Sharon Sex-Ed
Overview
This page describes the Sharon formal sex-ed curriculum. In addition to this, there are other aspects of sex-ed integrated into the Advisory, ELA, and Social Studies curriculum. Information will be added as we are able to get it. The information here was gathered using multiple public records requests.
5th grade: Students are taught about puberty, though the instruction is designed to confuse them as to the difference between male and female. For example, the menstruation video is careful not to say that only girls can get their period because that is “offensive.” We found a teacher training video embedded in the slide show that explains the purpose of this type of instruction is to include transgender students. However, the result can be confusing to a student learning this information for the first time.
6th grade: Puberty and LGBT vocabulary and definitions.
8th grade: Reproductive system and LGBT vocabulary and definitions.
We were given slides for 6th or 8th grade - still waiting for the other slides, as well as information as to which grade uses which slides.
9th grade: The curriculum normalizes unmarried men and women living together, teaches students how to put on a male condom, female condom, and make their own “dental dam” for oral sex.
10th grade: There is a lot of focus on equity and listing privileges. Students watch a video about a “privilege walk” (unclear if they do it themselves - we know a similar activity called “privilege. beads” is done in 6th grade ELA). The abortion pill (Plan B) is described as emergency contraception.
5th Grade
The 5th graders are shown a slide show about puberty. The presentation starts with a discussion of gender identity, and continues to be very careful not to distinguish between boys and girls when discussing puberty.
The Menstruation: What to Expect video is very careful to NOT say that only GIRLS get their period. Instead, it calls girls “a person with a uterus” and uses “their” instead of “her."
The Reference sections includes a teacher-education video on gender-inclusive sex ed. Elementary Sexual Health Education That Includes All Students and All Bodies. UBC Teacher Education.
This is either from the 6th or 8th grade sex-ed class. The same content is covered in both grades.
6th Grade
● Physical, Social, and Mental-Emotional changes that occur during puberty ○ Male body / Female body changes
○ Hormones / Endocrine System
○ Social Health
○ Mental/Emotional Health -- resources for expressing emotions/stress management
● Introduction to basic vocabulary related to Gender Identity, Gender Expression/Presentation, Biological Sex, and Sexual Orientation, Pronouns
● Importance of good hygiene
● Video: Always Changing and Growing Up- Co Ed Puberty Education
This is either from the 6th or 8th grade sex-ed class. The same content is covered in both grades.
8th Grade
All objectives come straight from the Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Curriculum Frameworks, as established by the Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Learning Standards
4.1) Identify the components, functions, and processes of the reproductive systems
4.3) Define sexual orientation using the correct terminology
4.10) Identify sexual discrimination
Gender Definitions
Gender expression: the manner in which a person represents or expresses gender to others, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, activities, voice, or mannerisms.
Gender identity: a person's gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person's physiology or assigned sex at birth.
Gender nonconforming: a term used to describe people whose gender expression differs from stereotypic expectations. The terms "gender variant" or "gender atypical" are also used.
Transgender: an umbrella term used to describe a person whose gender identity or gender expression is different from that traditionally associated with the assigned sex at birth.
No person shall be excluded from or discriminated against in admission to a public school of any town, or in obtaining the advantages, privileges and courses of study of such public school on account of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.
When explaining the female reproductive system, the following slide show will be used (scroll to the bottom of the page):https://www.kidshealth.org/en/teens/female-repro.html#catgirls
When explaining the male reproductive system, the following slide show will be used (scroll down to bottom of the page):https://www.kidshealth.org/en/teens/male-repro.html#catguys
The 8th Graders see a presentation which includes the following videos from Amaze.org:
9th Grade
Overview
The 9th grade class covers health relationships, abstinence, consent, and STDs. It normalizes pre-marital sex and unmarried couples living together. Students are taught Affirmative Consent. Teaches step-by-step how to use male condom, female condom, and how to make your own “oral sex” condom to put in your mouth.
