Although three area school districts have opted for an abstinence-plus curriculum to be taught in schools, only two are teaching curriculums that include discussion of contraception.
Carroll and Leflore County schools have both adopted abstinence-plus curriculums that include a discussion of contraceptives. The abstinence-plus program implemented by the Greenwood Public Schools does not, according to the interim superintendent, Dr. Jennifer Wilson.
Shalonda Matthews, the division director for HIV, STD and Teen Pregnancy Prevention for the Mississippi Department of Education, said an abstinence-plus curriculum must include some discussion of contraception.
“School districts have been instructed on what is supposed to be included. Contraceptives are supposed to be included,” said Matthews.
However, Wilson said abstinence-plus was implemented “because we wanted to be able to teach about STDs, not contraceptives.”
According to a statement by school nurse Melissa Homolik earlier this month, students in the Greenwood district received age-appropriate and medically accurate manuals that include eight 50-minute lessons on topics such as character building, AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.
Matthews said that Greenwood Public Schools reported the implementation of an abstinence-plus policy called “Choosing the Best.” According to the “Choosing the Best” website, “numerous contraceptive methods are discussed, along with complete information about the effectiveness and limitations of each with respect to both pregancy and sexually transmitted diseases.”
The question of whether a curriculum that does not include a discussion of contraceptives is really abstinence-plus is apparently contingent upon the interpretation of House Bill 999, the law passed during the 2011 legislative session that requires all Mississippi school districts to offer some kind of sex education.
The bill says abstinence-only may include one or more of the following:
nThe teaching of social, psychological and health gains associated with abstinence;
nThe teaching of harmful consequences to adolescent sexual activity;
nThe teaching of skills to deal with unwanted sexual advances, including the role of alcohol and drug use; and
nThe teaching of abstinence as the only way to avoid pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and related health problems. The instruction may include a discussion of condoms or contraceptives but only if that discussion includes a factual presentation of:
nThe risks and failures of those contraceptives;
nThe teaching of state law related to sexual conduct; and
nThe teaching that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in context of marriage is the most healthy option.
An abstinence-only curriculum may include whatever components of this list are deemed appropriate to the school district.
An abstinence-plus program must include all components of this list.
Wilson said that because the bill specifies that the instruction “may” include a discussion of contraceptives, that component is not necessarily mandated in order for a curriculum to be considered abstinence-plus.
“It’s not mandated to teach about contraceptives; it’s optional,” she said.
Matthews disagrees.
“The school districts can develop their own curriculums, but abstinence-plus includes contraceptives, without any demonstrations of condoms or anything like that,” she said.
According to Leflore County Schools nurse Cassandra Taylor, who is responsible for implementing the abstinence-plus program for the district, nurses will teach about birth control and condoms but won’t demonstrate them.
Taylor said the goal of the program is to protect students by offering them as much education as possible on the subject of sex.
“We know children are having sex. Our thing is if you are having sex, you need to know how to protect yourself,” Taylor said.
Taylor, added, however, that the program in contingent upon parental approval, as outlined by House Bill 999. According to the bill, parents can choose to have their children opt out of any sexual education if they see fit.
“I’m trying to get as many parents as I can to participate. I show them the STD rates in the county, and let parents know that our children are having sex,” she said.
Taylor added that although abstinence will be taught as the primary mode of prevention of pregnancy, HIV and other STDs, teaching only abstinence is a “disservice to our children.”
Billy Joe Ferguson, superintendent of the Carroll County Schools, agreed
“We were already teaching an abstinence-plus program that included contraceptives,” he said.
“We try to be realistic. Why deny what’s going on? Part of my role is to really have our kids be prepared to face the real world.”
• Contact Jeanie Riess at 581-7235 or jriess@gwcommonwealth.com.
