By Susan Bromley

Staff Writer

Brandon Twp

.- A sex education council is about to be born.

The school board approved at their Jan. 16 meeting the formation of an advisory council that will discuss abstinence only vs. abstinence-based sex education and return a recommendation.

“I think the most important thing to recognize is that our board of education is open to hearing the thoughts and recommendations of the community they are serving,” said Kristy Spann, executive director of educational services. “I think too often human beings are content to be surrounded by people with ideas just like them. For our elected officials to hear people’s ideas and suggestions on this area that can be a polarizing topic, and be willing to look at and consider what is best for our students, based on input from parents, students, clergy, and district stakeholders is huge and most important.”

In November, the board requested Athletic Director Chris Deines, who oversees the physical education and health department, to investigate what was being taught in health classes.

The district uses the Michigan Model of Health and three years ago, Spann said district officials made the decision to teach abstinence-only. However, questions have been raised about a “grow up day” for fifth graders that is no longer implemented, as well as whether abstinence-only is a route that the district wants to continue.

In a short presentation to the board on Monday, Spann explained the sex education advisory council will be composed primarily of parents, but also students, educators, community health professionals and at least one clergymember.

The council will discuss whether the district should remain abstinence-only, with the knowledge that such a choice will results in no latitude for teaching anything other than abstinence is the only way to not get pregnant and/or not get sexually transmitted infections or diseases.

A change to abstinence-based education would stress the same, but allow a discussion that “at some point later in life for those who do have sex, condoms and other birth control exist.” Abstinence-based gives teachers latitude in controlling what is taught and how much.

Spann said it boils down to a change in three lessons out of 22 from the current health curriculum at the middle school and alterations to four lessons (of 22) at the high school, with one, condom use, not taught.

The “grow-up day,” the fourth and fifth grade lesson on puberty, will continue to be absent from the curriculum if the district chooses to remain abstinence only.

Other implications to consider, Spann said, includes research that shows abstinence only programs do not delay initiation of sex, with 33 percent having significant positive effects on any sexual behavior. Conversely, 66 percent of abstinence-based programs positively effected sexual behavior including delaying initiation of sex and increased condom/contraceptive use.

Districts in the county that have abstinence-based sex education programs include Avondale, Birmingham, Farmington, Hazel Park, Huron Valley, Lake Orion, Rochester, South Lyon and Waterford. The only other abstinence only program Spann found in Oakland County is in the Berkley School District.

Spann personally favors the abstinence-based program.

“I’m a firm believer that knowledge is power, so the more knowledge we can help people attain, it puts them in a better position to make informed decisions,” she said. “Abstinence-based provides more information, but ultimately I will serve our community as the community’s will is established. Most families take time to talk to their children about puberty and growing up and how do we establish safe, healthy relationships for ourselves and what that looks like at different points in our lives. For those students to get that message from school reinforces what they are hearing and for those students who aren’t getting the message at home, they will get it from school where it is a factual discussion on what safe healthy relationships look like with an emphasis on waiting until they’re older to have intimate relationships. That message will be carried out whether it’s abstinence only or abstinence based.”