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CLIFTON PARK
Board approves sex ed options
Planned Parenthood could resume longtime role in district program
BY LEE COLEMAN Gazette Reporter

    A list of controversial sex education recommendations was approved Tuesday night by the Shenendehowa Central School District Board of Education.
    The recommendations, developed by a 19-member committee that included teachers, administrators, clergy and parents, continue to stress abstinence as the “healthiest choice for teens’ overall mental and physical health.” But the recommendations also open the door for Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson Inc. to again be involved in the district’s sex education program.
    One of the recommendations is to explore opportunities for the district to “host evening workshops where representatives from Sexual Risk Avoidance and/or Comprehensive Sexual Education Programs (such as those offered by Planned Parenthood) can present information to parents, students, and families that reinforces what is taught at Shenendehowa.”
    A group of concerned parents, who maintain that abstinence from sex is the best and only healthy option for students, successfully lobbied to remove Planned Parenthood educators from teaching a three-day portion of the district’s sex education unit last fall. Planned Parenthood had presented these class sections at Shenendehowa for nearly 20 years.
    The concerned parents said they were unhappy with the advisory committee report when it was released in June because the resulting curriculum would present abstinence and having sex as two options rather than presenting abstinence as the best and only healthy option.
    At Tuesday night’s school board meeting, the health advisory recommendations and full report were approved by the five board members present — two were unable to attend. School board member Gary DiLallo said he appreciated the “intense involvement of the community” in the health education issue. DiLallo said the debate and resulting advisory recommendations have resulted in “something of greater value to the district.”
GUEST SPEAKERS POSSIBLE
    Paul Drisgula, co-president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson Inc., who attended the school board meeting with other members of his staff, said his educators would participate in evening workshops “as they are made available.”
    “Planned Parenthood educators have added value to sex education programs at Shenendehowa for nearly 20 years,” Drisgula said. “This proposal, approved by the Board of Education, allows that relationship to continue.”
    Drisgula said another advisory council recommendation notes that it remains the role of the teachers and administrators “to determine whether or not guest speakers will be used to enhance the curriculum.” Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson Inc. would like to provide such guest speakers if given the opportunity, Drisgula said.
    L. Oliver Robinson, superintendent of the 9,800-student district, said administrators will now have to study the two pages of recommendations to “see what’s feasible.” He said some of the recommendations will be included in the district’s budget development process. ........................>>>>...................>>>>...................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01100&AppName=1

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  One of the recommendations is to explore opportunities for the district to “host evening workshops where representatives from Sexual Risk Avoidance and/or Comprehensive Sexual Education Programs (such as those offered by Planned Parenthood) can present information to parents, students, and families that reinforces what is taught at Shenendehowa.”

Quoted from bumblethru

NO SEX EDUCATION should be mandatory. It should be voluntary OFF SCHOOL GROUNDS.

Quoted from bumblethru

PP doesn't need workshops in the schools. They have locations everywhere that are open to the public. NO SEX EDUCATION should be mandatory. It should be voluntary OFF SCHOOL GROUNDS.

Quoted from A Better Rotterdam

Seems the school district is doing their best to make everyone happy. When it comes to sex, this country is pretty much in the 1500's  mind set. Too bad we can't just talk about it like adults and take the taboo out of it. Oh well, at least I'm having fun

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CLIFTON PARK
Shen teachers pleased to lead sex ed classes
No timeline developed on return of Planned Parenthood
BY TATIANA ZARNOWSKI Gazette Reporter

    Six weeks after the Shenendehowa Board of Education opened the door for Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson to come back to teach part of a sex education unit, Shenendehowa teachers are content to teach the unit themselves.
    During a sex education controversy that lasted for the better part of a year, Shenendehowa health teachers restructured their sex education curriculum to teach a three-day segment themselves that Planned Parenthood educators used to teach.
    “The lesson went very well last year. They’re very happy with the way it went and they didn’t feel there was a need to go back,” said district spokeswoman Kelly DeFeciani.
    The plan didn’t specifically give Planned Parenthood the green light, but the organization took it as a sign that its relationship with Shenendehowa schools would continue, though there’s no timeline to do so. ........................>>>>..............................>>>>....................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....01101&AppName=1#

Quoted from Box A Rox

    Planned Parenthood educators give a three-day lesson on anatomy, abstinence, birth control,
sexually transmitted infections and healthy relationships. Shenendehowa’s sexual health unit lasts
for 10 days total.
    Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson educators teach the unit in 45 public schools in 12 counties.
    The organization also offers sex education information for parents and teens on its website,
http://www. plannedparenthood.org/ppmh/.

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