The Board of Trustees of each school district shall establish a local School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) to assist the district in ensuring that local community values are reflected in the district’s health education instruction. The council is required to meet at least four times annually and to submit a report to the Board regarding recommendations about the district’s health education curriculum and a detailed explanation of the council’s activities that year. 

Parents of students enrolled in the district are appointed to the SHAC annually by the Board in October. Parents interested in serving on SHAC should contact the co-chair for SHAC, (Susan Henderson) at 972-882-7413, prior to October 1.

Any course materials and instruction relating to human sexuality instruction shall be selected by the Board of Trustees with the advice of the district’s School Health Advisory Council.  Parents may view any material concerning human sexuality instruction at the campus.

Policy 621 - Exemption from Instruction

A parent or person standing in parental relation may remove the child temporarily from a class or other school activity that conflicts with the parent’s religious or moral beliefs if the parent presents or delivers to the principal a written statement requesting removal.  However, the child will be held responsible for the content presented and/or all graduation requirements.

The local school board is further authorized to formulate and enforce any additional rules and regulations which it may deem necessary for the maintenance of proper standards.  [TEC 26.010]

Summary of Programs/Courses Containing Human Sexuality Instruction

5th grade

Parent letters are sent home prior to viewing the fifth and sixth grade videos.  Written parent permission is required to view them, and students are separated by boys and girls for viewing.

“Everything You Wanted to Know About Puberty for Boys”
“Everything You Wanted to Know About Puberty for Girls”

6th grade 

 “It’s A Girl Thing” & “It’s a Boy Thing”

Lesson topics include:

• Physical  and emotional changes associated with puberty for girls
• Physical and emotional changes associated with puberty for boys
• Health and hygiene issues associated with puberty
• Body Image

7th Grade

Parent letters are sent home prior to instruction in seventh grade science class.

Choosing the Best “Way”
Lesson topics include:

• Deciding on Your Future
• Figuring Out Friendships and Relationships
• Avoiding Unhealthy Relationships
• Identifying the Risks
• Choosing the Best WAY
• Learning How to Say NO

The student is expected to:

• Identify information relating to abstinence
• Analyze the importance of  abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice of behavior in relationship to all sexual activity for unmarried persons of school age
• Discuss abstinence from sexual activity as the only method that is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, and the sexual transmission of HIV or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and the emotional trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity.

8th Grade

Parent letters are sent home prior to instruction in the Information and Communication Technology class.

Choosing the Best “Path”
Lesson topics include:

• Sex: Everybody’s Talking About It
• The Risks of STDs and HIV/AIDS
• Teen Pregnancy and “Safe Sex”?
• Pressures to Be Sexually Active
• Choosing the Best PATH
• Set It!  The Need for Boundaries
• Say It!  The Need to Speak Up
• Show It!  The Need to Be Assertive

The student is expected to:

• Identify information relating to abstinence;
• Analyze the importance of  abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice of behavior in relationship to all sexual activity for unmarried persons of school age
• Discuss abstinence from sexual activity as the only method that is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, and the sexual transmission on HIV or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and the emotional trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity.

Personal & Family Development
This is a Family & Consumer Sciences elective course taught in middle school. Letters are sent home at the beginning of the course.

Concepts and skills related to individuals and the family are:

• Skills related to adult roles in making responsible interpersonal relationship decisions
• Responsible behavior in prevention and control of disease including HIV, AIDS, and STDs
• Responsible decisions in family planning
• Stages of prenatal/birth/neonatal development

HIGH SCHOOL

Health Course (.5 credit)
This course may also be offered at the middle school level in eighth grade. Letters listing the course objectives are sent home at the beginning of this course.

Course objectives dealing with human growth and sexuality are listed as follows:

• The student will understand the consequences of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS on long-term health.
• The student will demonstrate a basic knowledge of behaviors that contribute to mental health and emotional well-being.
• The student will demonstrate a basic understanding of the structure and function of the reproductive system.

Family and Consumer Science courses taught in high school:
Letters listing the course objectives are sent home at the beginning of this course.

• Personal & Family Development
  
• Child Development
• Preparation for Parenting
• Parenting Education for School-Age Parents 1 & 2

Concepts and skills related to individuals and the family are:

• Skills related to adult roles in making responsible interpersonal relationship decisions
• Responsible behavior in prevention and control of disease including HIV, AIDS, and STDs
• Responsible decisions in family planning
• Stages of prenatal/birth/neonatal development

August 2009
Equal access to Career and Technology programs and activities is assured students in the Mesquite Independent School District without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, and/or handicapping condition.