Sex Education Mandates: Are They the Answer?

Abstract

This article examines the question of mandating family life education in schools. Findings are presented of a recent study on the implementation of New Jersey's family life education requirement, (proposed by the State Board of Education and Education Department) which, in its original form in 1979, required that 31 specific topics be addressed by the end of high school; (e.g. human reproduction, child abuse and assault, and others). Intense pressure from conservative activist groups, education associations fearing a threat to local control of curricula, and important elements of the press, caused a change in the language of the draft regulation to be much less specific. In 5 school districts selected, the norm was conformity to the very broad mandates simply by verifying that certain topics were touched on in courses already offered in the curriculum. Teachers did not seem motivated to give out more than simple correct information on human reproduction, and family life education is commonly discussed in a limited way as part of health education. Beyond more emphasis being placed on the topic of child abuse in elementary schools, little structural change took place in curricula, and there was little actual training of staff. In a 6th district (chosen on the basis of prior knowledge about its program), specific teacher training and curriculum development were evident. It is proposed that information connected with reproduction be regared as something students have a right to know, and that family life education be designed with this goal in mind, and not with the idea of making a political staement, or with the strategy of politically dangerous mandates.