By Beth Seay
Staff Writer

Several members of the Macon County Board of Education are concerned about Superintendent Daniel Brigman’s decision to not allow a group of high school students to present a sex education program to middle schoolers. The project would be called “Sexy Abs - Sense Enough to Expand Your Awareness About Sex.”

Brigman did not allow the program to be discussed by the board or to come to a formal vote before the school board, asserting his decision to refuse the program independently.

The group, represented by Jess Martin and Kaitlyn McGee, presented an outline of their program to the school board at their meeting on April 23. Martin said the group looked at the results of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and decided to focus their efforts on one of the top risky behaviors mentioned: sexual activity among teens. Martin said alcohol and drug use is typically addressed with teens. She pointed out that between 15 and 20 girls are currently pregnant at Franklin High School.

McGee told the board that they wanted to target their education efforts at middle schoolers to try to prevent many of those risky behaviors they might pick up in high school.

Martin said that they worked with professionals developing their program, including representatives from the Department of Public Instruction and the Macon County Health Department.

The group planned to present a “peer talk program” to the middle schoolers presenting different topics through skits and examples, presenting facts while being entertaining to keep the students involved, Martin said.

The skit involved several teenagers talking with other teenagers about common situations, like drinking at a party and how sex might be involved, and how sexually transmitted diseases can be passed from one person to another in such situations.

Martin also said she believes the county’s sex education program should be changed. “Recent studies prove abstinence-based education alone doesn’t work,” said Martin.

School board member Roberta Swank thanked the two for their presentation. “Many times grownups turn their back at the word sex,” she said. “It is great to hear peers willing to confront this.”

The board agreed to discuss the subject more. However, when Brigman was contacted the next morning, he said that the program would not be allowed to continue. “We can’t have kids teaching kids about sex,” he said.

Brigman had praise for the students designing the program. “These young ladies have a passion for the subject,” he said, adding that they “put a lot of planning into their program to heighten awareness of sexual activity and risky behaviors among our youth.”

He noted that, in addressing the board, they made a request for the board to revisit the county’s sex education policy. “We are following the state’s lead,” Brigman said, in following the abstinence curriculum “which is covered in the standard course of study.”

Brigman said he preferred to urge parents to take an active role in discussing the subject with their children.

Brigman said the peer education program was “not the direction we need to go.” He said while he recognizes the students’ “enthusiasm and passion” for the sensitive issue, he said he was concerned about what would happen when students in the peer groups had questions about the material presented. “High school students are not on a level to be able to deal with those questions.”

Martin explained that school nurse Jennifer Garrett and Dr. Charlie Vargas from Healthy Carolinians would be available at the presentation to provide guidance and answer questions. She explained that seven students, including herself, worked on the project led by a steering committee of adults. Martin planned the presentation as her senior project. Vicky Sutton, Martin’s advisor on the project, said she worked “harder on her senior project than anyone else I’ve ever seen.” She said she is working with Martin to finish the project despite being unable to present it to its intended audience.

Garrett worked with the students through the project. She said they “kept administrators and staff informed” about what was to be addressed. Garrett praised the young people involved, saying they were “very adult” and “put in a lot of hours” on the project.

“We also worked closely with the Department of Public Instruction, the Sexual Information and Education Council of the United States, the Macon County Health Department and Advocates for Youth,” Martin said.

Martin said the program included parent involvement from the beginning. “We were going to do a parents night first, to present the program and have permission slips signed,” she said.

She explained that representatives of the group met with Brigman early in the planning process, on March 16. “We explained everything to him, including the peer talk,” Martin said. She said Brigman encouraged them to keep going. “He didn’t discourage us in any way,” she explained. They also met with MMS principal Todd Gibbs and FHS principal Gary Shields, who were both “okay with the idea.”

Because of these positive responses, including that of Brigman, Martin said the group was shocked when Brigman called and said there would be no “kids teaching kids about sex.”

Martin used grant money from Healthy Carolinians for her project, which may expire soon.

“I wish he had told us earlier so we could have devoted our time to something else, instead of a program that will never be seen,” Martin said. She added that the group is not dropping the subject. They hope that by writing letters to state representatives and continuing to learn about the subject, peer to peer teaching might be approved at a later date.

Martin added that Brigman had recommended to her that she suggest a change in the system’s sex education policy during her address to the board. “I wouldn’t have done it if he hadn’t suggested it,” she explained.

