REPORT FINDINGS

Click here to download the full report [2008-2009 - Orange] [2007-2008 - San Bernardino]

The Community Action Fund’s audit of sexual health education programs in Orange and San Bernardino County school districts has uncovered some disturbing trends. It was found that only two of the sexual health education programs provided by school districts in Orange County meets all of the requirements of the Education Code sections 51930-51939.

Topics Inadequately Covered

STDs & Contraception:

Districts almost universally omit the topic of teenage pregnancy prevention from their health education classes. By limiting their instruction to HIV/AIDS and STDs schools avoid the requirement to provide comprehensive sexual health education. When pregnancy is discussed by the textbooks it is in the context of a discussion about abstinence. It is a clear violation of the Education Code to discuss abstinence and omit other methods of pregnancy prevention.

Nearly half (47%) of districts in Orange County, and 39% of districts in San Bernardino County do not provide complete instruction on how STDs are transmitted and how to reduce the risk of transmission. Only one district in both counties discusses all FDA approved methods of contraception, including Emergency Contraception.

LGBT Issues:

Districts in both Orange and San Bernardino County do not fully discuss issues surrounding healthy image, which includes self-esteem, positive body image, self-care, sexual orientation, and gender roles. The topic most likely to be left out of the curriculum is sexual orientation.

Most of the textbooks fail to include information about issues concerning gender identity or sexual health concerns specific to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender youth (LGBT). The intent of the Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act was to promote healthy attitudes concerning issues such as body image, gender roles, sexual orientation, dating, marriage, and family, as well as, protect his or her sexual health from sexually transmitted diseases. By neglecting to include issues of LGBT youth the texts and school districts are ignoring the needs and reality of 10 percent of the student body.  This lack of acknowledgement is a detriment to LGBT youth who feel, as most teens do, a need for inclusion especially around issues of sexual health and healthy relationships. Heterosexual youth also miss out on an opportunity to understand the issues and concerns facing their classmates and limits their knowledge and understanding about society in general.

For more information on this issue see:
SIECUS Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Youth Issues Fact Sheet

Click here to see what topics are covered in each district!

Available Educational Resources

The textbooks most schools utilize to teach sexual health education are severely lacking in their comprehensiveness and age-appropriateness. Many omit the topic of condom usage, even when discussing the prevention of transmission of HIV/AIDS. Almost universally, texts exclude information about FDA-approved methods of contraception. There are a few exceptions, such as Positive Prevention, which go much further in discussing topics such as contraception and STD prevention.

In addition there are local organizations that provide comprehensive sexual health education at low- to no-cost; some examples are Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties, AltaMed/Community Cares, and CampFire USA.


Textbooks & Curriculum

Below is a list of the top 6 most widely used textbooks and curricula.

Click here to see what textbooks are covered in your district

Health (published by Glencoe, 2005, updated edition 2009)

Published in 2005, Health is a textbook covering a vast array of topics from nutrition, injury prevention, mental and emotional health, and sexuality education, among others. In its chapters focusing on sexuality education, the text avoids the issue of condoms, even when discussing HIV/AIDS. The best effort at addressing condoms is a brief mention of "barriers," but this is couched in the ineffectiveness of barriers in preventing transmission of HPV (which is inaccurate). Additionally, the text is hetero-normative, with examples and discussion focusing on opposite-sex relationships and marriage. Abstinence is discussed throughout the book in many different chapters as a way to stay healthy and protect against STDs. Prenatal care and pregnancy are discussed, but no birth control methods are mentioned at all. Major statistics are cited from credible sources, but there is questionable information about fetal development that does not cite a source. The tone of the book is straightforward and information-based, with a clear goal to address a myriad of health issues within the text. Emphasis is more heavily towards physical health versus a more holistic approach.

Human Sexuality (supplement to Health, published by Glencoe, 2005)

The Health textbook offers an optional supplement titled Human Sexuality, which addresses much of the missing information from the text, including information about abortion, sexual orientation, sexual abuse, and incest. Although it is positive that they address some myths around homosexuality, there is still no discussion about the ability of LGBTQ couples to maintain committed relationships. There is also some outdated contraceptive information, with no discussion of the Ring or Emergency Contraception.

Health and Wellness (published by Glencoe, 2005)

The textbook Health & Wellness is fairly holistic in its approach to sex education. It appears to be more updated than other texts, and the pictures and information seem reasonably current for a text. There is no mention of condoms and there is a lot of information about marriage as the only monogamous relationship where sex is safe. Like many texts, teen parents are vilified and fear tactics are used to prevent pregnancy without information about contraception.

Positive Prevention (published by the American Red Cross) [visit the website]

Positive Prevention, by the American Red Cross is an activity-based curriculum. Much of the information is presumed to come up in the course of activities, so a standardized experience is hard to assess. The activity-based design allows freedom to cover more or less information, depending on the teacher and district, and the activities are thoughtful, fun, and interactive. The curriculum covers much information about STDs and birth control, although some of the information is out of date. The curriculum includes a lot of supplemental information, including parent permission letters and information about the Education Code. The interactivity provided through Positive Prevention allows more space for youth to think about these issues and their own and familial values. A supplement to Positive Prevention was published in 2006 in response to the newly adopted education policy through SB 71.

Positive Prevention Plus (supplement to Positive Prevention, published by the American Red Cross)

In response to the new education standards set by SB 71, the American Red Cross published a supplement titled Positive Prevention Plus to include material left out of the original. It is fairly complete on its own, in terms of SB 71 compliance. The obvious missing piece is the STD section, which is frequently covered by textbooks and the full Positive Prevention curriculum. The information about birth control methods is relatively outdated for a supplement that was approved in 2006. The Ring should be included, and Norplant and cervical caps should not be included if the supplement were as up-to-date as it could be. The supplement is a curriculum, not a text, so there is not as much content as a textbook. Given this information, it is still a more complete source of comprehensive sexuality education than most of the text alternatives.

Health (published by Holt, 1999)

Holt's Health is a textbook similar to Glencoe's Health, but much more outdated in terms of content and appearance. The resources listed do not refer to the Internet, which is a major missing piece of information for many teens. There is good information about condoms, but the rest of the contraceptive section needs to be updated. This text has potential to be much more comprehensive if it were more up-to-date. The style seems to be for a lower-level reader, but the information is still appropriate for high school. Marriage information is very biased and value-laden.

Lifetime Health (published by Holt, 2004)

The textbook Lifetime Health is very similar to Glencoe's Health in terms of relevant content. It avoids the issues of condoms, is hetero-normative, and contains no mention of birth control methods. This textbook leans more towards healthy youth development and forming strong relationships and bonds. The approach is more holistic than other texts, and approaches health from many different angles. It is still missing much information.

Health: Skills for Wellness (published by Prentice Hall, 2001)

The textbook Health: Skills for Wellness is very science-oriented. It's a little older than many books, with outdated photos and some terminology that is also a little dated. They do discuss the benefits of condoms for people having sex as a means to prevent HIV, but other contraceptive methods are not discussed. It does not address sexual orientation or body image in much detail.