Human Sexuality and Maturation Policy

 

Purpose

Legacy Preparatory Academy believes that the primary responsibility for human sexuality education rests with the student’s primary care givers. However, LPA also recognizes the need and importance of providing appropriate, supportive, and factual curriculum for students.

A. Definitions

1. At LPA, the Curriculum Materials Review Committee means the School Community Council (SCC). The SCC includes parents, teachers, and administrators. A majority of its members shall be parents. The membership of the committee shall be appointed and reviewed annually and shall meet on a regular basis as determined by the membership, shall select its own officers, and shall be subject to the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act. The SCC will seek the advice of health professionals and of faculty that teach human sexuality.

2. Human Sexuality Instruction or Instructional Program means any course material, unit, class, lesson, activity, or presentation that, as the focus of the discussion, provides instruction or information to students about sexual abstinence, human reproduction, reproductive anatomy, physiology, pregnancy, marriage, childbirth, parenthood, contraception, HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases. While these topics are most likely discussed in such courses as health education, health occupations, human biology, physiology, parenting, adult roles, psychology, sociology, child development, and biology, this rule applies to any course or class in which these topics are the focus of discussion.

3. Maturation Education means instruction and materials used to provide fifth or sixth grade students with age appropriate, accurate information regarding the physical and emotional changes associated with puberty, to assist in protecting students from abuse and to promote hygiene and good health practices.

4. Medically accurate means verified or supported by a body of research conducted in compliance with scientific methods and published in journals that have received peer review (where appropriate), and recognized as accurate and objective by professional organizations and agencies with expertise in the relevant field, such as the American Medical Association.

5. Parental Notification Form means a form developed by the Utah State Board of Education and used exclusively by Utah public schools for parental notification of subject matter identified in this rule. Students may not participate in human sexuality instruction, maturation education, or instructional programs without prior affirmative parent/guardian response on file. The form shall:

a. explain a parent’s right to review proposed curriculum materials in a timely manner;
b. request the parent’s permission to instruct the parent’s student in identified course materials related to human sexuality or maturation education;
c. allow the parent to exempt the parent’s student from attendance for class period(s) while identified course materials related to human sexuality or maturation education is presented and discussed;
d. be specific enough to give parents fair notice of topics to be covered;
e. include a brief explanation of the topics and materials to be presented and provide a time, place, and contact person for review of the identified curricular materials;
f. be on file with affirmative parent/guardian response for each student prior to the student’s participation in the instruction;
g. be maintained at the school for a one year period, or until the course is taught the following academic year.
Utah Administrative Rules R277-474-1 (2015)
Utah Code § 53A-13-101.2 (2015)

B. Human Sexuality Curriculum Materials Review Committee

1. The LPA Board designates the School Community Council as LPA’s Human Sexuality Curriculum Materials Review Committee. The SCC shall be composed of parents, teachers and administrators, with a majority of its members being parents. The School Community Council shall seek the advice of health professionals and LPA’s health and human sexuality teachers.

2. The LPA Board shall review the membership of SCC each year and ensure that it is properly composed.

3. The School Community Council shall meet on a regular basis as determined by the members of the committee, shall establish procedures for operation, and shall designate a chair.
Utah Administrative Rules R277-474-1.B (2015)
Utah Administrative Rules R277-474-5.C (2015)

C. Health and Human Sexuality Guidelines

1. All health and human sexuality education shall stress the importance of abstinence from all sexual activity before marriage and fidelity after marriage as methods of preventing sexually transmitted diseases. The curriculum and education shall also stress personal skills that encourage individual choice of abstinence and fidelity in marriage.

2. At no time may instruction be provided, including responses to spontaneous questions raised by students, regarding any means or methods that facilitate or encourage the violation of any state or federal criminal law by a minor or an adult.

3. Nothing in this policy precludes an educator from responding to a spontaneous question provided that the response is consistent with this policy.
Utah Code § 53A-13-101(1)(b) (2017)

4. The following may not be taught:

a. the intricacies of intercourse, sexual stimulation, or erotic behavior;
b. the advocacy of premarital or extramarital sexual activity;
c. the advocacy or encouragement of the use of contraceptive methods or devices; or
d. the advocacy of sexual activity outside of marriage.
Utah Administrative Rules R277-474-3.A (2015)

D. Parental Permission Form Required for Participation

1. Students may not participate in any human sexuality instruction or instructional program unless, prior to the student’s participation, the school has on file for that student a completed parental notification form relating to that specific instruction or program which indicates that the student’s parent or guardian authorizes the student to participate.

2. Completed permission forms shall be maintained at the school for a one year period, or until the course is taught the following academic year.

3. Legacy Preparatory Academy schools will utilize state forms (see attached).
Utah Code § 53A-13-101(3)(a) (2017)
Utah Code § 53A-13-101.2 (2015)
Utah Administrative Rules R277-474-1.1 (2015)

E. Adoption of Human Sexuality Instructional Materials

The LPA Board adopts for use the human sexuality instructional materials recommended by the Utah State Board of Education. All human sexuality instruction in the district shall make use of those instructional materials.
Utah Code § 53A-13-101(1)(c) (2016)
Utah Administrative Rules R277-474-4.C (2015)

F. Review of Guest Presentations Relating to Human Sexuality

1. Before any guest speaker or guest presenter may present information relating to human sexuality instruction, the speaker and presenter, as well as the materials to be presented, must be approved by the School Community Council.

2. The School Community Council shall not authorize the use of any human sexuality instructional materials or presentations that do meet the guidelines set forth in this policy.
Utah Administrative Rules R277-474-5.C(3) (2015)

G. Monitoring of Human Sexuality Instruction

1. The school shall log and track all parental or community complaints and comments resulting from student participation in human sexuality instruction in the school, including disposition of any complaints made. A district form “Legacy Preparatory Human Sexuality Comment Log” is available for registering comments.

2. The LPA administration shall compile and maintain records of parental or community complaints and comments resulting from student participation in human sexuality instruction, including disposition of complaints, and shall provide that information to the Utah State Board of Education upon request.
Utah Administrative Rule R277-474-5.C(7) (2015)
Utah Administrative Rule R277-474-7.C (2011)

H. Instructional Staff Training and Professional Development

1. LPA staff who have the responsibility for some aspect of human sexuality instruction in the district may include administrators, teachers, counselors, teacher’s assistants, or coaches, but are not necessarily limited to those categories.

2. In their first year of service or assignment, all newly hired or newly assigned LPA who have responsibility for any aspect of human sexuality instruction in the district must participate in a state-sponsored professional development course outlining the human sexuality curriculum and the criteria for human sexuality instruction in any courses offered in the public education system.

3. All LPA staff who have any responsibility for any aspect of human sexuality instruction in the school will attend training outlining the human sexuality curriculum and the criteria for human sexuality instruction in any courses offered in the public education system at least once every three (3) years.
Utah Administrative Rules R277-474-1.J (2015)
Utah Administrative Rules R277-474-5.A&B (2015)