7th Grade Health (Sexual Education / HIV Prevention) Parent Preview Night

Dear Rancho Parent/Guardian:

California state law, the California Healthy Youth Act, requires that comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education be provided to students at least once in middle school or junior high school and once in high school, starting in grade 7.

Instruction must encourage students to communicate with parents, guardians or other trusted adults about human sexuality. Instruction must be medically accurate, age‐appropriate and inclusive of all students. It must include the following:

• Information about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including transmission, effects on the human body, FDA approved methods to prevent HIV and STIs, and treatment
• Information that abstinence is the only certain way to prevent unintended pregnancy and HIV and other STIs, and information about value of delaying sexual activity
• Discussion about social views of HIV and AIDS including addressing unfounded stereotypes and myths
• Information about accessing resources for sexual and reproductive health care
• Information about pregnancy, including FDA approved prevention methods, pregnancy outcomes, prenatal care, and the newborn safe surrender law
• Information about sexual orientation and gender, including the harm of negative gender stereotypes
• Information about healthy relationships and avoiding unhealthy behaviors and situations including sexual harassment, sexual assault, adolescent relationship abuse, intimate partner violence, and sex trafficking

You can examine written and audiovisual instructional materials at our parent preview night:

Thursday, March 22^nd, 2018

6:00pm

Rancho Library

If you have questions, please see the teacher or principal. You may request a copy of the California Healthy Youth Act (California Education Code Sections 51930‐51939) by contacting the Irvine Unified School District office STEM Department at 949-936-5057.

This instruction will be provided by your child’s 7^th grade Science teacher.

State law allows you to remove your student from sexual health and HIV prevention education. If you do not want your student to participate in comprehensive sexual health or HIV prevention education, please give a written request to your child’s teacher by Friday, April 27, 2018.  Parents cannot opt their student out of other educational programs including anti-harassment, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, discrimination, bullying, relationships or family that does not discuss human reproductive organs and their functions

Sincerely,

Mike Modeer

Principal

Rancho Middle School