Ninth and tenth grade students participate in Family Life Education (FLE) during their Health and Physical Education 1 (HPE 1) and Health and Physical Education 2 (HPE 2) classes.
The FLE curriculum in HPE 1 builds upon students' knowledge base of human anatomy, reproduction, reproductive health, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and pregnancy prevention and disease control. The efficacy of contraceptives in preventing STIs and pregnancy is analyzed. Emphasis is placed on the fact that abstinence from sexual activity is the only way to guarantee the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Students explore teen dating relationships and factors that may lead to dating violence/abuse and exploitation through teen sex trafficking. Students are taught prevention strategies and resources for help and assistance when it is needed.
In HPE 2, students continue to examine factors that contribute to healthy relationships. Students use decision-making skills to weigh the risks, responsibilities, and outcomes of sexual activity. Students study pregnancy and childbirth and examine factors associated with a healthy pregnancy. Issues related to teen pregnancy, including responsibilities of teens as parents and the impacts parenting has on young parents, their families, and society, are discussed. Students examine the benefits of postponing pregnancy and childbearing until adulthood.
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Descriptive Statement: Information about developmental levels throughout the life cycle- prenatal, infant, toddler, pre-kindergarten, school-age, adolescent, young adult, middle-aged, and elderly-is related to the complexity of child-rearing and to the need for maturity before parenthood. Life-stage development is also presented to help students gain appreciation of their own development.
Descriptive Statement: Topics include understanding family guidelines related to dating, the functions of dating, and coping with the pressures experienced in dating situations. Students will discuss the signs of dating violence, sexual violence, physically and mentally abusive relationships, and the law and meaning of consent prior to sexual activity. Discussion may focus on the importance of group dating, rather than dating as a couple, in early adolescence.
Descriptive Statement: Instruction includes identifying risk factors and vulnerabilities to human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and sexual assault. Students will recognize red flags of human trafficking victims, understand the types of trafficking, and learn how to safely and responsibly respond to exploitation and report a human trafficking situation.
Descriptive Statement: Instructional components include anatomy, physiology, conception, fertility, fetal development, childbirth, and prenatal care.
Descriptive Statement: The focus is on factual information about menstruation, proper use of feminine hygiene products in relation to cleanliness, pre-menstrual syndrome, menopause, and male- and female-specific concerns. Disease prevention through self-assessment and self-examination is reinforced with emphasis on breast and testicular self-examination.
Descriptive Statement: Topics include planning for adult relationships, a review of factors to consider in planning for a family, misconceptions about contraception, a review of methods of contraception in relation to effectiveness in pregnancy prevention and disease control, and the decisions associated with contraception. Abortion is not presented as a method of birth control, but spontaneous abortion or miscarriage is explained, and the risks of induced abortion are analyzed.
Descriptive Statement: This is a review of the ways in which HIV is transmitted and the techniques for preventing this disease.
Descriptive Statement: Students examine the stages of developing romantic relationships (friendships, dating, mate selection, marriage) and universal values that are essential for successful and healthy relationships (honesty, trustworthiness, self-control, responsibility for self and others by establishing personal boundaries). Students define “consent” and recognize the importance of respecting others’ right to say no. Students identify characteristics one should expect in a healthy relationship—compromise; individuality; communication, conflict resolution; problem-solving, understanding, and self-confidence. Students examine the difference between love and infatuation and become aware that one learns about oneself from every relationship, and these experiences prepare one for the challenges and responsibilities of marriage. It is emphasized that families and cultures may have different values and expectations about dating and marriage. Instruction includes a review of characteristics of unhealthy relationships that may lead to violence and abuse.
Descriptive Statement: Emphasis is on the ability to understand and weigh the risks, responsibilities, outcomes, and impacts of sexual actions. Instruction includes the need to consider lifelong goals in relation to pressures for present sexual activity. Topics include readiness for parenthood; the consequences of unintended pregnancy; the effects of sexually transmitted infections; the impact on reputation and mental health; the importance of adhering to family values; the need to complete educational plans; the burdens of financial responsibilities; and interference with future goals and job opportunities. The positive benefits of postponing sexual activity are emphasized, and abstinence continues to be emphasized as the only method that is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy.
Descriptive Statement: Students are guided toward communicating feelings and affection through talking; through expressing ideas, values, and goals; through social and recreational contacts and community service; and through positive body language, caring gestures, and other positive mental health practices, rather than through sexual activity.
Descriptive Statement: Topics include planning for adult relationships, factors to consider in planning for a family; barrier, hormonal, behavioral, and surgical methods of contraception and their effectiveness for preventing pregnancy and disease control; misconceptions about contraception; and the decisions associated with contraception. Abortion is not presented as a method of birth control, but spontaneous abortion or miscarriage is explained, and the risks of induced abortion are analyzed.
Descriptive Statement: Instruction includes signs and symptoms of pregnancy, stages of pregnancy, fetal development, stages of childbirth, and birthing options. Topics will include preconception and prenatal care, and effects of substance abuse on pregnancy and fetal development. Students will examine the roles of the mother and father during pregnancy and birth. Community resources and support agencies are identified.
Descriptive Statement: Instruction includes a discussion of responsibilities involved and adverse consequences encompassing the emotional, mental, physical, social, and economic impact on young parents, on their families, and on society. The nutritional implications of high-risk infants and teenage mothers also are included. The effects of an adolescent pregnancy on the student's lifelong goals and potential achievements are emphasized. The benefits of attaining adulthood through education, work experience, and financial stability before having children and the effects on the family, child, and community will be discussed.
Descriptive Statement: Instruction includes identifying factors that contribute to healthy and unhealthy relationships; the meaning of consent for sexual activity; respecting others' right to say no; and identifying the characteristics of dating violence, abusive relationships, and human trafficking. Laws addressing consent, sextortion, and human trafficking will be reviewed. Discussion will include the role the Internet and electronic communications play in sexual exploitation. Students will examine how sextortion and pornography contribute to the supply and demand of human trafficking. Protective factors and community resources for the prevention of sexual exploitation, sexual violence, and human trafficking will be identified.