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FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION
The Board of Education recognizes that family life education is an instructional area in which responsibilities are shared with parents and the curriculum must be consistent with the values and ideals of the home and other community institutions. Appropriately trained staff members having responsibility for implementation of this program must be aware of the school's role in relation to the home and other institutions and must do everything possible to ensure that the instruction provided is appropriate to the developmental level of the pupils and complementary to and supportive of the community's goals and expectations. The Board of Education shall maintain a family life education curriculum that provides materials suited to each grade level, presented in a manner intended to foster respect for the human body, an understanding of substance abuse and how it affects personal health and family life, and an understanding of how human sexuality affects personal and family relationships. The curriculum, developed under the supervision of the Superintendent or his/her designee with the active participation of teachers, administrators, pupils, parents/guardians, physicians, members of the clergy and representative members of the community, shall be in conformance with the Core Curriculum Content Standards and available to each school for review by members of the school community. An outline of the curriculum and list of instructional materials for the grades of their children shall be sent to parents/guardians annually. Any pupil whose parent/guardian presents to the school principal a signed statement that any part of the instruction in health, family life education or sex education is in conflict with their conscience, or moral or religious beliefs, shall be excused from that portion of the course where such instruction is being given, and no penalties as to credit, grade promotion, or graduation shall result there from. Independent study shall be directed during the time a pupil is excused from part of the program. The independent study shall include alternative topics that do not conflict with the parents/guardian's beliefs but all within the same subject area (i.e., comprehensive health education) as the program from which the pupil is excused. No penalties as to grade promotion, credit, or graduation shall result from such an exemption. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall establish an ad hoc committee to assist the professional staff review, evaluate, and recommend proposed changes in family life curriculum and instructional materials. The Board of Education, upon recommendation of the Superintendent or his/her designee, shall approve the content, sequence and materials of family life education. Date: April 14, 1986 October 29, 2001, First Reading November 19, 2001 Approved Legal References: N.J.S.A. 18A:35-4.6 through -4.8 Parents Right to Conscience Act of 1979 N.J.A.C. 6:8-2.1 Reporting requirements N.J.A.C. 6A:8-3.1 Curriculum and instruction N.J.A.C. 6A:8-4.2 Documentation of student achievement Pupil Protection Rights Amendment - 20 U.S.C. 1232h Manual for the Evaluation of Local School Districts (August 2000) Cross References: 1220 Ad hoc advisory committees 5131.6 Drugs, alcohol, tobacco (substance abuse) 5141.6 Crisis intervention 6122 Articulation 6140 Curriculum adoption 6142 Subject fields 6142.13 HIV prevention education 9130 Committees |
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