Macon County school’s current sex education plan begins in grade four with “Competency goal 2 - the learner will develop knowledge and skills to enhance personal and consumer health. Grade 4 - summarize patterns of normal physical and emotional development during puberty. Grade 5 - summarize the functions of the male and female reproductive systems. Grade 6 - differentiate between communicable and chronic disease and identify the modes of transmission and methods for reducing the transmission of common communicable diseases. Summarize the relationship between conception and the menstrual cycle. Investigate and analyze the responsibilities of parenthood through observation and discussion with parents/caregivers or trusted adults.

“Competency goal 3 - the learner will develop healthy and effective interpersonal communication and relationship skills: Grade 7 - define abstinence as voluntarily refraining from intimate sexual contact that could result in unintended pregnancy or disease and analyze the benefits of abstinence from sexual activity until marriage; evaluate how a mutually faithful monogamous heterosexual relationship in the context of marriage is the best lifelong means of avoiding sexually transmitted diseases (STDs); analyze the effectiveness and failure rates of condoms as a means of preventing STDs; analyze the risks of premarital sexual activity; demonstrate techniques and strategies for becoming or remaining abstinent by dealing with peer pressure; analyze the effects of culture, media and family values (by discussing information with parents or trusted adults) on decisions related to becoming or remaining abstinent. Grade 8 - Analyze factors contributing to violent behaviors (including sexual assault) and identify resources for seeking help; summarize how STDs are transmitted and demonstrate skills and strategies for becoming or remaining abstinent from sexual activity to avoid STDs and unwanted pregnancy. Encourage students to discuss with trusted adults; compare and contrast methods of contraception, their effectiveness and failure rates, and the risks associated with different methods of contraception as means of preventing STDs; evaluate how a mutually faithful monogamous heterosexual relationship in the context of marriage is the best lifelong means of avoiding STDs.

“High school - similar goals,” the curriculum states.

School board member Roberta Swank said she is “very proud” of the students who designed the program, but said she wasn’t sure that everyone understood the full scope of their presentation and the inclusion of a doctor and nurse at the program. She said, “The kids didn’t want a policy change.”

“Sixteen girls pregnant at Franklin High School tells me that this is something we need to discuss, whether it’s popular or not,” Swank said.

She expressed disappointment that the subject was not discussed with the board and now can’t be brought back up for their input. “I think they would have done a fine job,” Swank said. “We need to have people stand up and say this is something that is needed.”

Board member Tommy Cabe said he, too, was unhappy that the board hadn’t been able to discuss the proposed program. “I feel let down,” he said.

“We got an email with the rough draft,” he said, “With a few changes, I would have no problem with it.”

“Something’s got to be done - there’s pregnant kids all over the place,” Cabe said. He said he wasn’t sure what the answer is, but “not letting the teachers really teach it,” is not helping.

“They are not getting it at home or at school,” he said, “So they are getting it from their friends.”

School board member Susie McCoy said she had some concerns about students teaching students, but she wasn’t aware that a doctor and nurse would be involved. “We didn’t have enough information ... we should have had more discussion,” she said. She said that she has spoken to Garrett and senior advisor Vicky Sutton and that they “wouldn’t allow anything that was not up to snuff.”

“I feel their frustration,” she said of Martin and McGee. She said she would be sitting down to discuss the situation with Brigman. “If enough of us say something, maybe it will be brought back before the board.”

N.C. House Bill 879, which proposes building a comprehensive sex education program along with expanded health education, was sent from the House health committee to the House education subcommittee Tuesday in Raleigh. While the program would still be abstinence-based, it would include more information on contraception and STDs. HB 879, “Modify school health program,” will give students “real world skills to remain healthy and safe,” according to Planned Parenthood.

Until 1995, North Carolina students received comprehensive sexual education. After a 1995 bill sponsored by Rep. Robin Hayes, abstinence-only has been taught.

A recent study by a nonpartisan group found that students who attended abstinence-only programs were no more likely to delay sex or have fewer partners than a control group.

North Carolina has the ninth highest teen pregnancy rate in the United States. It also has the seventh highest rate of syphilis infection, the fifth highest rate of gonorrhea and, in 2003, had the largest increase in the transmission of HIV to adolescent girls.

According to Advocates for Youth, numerous studies have shown that peers influence youth health behaviors — not only regarding sexuality but also in regard to violence and substance abuse.

“Trained peer educators are a more credible source of information for some youth than are adult educators because they communicate in readily understandable ways and serve as positive role models while dispelling misperceptions that most youth are having sex,” according to Advocates for Youth’s website.