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AA411 – Sex Education

  • Effective: 8/27/1969
  • Revision: 3/26/19
  1. Board Directive
    It is the primary responsibility of parents to provide sex education for their children.  It is the responsibility of the schools to provide supportive instruction that will complement the efforts in the home.  The Board authorizes the District Administration to conduct instruction on health, family life, character, refusal skills, and the harmful effects of pornography within the framework of guidelines established by the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and as approved by Jordan School District Board of Education.
  2. Administrative Policy
    The Administration delegates to the Administrator of Teaching and Learning the responsibility for the review and selection of appropriate materials.  The Administration delegates to the Administrators of Schools the responsibility to ensure use of appropriate, approved and supportive educational instruction.

    1. Sex education is best described as that part of character education that develops a reverence and respect for birth and life, respect for the human body, respect for parenthood, and a respect for moral standards.  It includes instruction to develop understanding of the physical, mental, emotional, social, economic, and psychological phases of human relations as they are affected by male and female relationships.  It includes more than the anatomical and reproductive information, and it emphasizes the development of positive attitudes, and provides guidance for building healthy relationships.
    2. Programs and materials relating to sex education shall be an the abstinence based curriculum approved by the Utah State Board of Education (USBE).
    3. All instructional materials shall be medically accurate and evidence based.
    4. Sex education shall be conducted within the framework of already existing courses such as Health, Biology, Psychology, Family and Consumer Science, and Physiology.
    5. Responsibilities of the Jordan School District
      1. The Administrators of Schools and the Administrator of Teaching and Learning involve community representatives and District personnel as members of a Health Education Committee. The Health Education Committee will review commercial materials, teacher prepared materials and professional programs considered for school use. Media, instructional materials and technology applications approved for use will be published and distributed to the schools.
      2. The Health Education Committee shall consist of the following: Administrator of Teaching and Learning, the District Health Consultant, seven (7) PTSA/parent representatives, one (1) high school health teacher, one (1) middle school health teacher, one (1) school counselor, one (1) school nurse, one (1) Board of Education member and one (1) elementary principal or assistant principal. Proposed courses of study, instructional units, and teaching materials relating specifically to sex education shall be screened by the Health Education Committee, and the approved list shall be submitted to the Jordan School District Administration for review and approval.  Approved materials are available for public viewing by request.
      3. The Health Education Committee shall review and report data to the local school board every two years as required by law. (Utah Code 53G-10-402)
      4. As parent interest warrants, classes for parents may be conducted in the adult high school program (Southpointe High School) or at the Jordan Family Education Center.  These classes would focus on parenting skills that would enhance the parents’ role as they teach their children responsible values and attitudes about sexuality.
      5. Each elementary school shall plan an elective maturation program for each fifth-grade girl and her parents and each fifth-grade boy and his parents.  Students may opt out of the program with written permission from their parents to their school.  The main purposes of the program will be to provide accurate information about sexual development and to encourage discussion in the home.  At the discretion of the school principal, students and their parents from other grades may be invited to attend.
      6. Jordan School District will manage a logging and tracking system of parental and community complaints and comments resulting from student participation in human sexuality instruction.
      7. Violators of USBE policy are to be reported to the State Board Commission.
      8. Provide training for health educators, allowing them to review USBE rules and instructional materials once every three years.
    6. Responsibilities of Jordan Health Educators
      1. Parent approval shall be obtained by sex education teachers in writing, using the USBE consent form. Materials that will be used in school presentations will be made available to parents upon request prior to the presentations taking place.  Selected programs must come from the published, approved list.
      2. New teachers are required to attend a state-sponsored professional development as they begin their career. Thereafter, teachers must complete a required professional development once every three years.
      3. Use instructional materials that are medically accurate and aligned with the Utah Health Core. Teachers may respond to students’ questions to provide accurate data or correct inaccurate or misleading information.