Welcome to HickoryRecord.com. Skip directly to: our Keyword Search, Section Navigation, Content.

HickoryRecord.com - Hickory Daily Record

HomeNewsEntertainmentSportsLifestylesOpinionCommunityWeather Online Tools Jobs | Real Estate | Shopping | Classified

What's currently being taught in schools

By Sarah Newell Williamson | Hickory Daily Record

Published: April 22, 2009

Catawba County Schools

The P.E. teachers teach the fifth grade about puberty. According to Carleen Crawford, public information officer for Catawba County Schools, in sixth grade, the Council on Adolescents of Catawba County comes to the schools for a few days to further their education on puberty.

In seventh through ninth grades, students are again taught health by their P.E. teachers, following the N.C. standard course of study, Crawford said.

Although health includes information on tobacco, drugs, alcohol and other things, the portion that includes abstinence until marriage education states that students in seventh grade will discuss what abstinence is, what a monogamous heterosexual marriage is and how it can help partners avoid STDs and discuss peer pressure, among other things.

In eighth grade, some of the things students will discuss include dating violence and sexual assault, identifying signs of an unhealthy relationship and how to get help, talking about STDs and that abstinence is the only way to prevent them and unintended pregnancy, compare and contrast methods of contraception and the risks associated with each and how alcohol and drugs can affect decisions.

In ninth grade students will discuss how power and control can contribute to violence, healthy relationships, discuss that a monogamous heterosexual marriage is the best way to avoid STDs, discuss "skills and strategies" for becoming or remaining abstinent and discuss peer pressure.

Hickory Public, Newton-Conover City Schools

The Council on Adolescents teaches the fifth through ninth grades. In fifth and sixth grades, students have puberty classes and learn about their bodies and becoming adults, said Alice Whitener, executive director of the Council on Adolescents.

In seventh through ninth grades, students are taught more.

"We try to build a rapport with the students and build on the relationships," Whitener said. "We use a number of different avenues and information to help them thrive."

She said parents need to talk to their children, as well.

"These classes aren't going to be everything they need, parents should talk to their kids," Whitener said.

She said the public shouldn't get the idea that the curriculum isn't comprehensive.

"A lot of people don't have a good understanding of how comprehensive it is. People hear abstinence-only and don't think they're getting well-rounded, age-appropriate information," Whitener said.

If a student attends the Council on Adolescents' classes in fifth through ninth grades, students will know about: their body and what it does, their period, STDs, sexual harassment, decision making, pregnancy prevention, making good choices, risky behaviors and how alcohol can affect your decisions.

Whitener said when pregnancy prevention is discussed, she can only discuss the failure rates of protection because North Carolina is an abstinence-only state.

Parents can choose to opt their children out of the classes. All curriculum is available to view at the Council on Adolescents' office at 1120 Fairgrove Church Road.