• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Manteca Debates Sex-Ed Films

Posted on: Friday, 4 November 2005, 09:00 CST

By Aaron Swarts, STAFF WRITER

MANTECA -- Should seventh- and eighth-grade boys and girls be separated when viewing films on sexual topics?

Such is the current debate in the Manteca Unified School District, where a number of parents are squaring off with Family Life educators in an effort to sway trustees who are about to set a new policy.

The current policy calls for separation; however, trustees are set to vote on a new plan that would keep sixth-grade students separated, but allow the teachers to make the decision on seventh- and eighth-grade students.

The debate reached such a fever pitch during last weeks school board meeting that trustees decided to table the subject until a future meeting.

Until then, all students will be separated during the films.

Educators say Manteca Unifieds Family Life curriculum, a.k.a. sexual education, is designed to be viewed at the same time by both girls and boys, and is not effective if they are kept separated.

The videos are designed to have a segment, and then discussion time, a segment, then discussion time. It just doesnt work if we are trying to move students in and out of the room, said Nancy Caleftini, a family life educator at McParland School.

Other teachers said that a co-ed setting is the only way students can practice refusal skills that would be effective in a real world setting.

However, parent Tobi Henry has gathered 200 signatures from other parents requesting that their children not be shown any sexual education films with members of the opposite sex in the same room.

Im not trying to change the curriculum, and I dont consider myself a prude. But I dont think our kids should see those films together, she said. It is just too embarrassing to hear about those things while sitting next to a member of the opposite sex.

Henry stressed that the curriculum was fine, but it should be up to the parents to decide on the appropriate setting to show the films.

The teachers countered that point by noting that parents have the option to pull their kids from the classroom, or watch the videos at home with them.

The parents get to make the final decision, Caleftini said.

Trustee Wendy King said she was torn on the topic, but added, we should probably err on the conservative side.

Most kids dont want to be pulled out of class, because that just sets them up to be teased, she said.

Trustee Manuel Medeiros didnt like the idea of showing the films in a co-ed setting.

We need to allow our kids to be kids, he said. They are already growing up too fast.

Board President Dale Fritchen said he was inclined to listen to the parents on this topic. They understand more than anyone the maturity level of their child, he said.

Trustees are likely to vote on the matter in October.

For more information, contact the district office at (209) 825- 3200.

Source: Oakland Tribune

More News in this Category