Title                              Health and Family Life/Sex Education

Designation                 IHAM

Office/Custodian        Education/Executive Director of Learning Services

 

 

Health and Family Life/Sex Education

 

The Board believes a comprehensive health education program is an integral part of each student's education. The health education program should emphasize the functioning and proper care of the human body and encourage the development of lifelong, positive health habits. In addition, it should inform students about potential physical and mental health hazards they are likely to encounter in various life situations and help them make sound, intelligent decisions when they are confronted with choices that could affect their health or that of others.

 

The Board further believes that the district’s comprehensive health education program should provide information about family life and sex education. While parents have the prime responsibility to assist their children in developing moral values, the district should support and supplement these efforts by offering students factual information and opportunities to discuss the moral and practical concerns, issues and attitudes inherent in family life and sexual behavior.

 

The district shall teach about family life and sex education in regular courses on anatomy, physiology, science, health, consumer and family studies. If a separate family life or sex education program is developed, it shall not be required. Any curriculum that includes instruction on human sexuality shall be in accordance with applicable law and the district’s academic standards.

 

In addition to the requirements listed below, the Board’s policies and regulations concerning the approval of new curriculum and instructional materials shall apply to any comprehensive health education courses offered by the district:

 

The basic curriculum and instructional materials to be used in the district’s comprehensive health education program shall be available for inspection by the public during school hours. A forum to receive comments from the public concerning the basic curriculum and instructional materials used in the district’s health education program shall be scheduled prior to Board adoption.
 

In accordance with applicable state law, students’ parents/guardians shall be notified in writing prior to the student’s involvement in the health education course. The notice to parents/guardians shall include a detailed, substantive outline of the topics and materials to be presented.
 

The notice shall also inform students’ parents/guardians that they may exempt their child, upon written request, from a specific portion or portions of the instruction on the grounds that it is contrary to religious beliefs and teachings or closely held personal beliefs of the student or the student’s parent/guardian. If the request for the exemption is from a specific portion of the curriculum that concerns human sexuality, no reason must be given by the parent/guardian when requesting the exemption.
 

4.      Students shall be provided with alternate educational assignments or activities for credit corresponding to that portion of the planned curriculum from which they are exempt.

 

Adopted: November 3, 1977

Revised: To conform with practice: date of manual revision

Revised: September 2, 1999

Revised: July 10, 2003

Revised: September 2, 2004

Reviewed: February 24, 2010

Revised: July 10, 2014

Reviewed: August 10, 2017

 

LEGAL REFS:

20 U.S.C. 7906 (prohibited uses of Title I Funds)

C.R.S. 22-1-128 (education regarding human sexuality)

C.R.S. 22-25-105 (Colorado Comprehensive Health Education Program)

C.R.S. 22-25-106 (4) (district must provide exemption procedure)

C.R.S. 22-25-110 (2) (operation of other health education programs)

 

CROSS REFS:

IG, Curriculum Development

JLC, Student Health Services and Requirements, and subcodes