In Connecticut, schools have no mandate to teach about human sexuality. Simply listen to the news and it is understandable why many avoid the topic, and cover only the barest overview of puberty, pregnancy and HIV prevention. Research, however, has been clear. Comprehensive sexual health education leads to delayed sexual activity, reduces teen pregnancy and the transmission of STIs more effectively than abstinence-only education does.
Comprehensive sexual health covers not only the anatomy and physiology of reproduction, but delves into healthy relationships, cultural influences on gender roles and expectations, healthy communication between partners, sexuality across abilities and ages, the role of social media in fostering messages that are often violent and unhealthy, the laws regarding consent and the importance of acting in ways that are true to your personal values while understanding that others may hold different values.
To fill in the gaps that our public schools are not addressing, the Town of Granby Youth Service Bureau has been offering a comprehensive sexual health course for 7th and 8th graders for more than five years. This class begins in October and meets Thursdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. for 25 weeks. That’s right, for 25 weeks! Built around the Our Whole Lives (OWLs) Sexual Health Curriculum, the information goes far beyond the biological realities of puberty. Parents must attend an online parent information session and are provided with detailed information of the topics covered. Signed parental approval from the child’s legal guardian or guardians is required for a child to participate.
It may be challenging to tell 7th and 8th graders they have been registered for the class. However, the retention rate of past classes has been high. Most students stick with the whole course and at the end express they are glad they took it. Participants are far more comfortable with the topic and have the confidence to talk to parents and doctors when they have questions or concerns. They have been encouraged to think about their values, and plan how to negotiate adolescence and all the many conflicting messages they are exposed to in terms of being true to their beliefs, while understanding that others may hold equally strong but different values. They understand that human sexuality is a natural, positive aspect of being human that, while private, is not shameful.
If you have a child in grades 7 or 8 and are interested in learning more about this OWLs class, please call AnneMarie Cox at 860-844-5355 to learn more about the class and the required parent orientation meeting. The class will begin registering in September with a planned start date in October.