No.    1062             Office of the Superintendent
 
Date: May 29, 2002
To: Principals, Grades 6-12
Subject: PARENTAL NOTIFICATION OF INSTRUCTION ABOUT HUMAN REPRODUCTION AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES, INCLUDING HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV)/ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS)
Department and/or
Persons Concerned:
Principals, Vice Principals, Life Skills Educators, Family Life Teachers, School Nurses, Science Teachers, Consumer & Family Studies Teachers, Health and Driver Education Teachers
Due Date : Prior to parent preview
Reference: District Procedures No. 4188 and 4189
Action Requested: Review District Procedures No. 4188 and 4189. Send notification letter to parents (see attached) and conduct parent preview
Attachments:

Attachment 1 - Parental Notification: HIV/AIDS Prevention and Sex Education and Invitation to Preview Instructional Materials

Attachment 1 - Parental Notification: HIV/AIDS Prevention and Sex Education and Invitation to Preview Instructional Materials (Spanish)

Attachment 1 - Parental Notification: HIV/AIDS Prevention and Sex Education and Invitation to Preview Instructional Materials

Attachment 1 - Parental Notification: HIV/AIDS Prevention and Sex Education and Invitation to Preview Instructional Materials (Spanish)

 
Brief Explanation:

District Procedures 4188 and 4189 outline administrative regulations and procedures governing family life education, sex education, sexually transmitted disease prevention, and HIV/AIDS prevention education. The parent notification and preview requirements are delineated below.

  1. Parent or guardian must be notified of instruction about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as HIV/AIDS or any class in which human reproductive organs (including their functions and processes) are described, illustrated, or discussed.

  2. The notice shall specify that any parent/guardian may request that his or her child/ward not receive such instruction.

  3. The notification must be in writing and sent to parents/guardians via any method that the school commonly uses to communicate to parents/guardians.

  4. Notification must be provided a minimum of 10 to 15 days prior to instruction.

  5. The notice must inform parents that they can request a copy of the law pertaining to sex education and HIV/AIDS instruction from the school. Sites may access and print Senate Bill #1110 via internet http://www.sen.ca.gov/-newsen/legislation/past.html (keyword: education). The bill was approved by the Governor on August 26, 1998.

  6. Parents must be provided the opportunity to review all written and audiovisual instructional materials to be used in the classes prior to the commencement of instruction.

Attached is a sample letter (in English and Spanish) to parents/guardians that fulfills the above stated legal requirements. The letter may be modified to include programs unique to your site. Your Life Skills teacher can assist in refining the letter so that it meets the specific needs of your site.

To facilitate the process of parent review of materials, parent preview meetings are conducted at the beginning of each school year. Your Life Skills teacher will contact you to confirm your scheduled date for a parent preview in the fall.

Please note that if you have a program in sexuality education or HIV/AIDS prevention taught by staff from a community agency (e.g., Urban League, Planned Parenthood, etc.), presentation material must be approved by the Sex Education Advisory Committee. In addition, parents must be provided the same opportunity to preview materials with appropriate agency and site staff present. Since such programs may involve a smaller number of students, you may wish to conduct a separate meeting during your Open House for those parents involved. When using an outside speaker, in addition to the above requirements, parent notification must include:

  • The date of instruction (parents must be notified of the month that presentations are scheduled).

  • The name of the organization or affiliation of each guest speaker.

If additional information is needed, please contact John Miranda at (858) 627-7447.

  John Miranda
Manager
Health/Life Skills Education Office
Jack Campana
Director
Student Support Services Department
 
APPROVED:

Terrance L. Smith
Chief of Staff

Attachments

Distribution: Lists B, E, F and Special