CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System vetting a new family life curriculum, which includes education on abstinence-based sex education, to adopt in middle and high schools across the district as part of a new state requirement.
In November, CMCSS parents and guardians were given about two weeks to review 3,000 pages of material across three curriculums and provide feedback.
This week, the school system is holding three public meetings where more information will be provided about the law’s requirements and the three model curriculums.
State law changes
Last year, Gov. Bill Lee signed a law requiring all school districts to adopt and teach a family life curriculum, with sex ed included. Districts are required to locally devise, adopt and implement their own curriculum beginning with this school year.
Previously, only school districts in counties with a pregnancy rate of 19.5 pregnancies for every 1,000 females ages 15 to 17 or higher were required to teach sex ed.
Montgomery County was in that range until 2012, when the pregnancy rate dropped to 17.5. It has generally continued to decline, and as of 2019, it was down to 5.5, according to data from the Kids Count Data Center.
All school districts are now required to implement a family life curriculum, not just the ones with a high teen pregnancy rate, and that means a new sex ed curriculum for CMCSS. The state only provided standards that are to be taught, leaving districts to establish curriculums to teach those standards.
While the district won’t be ordering textbooks from any of the three curriculums being considered, Emily Vaughn, CMCSS director of teaching, learning and innovation, told Clarksville Now that whichever one is chosen will serve as a resource as the local curriculum is created.
Curriculum models
All three of the curriculums must be abstinence-centered. The district is choosing among three curriculum models that meet that standard – ETR HealthSmart, Michigan Model and Glencoe.
For the middle schools, the state standards require lessons on puberty and the human body, teen pregnancy, the benefits of abstinence, healthy relationships and sexually transmitted diseases.
Much like the middle school curriculum, the high school curriculum must examine the aspects of positive relationships, and look at the influence of families, media, cultural traditions and economic factors on human development.
The standards also require that high school lessons explain the basic structures and functions of the reproductive system as they relate to the human life cycle from conception through adulthood.
High school lessons also must recognize abstinence from sexual activity as a positive choice, and explore the potential outcomes of engaging in sexual behaviors such as pregnancy and adoption.
Feedback opportunities
At each of the this week’s public meetings, district leaders will discuss the materials and standards.
There will be two meetings on Tuesday, Feb. 15. The first will be at 10 a.m. at the Central Services South building at 1312 Highway 48/13. The second will be at 5:30 p.m. at West Creek High School at 1210 West Creek Coyote Trail.
A third meeting will be Thursday, Feb. 17 at 5:30 p.m., also at Central Services South.
The school system has also provided a feedback link so anyone unable to attend can submit questions about the curriculum.