Comprehensive Sex Education

Sex education is violence prevention.

Comprehensive sex education enables students to learn about consent and determine their boundaries in a neutral environment. Effectively taught sex educations empowers students to gain the knowledge, confidence, and communication skills to make healthy relationship choices and seek support if a relationship is harmful. Comprehensive sex education is violence prevention because our students are taught to stay true to their values and boundaries, identify when consent is given, and communicate effectively.

Comprehensive sex education looks like: 

• medically accurate, age-appropriate information about both abstinence and safer sex practices

• information on contraception and condoms as effective ways to reduce unintended pregnancy and STIs 

• information about healthy relationships, communication skills, and human development, among other topics

• learning facilitated in a culturally relevant, age, and developmentally appropriate manner by instructors trained to respectfully engage diverse students

Why is this important…?

We believe that having open, honest conversations with young people about sexual health, identity, and communication is an essential approach to helping them develop healthier relationships, bodily autonomy, and eliminating domestic violence and gender inequity.

Comprehensive Sex Education reduces risk factors for marginalized youth. Young people who are members of communities impacted by racism, sexism, heterosexism, transphobia, and ableism experience a higher prevalence of sexual health risks because of lack of access to education and resources. In 2019, rates of teen pregnancy among BIPOC students were more than two times higher than those of white students. LGBTQ+ youth and youths with disabilities face a higher risk for STIs. Young people from low income households face a higher risk of HIV infection. Providing sex education that acknowledges different identities and experiences reduces health risks for all students.

Is your school or district ready to implement sex education…?

We consult with independent schools and school districts to institutionalize sex education in their system. This is a unique process based on each school or district’s needs and timeline but can look like: 

• Conducting an assessment on current education and curriculum, gaps, needs, and challenges

• Developing school policy 

• Selecting, scoping, and sequencing curriculum 

• Develop parent education materials and resources.

• Training and offering continued support to teachers to facilitate sex education.