Policy
M
2422 HEALTH EDUCATION
The
Board of Education will provide a comprehensive health education program
aligned with the New Jersey Department of Education Core Curriculum Content
Standards. This program will be a coordinated
sequential curriculum at all grade levels, with instructional units appropriate
to the age, growth and development, and maturity of pupils.
The
Superintendent will develop and recommend to the Board a program of health
education designed for pupils to master the Cumulative Progress Indicators of
the Department of Education’s Comprehensive Health Education and Physical
Education Core Curriculum Content Standards.
Staffing
Except
as provided below for human sexuality and family life education, courses in
health education will be taught by teachers whose certification qualifies them
to teach health education. Teachers of
the human sexuality and family life, substance use and abuse, and HIV
prevention programs will be offered specific in-service training.
Excusal
Any
pupil whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) presents to the School Principal a
signed statement that any part of the instruction in health, human sexuality
and family life education or sex education program is in conflict with his/her
conscience or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs shall be excused from
the portion of the course in which such instruction is being given, and no
penalties as to credit or graduation shall result.
Community
Involvement
The
Superintendent will ensure the program is aligned with the New Jersey
Department of Education’s Core Curriculum Content Standards. The programs of instruction for human
sexuality and family life education will be developed through appropriate
consultation and in participation with teachers, school administrators,
parent(s) or legal guardian(s), appropriate age school pupils, physicians,
members of the clergy, and representative members of the community. Such consultation shall continue, as
appropriate, as the program is continually evaluated and revised.
Human
Sexuality and Family Life Education
All
pupils will learn the biological, cultural, and psychological aspects of human
sexuality and family life. The Board
will adopt a coordinated, sequential human sexuality and family life education
program aligned with the New Jersey Department of Education’s Core Curriculum
Content Standards. Any education that is
given as part of any planned course, curriculum or other instructional program
and that is intended to impart information or promote discussion or
understanding in regard to human sexual behavior, sexual feelings and values,
human sexuality and reproduction, pregnancy avoidance or termination, HIV
infection or sexually transmitted diseases, and any materials including, but
not limited, to handouts, speakers, notes or audiovisuals presented on school
property concerning methods for the prevention of acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (HIV/AIDS), other sexually transmitted diseases and of avoiding
pregnancy, will stress that abstinence from sexual activity is the only
completely reliable means of eliminating the sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS
and other sexually transmitted diseases and of avoiding pregnancy.
The
Board will include in its human sexuality and family life curriculum
instruction on reasons, skills and strategies for remaining or becoming
abstinent from sexual activity. Any
instruction concerning the use of contraceptives or prophylactics, such as
condoms, will also include information on their failure rates for preventing
pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases in actual use among
adolescent populations and shall clearly explain the difference between risk
reduction through the use of such devices and risk elimination through
abstinence. In addition, the human
sexuality and family life curriculum will stress the importance of avoiding
intravenous drug use.
A
copy of the complete district human sexuality and family life education
curriculum and all instructional materials shall be available for public
inspection in each school in the district prior to its use in any
classroom. The parent(s) or legal
guardian(s) of each pupil enrolled in the program shall receive annually an
outline of the curriculum and a list of instructional materials for that
pupil's grade along with notice of the availability for review of the complete
curriculum and all materials.
The
human sexuality and family life program may be taught by district personnel
certified to teach biology, comprehensive science, elementary grades, health,
health and physical education, home economics, nursery school, psychology, or
special education classes, and the school nurse. The program may utilize the contributions of
such community resource persons as parent(s) or legal guardian(s), physicians,
the clergy, attorneys, school social workers, school psychologists, and law
enforcement personnel. The Board
encourages the utilization of teachers in other disciplines through an
interdisciplinary approach.
Use
and Abuse of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
All
students will learn the physical, mental, emotional, and social effects of the
use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. The Board will adopt a coordinated,
sequential human sexuality and family life education program aligned with the
New Jersey Department of Education’s Core Curriculum Content Standards.
N.J.S.A. 18A:35-1 et seq.;
18A:35-4 et seq.;
18A:40A-1 et seq.
N.J.A.C. 6A:7-1.7
Adopted: