State School Board gives schools guidelines for maturation education

SALT LAKE CITY — The State Board of Education unanimously approved a board rule Friday that gives guidance to Utah schools on how they should approach maturation education.

The new rule doesn't require that all schools have maturation programs for fifth- and sixth-graders, but instructs those that do to adopt curriculum that only discusses puberty and doesn't delve into sex education.

"It needs to go back to the original reason for having it," said Brenda Hales, associate superintendent for instructional services, at a board meeting in April when the panel took its first vote on the change. "It's not supposed to be a junior sex ed program."

Prior to the board's final vote Friday, there were no guidelines on the books that schools could refer to. Hales said maturation programs should focus on hygiene and the gender-specific changes that will happen to students' bodies and emotions.

The rule requires schools to send permission slips to parents before a student can attend the program. The permission slip will need to include a brief explanation of the material that will be presented and inform parents that they can request and review the entire curriculum material prior to the event.

The rule specifically prohibits the teaching of the "intricacies of intercourse, sexual stimulation or erotic behavior." It also disallows advocacy of contraception, homosexuality and sexual activity outside of marriage.

Districts or charter schools will need to form a review committee that will review and approve all guest speakers and presenters, and parents will be able to take their concerns to the committee.

The rule also requires all newly hired teachers responsible for maturation instruction attend state-sponsored instruction about that topic.

In April, the board voted to no longer endorse an animated program developed by Planned Parenthood of Utah called "Growing Up Comes First," which was being used by several schools around the state.

Parents complained that the movie, which was shown to boys and girls separately, explained the changes that happen to both genders and was too clinical. Schools can still choose to use the program if the review committee so chooses, but it has been taken off of the state board's recommended material list.

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