NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — The Niagara Falls City School Board voted nearly unanimously on Thursday to adopt a sweeping overhaul of the sex education and health curriculum, which will shift from abstinence-only in favor of a more comprehensive approach.
With an 8-1 vote, the board approved the "Healthy Behavior Program and Be Proud, Be Responsible" curriculum, which will expand the program to include education about contraception, including condoms, as well as sexually transmitted diseases. The Community Health Center will also provide mobile units at Niagara Falls High School to offer contraceptives and mental health services.
Superintendent Mark Laurrie, who played a large role in crafting the new curriculum, said the new program will boost not just sex education, but also mental and physical health services within the district.
Sex education is of particular concern, however, since the latest state data showed about one in 10 teenage girls became pregnant in at least two Niagara Falls zip codes.
"At this point in Niagara Falls, we need to do something," Laurrie said in an interview before the meeting. "I don't think this is revolutionary, but I think it's a real cultural shift in the way we've been approaching teens and educating teens for the past number of years."
Laurrie said he'll ask the board next year to approve a contract with an outside service provider to objectively analyze the new program and chart its progress. Laurrie indicated he'd like to see an evaluation done on a six-month basis.
The proposal approved by the board on Thursday enjoyed broad support from many parents and students over the past few months, as the district held multiple public forums about the issue. The district has discussed the idea of a new sex ed curriculum dating back to 2015, when a survey of students found a significant need for updated education.
Only one board member objected to the measure, citing a discomfort with the possible involvement of Planned Parenthood.
The new policy will allow parents to opt their students out of the curriculum if they'd like.
"We will ask them to just say, 'I'm opting my child out of this.' They can go to the library, and they don't need to get information from school," Laurrie said. "They'll get it from home, I hope."
For the rest of the students, the new policy and curriculum will be implemented next month.