Going on defense, D.C. Public Schools responded in a statement saying it was "an assessment used to determine the students’ baseline knowledge and to responsibly assure that students get all of the information and skills they need to protect themselves."
The statement did not explain the thinking behind a "pre-test" administered to 12-year-olds referred to sexual organs and activities, so-called "dental dams," drug use during sex, and transgenderism.
To see the "sex test" PDF, click here.
-- From "Sex Survey at D.C. School Sparks Controversy" posted at FoxNews.com 10/15/10
A Washington, D.C., middle school is under fire after distributing a survey to seventh-graders asking both boys and girls about their sexual orientations and whether they knew how to put on a condom, among other sex-based questions.
The survey, developed by Metro TeenAIDS, a group dedicated to helping young people fight against HIV/AIDS, was intended to raise awareness of sexually transmitted diseases and teach the children how to avoid them, MyFoxDC.com reported.
The students were asked their genders -- whether male, female or transgender. And they were asked to identify themselves as straight, bisexual, gay or lesbian or "not sure."
Other questions included: How sure are you that you know the difference between oral, vaginal, and anal sex? Would know where to get condoms if/when you or a friend needed them? Can correctly put a condom on yourself or your partner?
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "VIDEO: DCPS, Metro TeenAIDS respond to Hardy Middle School 'sex test' uproar as Rhee resigns" by Katie Manning, The Georgetown Dish 10/13/10
The DCPS statement defended the sex education program at Hardy, but not the failure to get informed consent from parents for their children's participation in both the test and the program. "Both the 'Making Proud Choices!' and DCPS health curriculum of which it is a part are in-line with the DC Health Learning Standards as well as the National Health Education Standards," the DCPS statement said.
"Unfortunately," DCPS said, "the opt-out letter to parents regarding this unit in the health class went home on the same day that the assessment was administered. As a result, there was not enough time to allow for parental response before the unit began."
"We strongly believe that parents have a role to play in providing HIV/AIDS and reproductive health education, and we regret that our oversight resulted in affecting our parents’ right to choose how their students receive this information," DCPS said.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Parents vs. ‘Public Health’" by L. Brent Bozell III, CNSNews.com 10/15/10
. . . Parents at Hardy Middle School in the affluent Glover Park neighborhood in Washington, D.C., were shocked to discover that a sex-and-drug-use survey had been distributed to 12-year-olds in their physical education classes without any warnings or consent forms sent to parents.
The first words the children read were these: “This questionnaire asks you about sex and drugs (like cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, ecstasy, and marijuana).” Of course, they promised, “Your answers will not be told to anyone in your school or family.”
. . . The very first question was “What is your gender?” Two possibilities, you think? Try four boxes: Male and female, plus – “transgender (M to F)” and “transgender (F to M).”
Welcome to the nation’s capital, where the D.C. Public Schools signed a contract with the activist group Metro TeenAIDS to engage in what they call “capacity building” to fight the spread of HIV and AIDS. They enter schools hoping to empower each child to “develop and practice life skills that he/she might not have otherwise learned.” (You can be sure they are succeeding!) The survey and the program are titled “Making Proud Choices!” It’s funded by the federal government – to be specific, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
To read the entire column above, CLICK HERE.
