developing AIDS.
E. The program of AIDS prevention education shall teach that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain means for the prevention of the spread or contraction of the AIDS virus through sexual contact. It shall also teach that artificial means of birth control are not a certain means of preventing the spread of the AIDS virus and reliance on such methods puts a person at risk for exposure to the disease.
F. The State Department of Health and the State Department of Education shall update AIDS education curriculum material as newly discovered medical facts make it necessary.
CURRICULUM AND MATERIALS USED IN SEX EDUCATION CLASS: OS70 Section 11-105.1
1. A. All curriculum and materials including supplementary materials which will be used to teach or will be used for or in connection with a sex education class or program which is designed for the exclusive purpose of discussing sexual behavior or attitudes, or any test, survey or questionnaire whose primary purpose is to elicit responses on sexual behavior or attitudes shall be available through the superintendent or a designee of the school district for inspection by parents and guardians of the student who will be involved with the class, program or test, survey or questionnaire. Such curriculum, materials, classes, programs, tests, surveys or questionnaires shall include information about consent and shall have as one of its primary purposes the teaching of or informing students about the practice of abstinence. For the purposes of this section, "consent" shall have the same meaning as that provided by Section 113 of Title 21 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The superintendent or a designee of the school district shall provide prior written notification to the parents or guardians of the students involved of their right to inspect the curriculum and material and of their obligation to notify the school in writing if they do not want their child to participate in the class, program, test, survey or questionnaire. Each local board of education shall determine the means of providing written notification to the parents and guardian which will ensure effective notice in an efficient and appropriate manner. No student shall be required to participate in a sex education class or program which discusses sexual behavior or attitudes if a parent or guardian of the student objects in writing to such participation. If the type of program referred to in this section is a part of or is taught during a credit course, a student may be required to enroll in the course but shall not be required to receive instruction in or participate in the program if a parent or guardian objects in writing.
B. The superintendent or a designee of a school district in which sex education is taught or a program is offered which is designed for the exclusive purpose of discussing sexual behavior or attitudes shall approve all curriculum and materials which will be used for such education and any test, survey or questionnaire whose primary purpose is to elicit responses on sexual behavior or attitudes used in the school prior to their use in the classroom or school. The teacher involved in the class, program, testing or survey shall submit the curriculum, materials, tests or surveys to the superintendent or a designee for approval prior to their use in the classroom or school. This section shall not apply to those students enrolled in classes, programs, testings or surveys offered through an alternative education program.
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