by Maria Wood
Teaching sex education to children is a touchy subject for parents who want control over what their children are learning in this sensitive area. A poll conducted by the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University surveyed parents on their opinions about sex education in schools—71% supported teaching sex education in middle school and 88% favored it in high school. Polls about teaching sex education in elementary schools show 46% in favor and 51% opposing it.
In June 2020, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) adopted new standards for teaching sexual health and physical education, revising standards set in 2014. After review by education experts and a five-month period for public comment, the new standards were scheduled for implementation at the start of the 2022-23 school year; however, in April 2022 (at the end of the 2021-2022 school year) several Republican lawmakers and conservative groups objected to the standards, contending they are inappropriate for young children. In addition, these groups said that parents should be the ones to teach their children about such subjects.
In an April 2022 letter to Governor Phil Murphy, the lawmakers asked to suspend implementation of the new standards. Many parents, they noted, were unaware of the changes and missed the public comment period due to the pressures of remote learning.
Governor Murphy defended the new standards and indicated that they were being misrepresented; however, he directed the NJDOE to “provide further clarification on what age-appropriate guidelines look like for our students.”
The NJDOE issued a memo offering that clarification, but in May 2022, State Board of Education President Kathy Goldenberg said a review would not be undertaken by the board. The new standards were instituted with the 2022-2023 school year.
What the standards say
According to the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization aiming to improve sexual health, 24 states, including New Jersey, mandate teaching sex education for grades K-12. A 2020 study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health written by professors at Montclair State University’s Department of Public Health, analyzed how teaching sex education in school impacts young people.
Among their findings was that in schools teaching comprehensive sex education, there was a greater appreciation for sexual diversity, an expanded understanding of gender norms, and less homophobia and homophobic bullying. The report concludes by saying “the results provide evidence for the effectiveness of approaches that address a broad definition of sexual health and take positive, affirming, inclusive approaches to human sexuality.”
Dr. Eva Goldfarb, one of the authors of the study, told NJ Advance Media, “When parents are concerned, it’s typically based on misinformation they’re hearing, and when you actually see what the schools are teaching, it’s not even close to that.”
To that end, the NJDOE attempted to mitigate the controversy by sending a memo in April 2022 to all school administrators, as well as teachers and parents. The memo clarified that the NJDOE “does not review, approve, or actively endorse instructional materials such as sample lesson plans, textbooks, software, or videos in any content area,” noting that it is up to each school district to incorporate the standards into the curriculum. In other words, the standards are broad topics that set guidelines, laying the groundwork for when students should learn certain information and master that information by a certain grade level. It is up to individual school districts as to how that information is taught.
The memo outlined the three main standards for grades K-8 that caused confusion or concerns from parents, along with the justification for the new standard. The first was the standard that said: By the end of grade two students should “discuss the range of ways people express their gender and how gender-role stereotypes may limit behavior.”
“This is the time when implicit and explicit messages about gender and identity can become ingrained,” the NJDOE’s memo states. “For instance, girls may receive messages that math and science are ‘boy’ subjects, and boys may be taught that the arts are for girls. Gendered stereotypes are real and can have negative consequences for children’s academic growth, self-worth, and mental health as they get older.”
The second standard outlined in the memo stated: By the end of grade five, teachers should “explain common human sexual development and the role of hormones.” This discussion would include examples of, among other things, romantic love, sexual feelings, and the onset of puberty. The final standard causing controversy stated: By grade eight, core topics discussed should cover “the factors that contribute to making healthy decisions about sex.” This would include discussions of certain sexual acts.
The NJDOE memo goes on to say, “Ensuring that students understand that they have agency over their own bodies is foundational to keeping them safe and protecting themselves from pressure, dating violence and assault. It is important to provide students that language for, and understanding of, specific acts, empowering them to stay safe, evaluate risks, make informed decisions, and communicate health issues or injuries if necessary.”
Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, says the updated standards are preparing school children for a world they already live in.
“The content being covered is no different than what they are consuming in media and what they are talking about in school,” Fuscarino says. “It’s all age-appropriate and ensuring our youth are safe.”
What some districts are doing
Of the state’s more than 600 school districts, less than a dozen have refused to implement the new standards. A few school districts voted to review the new sex education standards or leave it to parents to teach some of the content. In January 2023, the Bernards Township Board of Education voted to have the district’s curriculum committee look into alternative ways to teach health lessons in grades K-8.
At a public hearing in Toms River, the school district said any potentially objectionable content outlined in kindergarten to second grade could be taught at home “in a manner parents feel is appropriate.”
East Hanover decided to incorporate the new sex education standards on the last day of classes for the 2022-2023 school year in a 35-minute class period. In a letter provided to NJ Advance Media, East Hanover Superintendent Natalee Bartlett said the district intended to “loosely interpret the standards…and [would] not change our current lesson planning or curriculum offerings based on the updated standards.”
A spokesperson for the NJDOE provided no numbers on implementation of the sex education standards. But Kate Okeson, program director of Make It Better for Youth, says she believes a large majority of the districts are complying with them. “What we hear are a vocal handful that talk about not complying.”
Implementing the standards is mandatory and refusing to do so is subject to disciplinary action, according to the NJDOE. Parents, however, are allowed to opt their children out of the lessons by writing a letter to the principal of the school advising that the lessons “conflict with their personal values and beliefs.” This has been a parent’s right since a 1980 New Jersey law was passed.
Establishing a foundation
Sex education experts say opting out in lower grades puts students at a disadvantage because not only do they miss out on learning about less controversial subjects, but also miss important building blocks for their sex education when they reach high school.
“New Jersey standards can help ensure young people get the age-appropriate information they need to stay healthy,” Dr. Laura Lindberg of the Rutgers School of Public Health and an expert on sex education and its consequences, told The Star-Ledger. “Because if schools can’t meet their needs for information, they’ll turn to less trustworthy and less accurate sources. We need to create more trusted adults in their lives.”
Discussion Questions
- Many parents believe they have the right to determine how the issues of sex, gender identity and sexual orientation are taught to their children. Do you agree or disagree with that statement? Explain your answer.
- If someone told you that an interest you had was not for your gender (i.e., “that’s for girls” or “that’s for boys”) what would you say? How would you handle that situation?
Glossary Words
explicit—stated clearly leaving no room for confusion.
homophobia — dislike or prejudice against gay people.
implicit—implied but not plainly expressed or stated.
This article originally appeared in the spring 2023 issue of Respect, NJSBF’s diversity and inclusion newsletter.