FRESHMAN HEALTH: SEXUALITY TOPICS RELATIONSHIPS
a. LOVE: Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love (8 types of Relationships that involve none, one, two or all 3 components: Intimacy, Passion, Commitment)
b. Stages in Love Relationships (Falling in Love -> Being in Love)
c. Healthy vs. Unhealthy vs. Abusive Relationships
d. Teen Dating Violence (loveisrespect.org), Cycle of Violence, How to Safely Leave
Video: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness.” TED talk, Robert Waldinger, 2015: What Makes a Good Life
Wrap up unit with quiz: https://b.socrative.com/teacher/#import-quiz/37882539
The relationship slides normalize unmarried men and women living together.
ABSTINENCE & CONSENT
a. Definition and discussion; article SEX REGRETS: WHY SOME TEENS WISH THEY HADN’T
b. Affirmative Consent
Video: ETR: Yes Means Yes
Video: Consent for Kids
Video: Tea and Consent
HIV/AIDS/STDs
a. “Handshake” activity to demonstrate spread of disease with one person infected b. Red light/Yellow light/Green Light activity with HIV risks
c. Overview STD facts
d. Reducing Risk STDs: Condom class information and demonstration/practice using condom demonstrators (no condoms dispersed in class, only used for demonstration)
Video: Let’s Talk About Sexual Health
Video: STD overview
Video: PSA
Video: What Is It?
Materials Purchased for Demonstration in High School Wellness classes • Condom Demonstrator purchased 12 for condom demonstration classes
The iceberg is a metaphor that means you can’t tell whether someone is a boy or girl just by looking at that person. Though this slide show is for 10th grade, when 6th graders in Advisory were shown this image, they were pressured to agree with the statement that your gender is something “below the surface.” Later in the slide show, students are taught “gender and orientation are fluid and subject to change.”
10th Grade
In 10th grade, students are taught the basics of the human reproductive system, pregnancy, contraception, STDs, and consent. The Plan B pill is taught as a form of “emergency contraception” and not abortion. (Abortion is not covered). There is discussion of gender identity, sexual orientation, and equity/privilege. The course talks about teen pregnancy as a problem, but not about pregnancy outside of marriage.
SOPHOMORE HEALTH: SEXUALITY TOPICS REPRODUCTION and SEXUALITY
a. “Qualities Seek in a Mate/Partner” worksheet with discussion and recap of healthy relationships
b. Male and Female Reproductive Systems Function
c. Abstinence
d. Teen Pregnancy
e. Movie: LIFE’S GREATEST MIRACLE (Nova)
f. Pregnancy: Terminology, Fertilization, timeline of pregnancy (from missed period to post term), prenatal development, birth
g. STDs – Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HPV, HIV, Herpes, Trichomoniasis.
Watch videos by CDC:
Not clear what the purpose of this slide is….
Sex-ed now includes discussion of politics.
h. Birth Control Methods - Reversible: Behavioral, Hormonal, other Permanent: tubal ligation and vasectomy, Emergency Contraception
Sharon tells students that the abortion pill which kills the embryo is a form of contraception.
g. Sexual Orientation, gender vs. biological sex
Hannah Witton starts her video How to Be A Good Ally by listing all her privileges: white, straight, able-bodied, cis-privilege.
The video What is Privilege shows 10 people do a privilege walk where they take a step forward or backward based on 35 possible privileges.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT, DATE RAPE
i. Sexual Harassment
j. Affirmative Consent
k. Sexual violence/assault
Requests
It took three requests to get the Sharon sex-ed curriculum. In retrospect, the second request was sufficiently specific to get all the information. However, we still had to follow up for missing information. The list of videos given in response to the first request was incomplete, and it took going through the slides one-by-one to get a complete list.
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Request: I’d like to get the titles and authors of any preK-12 sex education curriculum used in our schools, based on grade.
Response: Given slides for 5th grade and a list of topics covered in 9th and 10th grade. All of Middle School was omitted. There was an (incomplete) list of videos shown in 9th and 10th grade.
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Request: Can you get me the following:
1. Framework documents for our health, wellness, and sex Ed curriculums grades 6-12
2. Pacing documents for our health, wellness, and sex Ed curriculum for grades 6-12
3. Slides used by teachers for sex Ed in grades 6-12.
Response: Given slides for grades 5, 6, 9, and 10 (grade 8 was missing). List of topics covered in grades 5, 6, 8, 9, 10. -
Asked for missing slides from one of the grades.