A Dangerous Piece of a Controversial Curriculum
Back to school for K-6 teachers in Alberta involves teaching the new Physical Education and Wellness curriculum. There has been a lot of controversy around the entirety of the new draft curriculum since it was leaked over a year ago. Some of the public’s concerns are currently being addressed and reworked, but there is a piece that slipped through the cracks which is currently part of the grade 6 Physical Education & Wellness curriculum that is actually quite dangerous. Whether you are from the province or are reading this from the other side of the world, this discussion is important because it is a reflection on the reality that false messages about sex are still being mandated, and that systemically, sexual health education in schools needs a lot of improvements.
Read on to learn what this curriculum outcome is, why it can be dangerous, what it says about the state of sex education, and how it can be effectively approached from the perspective of a sexual health educator - me!
What is the problematic curriculum outcome?
This is the whole picture that includes the specific outcome I am addressing in this piece:
I do not necessarily have any complaints with most of it (beyond the fact that sex-ed in our schools should be much more comprehensive and should be developed with the help of sexual health educators) but the part that is problematic is this sentence:
“Birth control and natural family planning can help prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.”
Specifically the part that states that natural family planning can prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
I am sure others noticed this and took action to try to make change, but I also think it slipped through the cracks because there was A LOT going on when the draft curriculum was introduced. The proposed Social Studies curriculum was the opposite of inclusive (it was completely racist and centered around white narratives), teachers and other stakeholders were not consulted, and school staff was expected to shoulder the huge burden of successfully implementing new content in each and every subject after an extremely difficult past few years full of budget cuts and overall underappreciation & lack of support from the provincial government.
As a Board Member of the Alberta Society for the Promotion of Sexual Health, I was asked by the communications officer for the Alberta NDP to speak at a press conference about this as their sexual health expert, but unfortunately with so much going on it did not materialize. So I am sharing my personal thoughts here! Sadly I won’t be standing next to Janis Irwin while I do so, but I am writing this while next to my dog, so that is nice too. However, on my personal website I can let loose a little bit more than I would have in front of reporters, so let’s get into it!
Why is this part of the curriculum dangerous?
Okay, so mandating that schools teach that “natural family planning can prevent STIs” is dangerous because it is completely false! Natural family planning has nothing to do with STI prevention.
Natural family planning (NFP) is a type of fertility awareness through which you observe the signs of the menstrual cycle to note when you are fertile and when you are not and ultimately base your sexual activity around that, depending on if you are trying to avoid conception or if you are trying to get pregnant. No matter how you utilize NFP it will not prevent STI transmission unless you are 100% abstinent regardless of whether you are fertile or not. The only way to prevent the transmission of STIs is to practice abstinence from all forms of sexual activity or to use barrier methods (ie. condoms and dental dams) when engaging in sexual activity.
It is dangerous to teach grade 6 students this for a couple of reasons, the obvious first one being that it is false, you can still contract an STI, even if you were planning sex around specific times in your menstrual cycle. The second reason is that this isn’t an age appropriate skill to be teaching to students who may not have had their first period yet, and even if they have, it is likely not regular and predictable. Thirdly, students should have more knowledge and behavioral skills in their arsenal to help them prevent STI transmission. They deserve to know exactly how STIs are spread, how to prevent them, what common signs of STIs are, where to go for support, and what treatment can look like.
If we are avoiding teaching these behavioral skills, it is likely that this outcome in the curriculum will actually result in higher rates of STIs across the province, specifically in this age group. This can have severe health consequences, especially if students are expecting their behaviors to have prevented STIs and are not taught to recognize symptoms - a typically manageable infection could go undetected and untreated.
Practicing natural family planning will not prevent STI transmission. You can contract a sexually transmitted infection if you are engaging in any form of sexual activity regardless of if you are fertile or not. Students deserve to be taught what behaviors actually put them at risk of contracting an STI and how to properly prevent this.
What does this outcome say about the state of sex education in the province?
Sexual health education has always been caught at the intersection of political and moral. This new curriculum is no exception.
When we were planning the press conference, I was instructed not to touch on religion, but since we are on my blog now, I am going to bring up how it is deeply rooted in all of this!
Natural family planning has a religious application. It is different from all other forms of fertility awareness because it is the only method of contraception beyond abstinence that is approved by the catholic church.
In the catholic religion it is considered a sin to use any form of contraception, including barrier methods that help reduce STI transmission like condoms and dental dams. The idea is that you do not engage in any sexual activity until marriage (you practice abstinence) and that when you do have sex within the sanctity of this union, it will be with only one person and the goal will be to reproduce in the presence and image of God. So through this lens, practicing natural family planning with your one and only sexual partner once you are married will be enough to stop the spread of STIs because neither of you would have been at risk for STI transmission previously.
We know that is not a realistic expectation for everyone. Also, this is the curriculum for the public school system, not catholic. Although, in Alberta there isn’t much of a difference because catholic schools are expected to follow the same curriculum “through their own religious lens” and are fully funded by the provincial government.
We have to educate our students and give them the information and skills to think critically for themselves. Sexuality is individual. Sex-ed should not be biased or influenced by what one political party or religious entity wants to disseminate - it should be based in fact.
How can this curriculum outcome be effectively approached?
If you are feeling lost or overwhelmed in preparing to teach your students about sex, please contract a sexual health educator to provide you with the facts or to speak with your class. It is okay to feel like you do not know all the answers or to feel uncomfortable teaching your students such a sensitive topic, that’s where the specialists can help!
Sexual health educators like me are up-to-date on the research in the field of sexual health, we are practiced in adjusting our lessons to each group’s specific needs, we are accustomed to teaching within the curriculum, and one of our specialties is building a sense of trust and rapport with classrooms.
This outcome is part of the curriculum, it has been mandated to be taught to your grade 6 classroom. That’s okay, if we arm your students with all the information they need to make an informed decision we can follow the curriculum and also reduce the potential for harm from the false statement.
We encourage this with all options when it comes to sexual activity - present them as options. Practicing abstinence is a very valid and very valuable choice for some people. It may not be for everyone. Natural family planning may work for you as a form of birth control or family planning when you are ready for it, but you may also like further protection from unintended pregnancy and STIs if you are desiring to engage in sexual activity. Let’s talk about the other options like condoms, dental dams, finger cots, the pill, the IUD, where to go to get tested for STIs, etc.!
If talking about this is outside of your comfort zone or scope, please contract or refer to someone who specializes in this. There are many valuable resources in and around Edmonton that offer sexual health education, STI presentations and screening, birth control options, and more. Whatever you do, please do not spread misinformation about sex. It can be dangerous and can have a direct effect on the health of your students. Natural family planning cannot prevent STIs, but proper education and support can!