Teachers Set the Tone for Lessons in Sexuality

Quickly now, name the four stages of orgasm.

If your teen-ager is attending a public high school in California, he or she probably knows the answer. It’s just one of many topics covered in a typical sex education unit that is part of the health course taught in most California public schools.

Without a doubt, sex education is the most controversial of school subjects. So what is taught in a typical course? And who decides?

The state Education Code offers some guidelines, and individual districts may add their own, but the curriculum and focus of each sex education class are largely up to each teacher.

Sexuality is usually one part of a general health course that is required for graduation.

At my school, sex education spans about four to six weeks of a one-semester health course. It can be taken any time during grades nine through 12.

The time spent on sex education varies from teacher to teacher. Some feel uncomfortable with the topic and speed through it superficially. Others are more knowledgeable and at ease, and are able to cover more material in more depth.

The subjects that compose sex education are many, including contraception, dating skills, pregnancy, abortion, masturbation, orgasms and sexually transmitted diseases.

Some of these may seem impossible to tackle with young people who are at a nervous and self-conscious age.

Surprisingly, though, the maturity level and general atmosphere are fairly manageable. If the teacher is giggly or reticent, the kids will be too. But if the teacher is confident and matter-of-fact, then that tone will prevail.

Teaching methods used in other classes often also suit sex education. They include lecture, discussion, videotapes, guest speakers and group work.

The materials used in teaching sex education must first be approved by the school board. This rule applies to materials used in all subjects, but school boards tend to be especially vigilant about material used for sex education instruction.

As in most courses, the typical sex education curriculum is based, at least in part, on a textbook.

A favorite is “Sexuality: A Responsible Approach,” which is used in districts around the county, including my own.

The book is divided into six chapters that provide a convenient and thorough framework for sex education courses. They are: “Responsibilities in Relationships,” “Reproductive Health,” “Responsible Sexual Behavior,” “Responsible Parenthood,” “Birth Control, Sterilization and Abortion,” and “Sexuality and Self-Protection.”

In what was probably anticipation of common criticisms of sex education, the textbook repeatedly stresses the importance and unique safety of abstinence.

There’s even a section titled “Refusal Skills,” which offers practical advice on how to resist a partner’s pressure to have sex.

Some notable changes have taken place in the sex education curriculum in recent years.

AIDS and its prevention have become a dominant focus, which has led to more openness in studying and discussing sex.

Homosexuality also is discussed more openly in many classes. Classified as a mental illness by the American Psychiatric Institute until 1974, homosexuality is now recognized as a type of sexual orientation and has been added to many curricula.

Even with specific state and district guidelines, you may still be a little anxious about what your teen-ager might be taught in a sex education class. It’s easy to get all the straight answers you need, due to some provisions in the state’s Education Code.

The code specifies that parents must be notified, in writing, of the course content at the beginning of the semester. It also allows parents to review all materials to be used. If the curriculum doesn’t seem to match your child’s maturity level, religious beliefs or other needs, the code also permits you to request, in writing, that your child be excluded from that part of the health course.

(And, by the way, the four stages of orgasm are excitement, plateau, climax and resolution.)

Mary Laine Yarber teaches English and journalism at Santa Monica High School.