Could you stand on a stage in front of 100 nervous fifth graders (and their parents) and explain how puberty changes the body? Are you able to answer a question about menstruation and then switch to a discussion about dating and healthy relationships? Would you be comfortable teaching about sexually transmitted infections to ninth graders while following state guidelines?
We do all this and more every week as health educators with Planned Parenthood Association of Utah. For more than 50 years, our trained teachers have been helping students in Utah’s public schools navigate a confusing period of their lives with clear, concise, medically-accurate instruction.
But now there’s a bill in the Utah Legislature that would ban us — and only us, as far as we can tell — from teaching about health in Utah’s public schools. HB233 is sponsored by first-year lawmaker Rep. Nicholeen Peck, R-Tooele. Rep. Peck never contacted us about this bill. She never asked to attend one of our classes or review our lesson plans. She never told us any concerns with the content we teach.
Rep. Peck might think the purpose of her bill is to punish Planned Parenthood. But others know the real impact will be felt by the parents of the nearly 80,000 Utah students who — if her bill becomes law — will no longer have the option to provide their kids with age-appropriate sex education classes taught by our trained teachers. Also harmed will be many Utah school districts and charter schools who will need to scramble to purchase new curriculums and hire instructors to cover this state mandated instruction.
Because many Utah lawmakers are unaware of how we teach health topics in Utah’s public-school classrooms, let us explain what we do. Trust us, reading this is easier than answering questions about body hair in a room full of sixth grade boys.
First, all of the classes we teach are opt-in. Parents or guardians must sign and return a permission form before their child receives any instruction from Planned Parenthood’s educators. The reality is that many parents in Utah school districts want this type of instruction, and they trust Planned Parenthood’s educators to teach it. Just like they rely on math teachers to explain long division and calculus, parents trust our educators to talk about sex and puberty.
Second, our trained staff follow the state guidelines exactly. We only teach these approved topics: maturation; sexually transmitted infections; abstinence and birth control; and healthy relationships. We never discuss topics that are prohibited by state code, nor do we offer our own viewpoints or perspectives. Both of those activities are illegal according to Utah Code section 53G-10-402. We know the law, and we follow it, which is one reason why school districts want us in their classrooms.
Third, every aspect of our teaching materials are reviewed and approved by a committee of parents and teachers in each district, and available for anyone to review on each school district’s website. Plus, the entire curriculum is voted on by the local school board in a public meeting. The entire process is open and transparent for teachers, parents and lawmakers.
Now that you know more about what and how we teach, we hope you’ll realize how uninformed and out of touch HB233 is. For decades, our educators have taught Utah students about puberty, STIs and how to navigate healthy relationships because this is what many Utah parents want.
If Utah lawmakers have questions about our lesson plans or want to attend an upcoming class, they are welcome to contact us at education@ppau.org. This will help them understand, just like the thousands of public school and charter school parents who chose our classes and materials for their children, that Utah kids are alright thanks in part to the teaching we do.
(Planned Parenthood Associated of Utah) Brittany Breneman is the education director at Planned Parenthood Association of Utah.
Brittany Breneman is the education director at Planned Parenthood Association of Utah and has been involved with educational and community programs for the last 10 years.
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