As the health educator and school nurses directly responsible for the sex education curriculum at Scarborough Middle School, we feel it is necessary to respond to the inaccuracies of recent newspaper articles and the June 2 school board meeting.

In 2002 a presentation of the 8th grade health curriculum was made to the school board. At that time, the board decided that student permission slips to attend sex education classes would no longer be necessary. In response to recent parental concerns, however, a permission slip was sent home for the spring semester. Of the 125 students in the spring eighth grade health class, 122 students returned the slip, giving them permission to attend the contraceptive lessons.

To encourage active parental involvement and to promote awareness, parents presently receive a letter outlining the lessons of our curriculum, along with an invitation to meet during parent conferences or to call with questions or concerns. Also shared are the alarming 2003 Maine Youth Risk Behavior Survey statistics regarding sexual activity (13 percent of middle school students have had sexual intercourse; up to 50 percent of all new HIV infections are among those under age 25, etc.) Web sites used by teens to gain information are provided to the parents, as is the University of Minnesota’s research indicating the importance of parental involvement in preventing early sexual activity. Parents are encouraged to discuss with their child the goals and expectations they, as parents, have for their child.

Our health curriculum is abstinence-based, with contraceptive education occurring only twice in 60 classes during the semester. These two classes focus on our students’ health and well-being, emphasizing abstinence as the only 100 percent effective method in preventing pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases. These classes are taught from a medical perspective by our school nurses. With regard to condom instruction, the nurses again reinforce that they are not 100 percent effective in preventing STDs and pregnancy, and demonstrations are done only by the nurses. Students have never been allowed to practice putting a condom on a bottle or any other object.

With concern for our students and respect for their parents, we look forward to addressing misconceptions and concerns parents may have at the Aug. 18 school board meeting.

Denise Lockman, Health Educator

Patty Bolduc, Middle School Nurse

Cindy Swett, High School Nurse

Scarborough