In 1988, the State Board of Education
established regulations regarding the Family Life Education
(FLE) program. The DOE encouraged this program in response
to a decade of rising teenage pregnancy rates, rising sexually
transmitted disease rates, and the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The regulations also required local school districts to
include the following ten topics in their FLE programs:
- Family living and community
relationships
- The value of postponing sexual
activity until marriage
- Human sexuality
- Human reproduction and contraception
- The etiology, prevention,
and effects of sexually transmitted diseases
- Stress management and resistance
to peer pressure of positive self-concepts and respect
for others, including people of other races, religions,
and origins
- Parenting skills
- Alcohol, Tobacco, and other
drug use prevention
- Abuse prevention
In order to provide parents with
alternatives, the regulations required that an opt-out provision
be included for parents to remove their child(ren) from
any lesson or all lessons at a particular grade level and
that alternative, non-FLE lessons be available to students
removed from FLE lessons. In addition, school districts
were required to establish an advisory committee with broad
community representation to review and make recommendations
regarding the FLE content.
Fairfax County Public Schools'
(FCPS) FLE program was fully implemented in 1990. In order
to address the issues of HIV and substance abuse with older
adolescents, FCPS requires FLE to be taught in grades K-12.
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Elementary
School
The elementary FLE program is taught by the regular classroom
teacher. The early elementary program emphasizes the importance
of families, distinction between good and bad touch, the
recognition and avoidance of poisons, the identification
of common emergencies and sources of help, and the importance
of friendships.
Human sexuality is first introduced
in grade five. In the Human Growth and Development unit,
students learn about the male and female reproductive systems.
Students view age-appropriate videos and learn the maturational
process, prenatal development and the changes which occur
during puberty. Students study the effects of peer pressure
and begin to examine the influence of media on behavior
and attitudes. Students begin an understanding of HIV/AIDS
and are taught that AIDS it is a disease that can be totally
avoided.
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Middle
School
The FLE program for students in grades seven and eight is
taught by health and physical education teachers. Students
are taught that abstinence from sexual intercourse is the
only way to guarantee the prevention of pregnancy and sexually
transmitted diseases, including AIDS. Students learn about
behaviors that put them at risk for substance use and abuse
as well as sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS.
Building on information learned in late elementary school,
students continue their study of basic anatomy and physiology
and the development of sexuality as an aspect of total personality
as well as the physical, psychological, and social changes
that occur during adolescence.
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High
School
Beginning with the 1997-98 school year, ninth graders participate
in Family Life Education unit through their biology class
and learn about the prevention of alcohol and other substance
abuse during health class. In tenth grade, students study
FLE during health class, while in eleventh and twelfth grades,
the lessons are generally taught by social studies teachers.
During
ninth and tenth grades, students continue building on their
base of knowledge regarding substance abuse, sexually transmitted
disease prevention, and the skills needed to make health
decisions. During biology lessons students study human reproduction
in greater depth, including the influence of alcohol and
other drugs on fetal development. In grades nine and ten,
students learn how maturation affects adolescent development
and learn to recognize the development of sexuality as a
lifelong aspect of personality. Students are taught that
a small percent of humans are homosexual, that scientists
differ as to the cause of homosexuality, and that all persons
deserve to be treated with respect regardless of their sexual
orientation. Students are taught that abstinence from sexual
intercourse is the only way to guarantee the prevention
of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including
AIDS. The problem of date abuse and violence is introduced
and students are taught how to avoid dangerous situations
and how to get help when it is needed.
During grades eleven and twelve,
students continue their study of AIDS and substance abuse
and have a lesson on pluralism as well as a lesson on the
Virginia laws designed to protect the family.
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FLE Letter, Opt Out Forms (K-12), and FLE Descriptions
Central Office staff responsible
for the family life education program
Elizabeth
(Liz) Payne
Special Programs Administrator
Office of Middle School
Instruction
703-846-8617
Family
Life Education (FLE)