Volume 19, Issue 4
Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
TownTimes.com
Game on!
‘Controversial’ sex ed topics in health class cause stir By Mark Dionne Special to the Town Times
Claire Overton, 5, (center) was one of the eager Little Leaguers who participated in Opening Day ceremonies in Durham on Saturday. More photos on pages 24 & 25. Photo by Christine Foster
Board of Education members addressed a parental complaint, at their April 25 meeting, about a recent health class concern. According to a parent, the subject of fetishes came up during the sex ed portion of health class, upsetting her daughter. This discussion was led by a group called AIDS and Sexual Health Awareness (ASHA), which has led classes in the district for the past 15 years. “I think that it was handled well based on my meeting with the health teacher,” said Superintendent Sue Viccaro. The controversial subjects came not from instructors but from student questions, according to Viccaro. “Students were gener-
Friday, May 4, 2012
ating topics that they wanted to talk about, and there were some topics that came up that certainly were very controversial.” Viccaro told the BOE that the health teacher refocused the discussion on “the curricular areas that they were supposed to be talking about,” which includes prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. “You can never predict what a student is going to bring up in your classroom.” BOE member Elizabeth Gara questioned whether the regular health teacher would do a better job controlling the discussion and recognizing student needs. “My recommendation is not to use this group.” See Sex ed, page 10
Red and yellow and pink and green...
Korn Elementary School students celebrated April Spirit Day by dressing in the colors of the rainbow. Student senators chose the theme of the day and took a photo of the entire school in the shape of a rainbow. The spirit of the student body brightened the gray April morning. Submitted by Eileen Chupron