Did You Know ... that starting with entering freshman, high school health is required?
Parents Promoting Innocence
For the class of entering public school freshman, the class of 2011, high school health will be a graduation requirement.
For those of you who are not aware, “health” almost always includes sex education – often with very little emphasis on
abstinence (even when it’s called “abstinence-based” or “comprehensive”). Sometimes such courses even go to the
extreme of requiring students to shop for contraceptives or to put condoms on anatomical models. The information in
the courses may not be accurate or up to date, and will often talk about “protection” without explaining how limited the
so-called protection may be.
A requirement for “health and physical education” came about with the new graduation requirements law which was
passed by Michigan Legislature in 2006. (See Public Acts of 2006: Act No. 123, 124 and 623 which can be found on http:
//www.legislature.mi.gov/) “At least 1 credit in subject matter that includes both health and physical education aligned
with guidelines developed by the department and approved by the state board under section 1278b” is required
(excerpted from 124, among the other requirements created by these laws).
The Michigan Department of Education interpreted the requirements to require a half credit of health and a half credit of
PE for graduation. See http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/faq18_178610_7.pdf. More details about the Michigan
Merit Curriculum guidelines for health are available at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Health_MMC_178846_7.
pdf.
Many school districts will need to have a new sex ed curriculum reviewed by the sex education advisory board (which
must be at least half parents), whose decision is a recommendation to the district, and is not binding. (See a brochure
called Sex Education: Rights & Responsibilities in Michigan Law available at http://www.michiganfamily.org/main-
resources/publications/selaw-web.pdf, or look up the laws either PA 165 & 166 of 2004, or MCL 380.1169, 380.1506,
380.1507 and 388.1766.) By law, parents have a right to not only review the materials, but also to observe the
instruction.
Parents, please make sure you look at the books, videos, resources and other tools that your district will be using to
teach “health” to your children. Many times so-called "safer" alternatives are far from safe when it comes to STD
transmission. Parents need to investigate whether a sex education advisory board is meeting in their district, and find
out whether decisions are being made about the curriculum. If you wait until you hear about the plans in your community,
it will likely be too late to have input, and your only choice may be the awkward experience of “pulling” your child from
the this portion of the course if you disagree.
Parents who question the accuracy or appropriateness of the curriculum may be given the impression that they are in
the minority. Yet, when more local parents actually review curricula, they often disagree with the chosen approach.
Parents Promoting Innocence can help in keeping parents in your community updated with web postings, and may be
able to provide advice/support.
Nancy Couch, MD
drnancycouch@pol.net
For those of you who are not aware, “health” almost always includes sex education – often with very little emphasis on
abstinence (even when it’s called “abstinence-based” or “comprehensive”). Sometimes such courses even go to the
extreme of requiring students to shop for contraceptives or to put condoms on anatomical models. The information in
the courses may not be accurate or up to date, and will often talk about “protection” without explaining how limited the
so-called protection may be.
A requirement for “health and physical education” came about with the new graduation requirements law which was
passed by Michigan Legislature in 2006. (See Public Acts of 2006: Act No. 123, 124 and 623 which can be found on http:
//www.legislature.mi.gov/) “At least 1 credit in subject matter that includes both health and physical education aligned
with guidelines developed by the department and approved by the state board under section 1278b” is required
(excerpted from 124, among the other requirements created by these laws).
The Michigan Department of Education interpreted the requirements to require a half credit of health and a half credit of
PE for graduation. See http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/faq18_178610_7.pdf. More details about the Michigan
Merit Curriculum guidelines for health are available at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Health_MMC_178846_7.
pdf.
Many school districts will need to have a new sex ed curriculum reviewed by the sex education advisory board (which
must be at least half parents), whose decision is a recommendation to the district, and is not binding. (See a brochure
called Sex Education: Rights & Responsibilities in Michigan Law available at http://www.michiganfamily.org/main-
resources/publications/selaw-web.pdf, or look up the laws either PA 165 & 166 of 2004, or MCL 380.1169, 380.1506,
380.1507 and 388.1766.) By law, parents have a right to not only review the materials, but also to observe the
instruction.
Parents, please make sure you look at the books, videos, resources and other tools that your district will be using to
teach “health” to your children. Many times so-called "safer" alternatives are far from safe when it comes to STD
transmission. Parents need to investigate whether a sex education advisory board is meeting in their district, and find
out whether decisions are being made about the curriculum. If you wait until you hear about the plans in your community,
it will likely be too late to have input, and your only choice may be the awkward experience of “pulling” your child from
the this portion of the course if you disagree.
Parents who question the accuracy or appropriateness of the curriculum may be given the impression that they are in
the minority. Yet, when more local parents actually review curricula, they often disagree with the chosen approach.
Parents Promoting Innocence can help in keeping parents in your community updated with web postings, and may be
able to provide advice/support.
Nancy Couch, MD
drnancycouch@pol.net