Sex education, in some form or fashion, has been taught in Kentucky public schools for years. There are certain standards about content for such instruction, but local schools also are given latitude in developing curriculum.
The term sex education can be interpreted a lot of ways. And there are a wide variety of opinions of what should be contained in such a curriculum. Micki Ray is the Kentucky Department of Education’s chief academic officer in the Office of Teaching and Learning. Ray said there’s no specific class that’s described as a sex education course.
“There are standards, starting within grade six and beyond that talk about sexual health, that talk about HIV, other STDs, pregnancy. They talk about healthy relationships and setting personal limits to avoid risks,” said Ray.
Ray said much of the sex education instruction would fall within the health class format. Decisions about whether or not to have students separated by gender as well as curriculum content are made at the school district level.
“None of that is established in the standards document. So the standards, basically, they are the learning goals that should be taught according to the k through 12 progressions for health education. But they do not get into the actual local curriculum that would be used to teach those standards,” says Ray.
Although not dictating the sex education curriculum in specific schools, Ray noted the state standard does call for an abstinence-based requirement. When it comes to the topic of abortion, the State Department of Education CAO added that would be decided at the local level.
Connie White is a deputy commissioner in the Kentucky Department of Public Health. White noted there is no direct responsibility on the part of county health departments to be involved in schools’ sex education programs. The veteran public health official added there’s no topic that only the government or only the schools can take care of.
“This has to be a community, a family, a school, a peer, a House of worship. All organizations need to be looking at what’s best for the outcome of those adolescents and those young adults,” said White.
Regarding sexually transmitted diseases, White said those rates have been going up with chlamydia far and away the leading STD in terms of the number of cases. Studies have shown adolescents are having less sex overall today compared to a decade ago. The deputy public health commissioner said young people are also having to sort their way through all kinds of information on social media.
Brenda Caudill is the director of Student Health Services at Eastern Kentucky University. She said, for the adolescent, the frontal lobe of the brain is not fully developed. Caudill added that can lessen a “cause and effect” understanding.
“It’s hard to make that information stick and have meaning to it. So, learning from mistakes, absolutely, and using mentors and using peers,” said Caudill.
Caudill said peer support and peer educators, student-athletes, and student government leaders can all be good resources at the higher education level.
The nurse practitioner said annual screenings for sexually transmitted diseases are recommended, at least annually. Caudill said more could be done in the way of sex ed prior to college in a non-judgmental or shaming way. She noted access to contraception is also important.
Working in EKU’s Student Health Services that day was 22-year-old Allison Jaynes. She remembers in middle school, all the girls were put together and sex education was discussed, as she puts it, in “broad terms.” Jaynes said most of her education about sex came from her parents.
“I definitely think more should be done in the schools because not everybody has the supportive parental base that I had and so they’re not getting that education that’s so crucial. I definitely think more could be addressed in the school system about specifics. Like I said consistency with birth control measures and things like that really,” Jaynes.
A group of five men at the University of Kentucky were asked about their memory of sex education in high school. None spoke about substantive learning on this topic. Ben Atherton is from western Kentucky.
“We had a class in fifth grade. I didn’t really pay attention then. We had another class in freshman year of high school. That also didn’t really do much for me. I’ve learned most of it through practice or the internet,” said Atherton.
Back at EKU, Nurse Practitioner Brenda Caudill said more needs to be done regarding sex ed in high school. She said it’s all in the delivery and the manner in which it is taught with qualified personnel without judgment.
