TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Nearly a dozen parents had made inquiries or opted children out of some health lessons as of Nov. 16, after the Westwood Regional School District wrote K-5 parents and guardians to give them background and options related to material in the new state health curriculum standards being implemented this year.
That’s according to interim superintendent Jill Mortimer, in advance of the district board meeting of Nov. 18, which is after our press time.
Per state law and district policy, parents can opt out of selected portions of the curricula, which are designed overall for health literacy.
Michael Kenduck, district director of school programs, wrote families Oct. 29 to say, “We understand that there might be a few of the new comprehensive health and physical education standards that make families feel uncomfortable. Parents and guardians have the option to excuse their child from selected portions of health lessons that might make their child feel uncomfortable,” writes in the letter.
Kenduck said, “If you prefer to have your child excused from portions of the elementary health curriculum, send a signed letter to the school principal stating the Lesson #/Title that you would like your child to be excused from.”
And he explained students who are excused from a health lesson “will be supervised and expected to engage in an alternative health related instructional activity.”
Kenduck said, “I want to convey that our instructional staff and school administration respects your personal choices with respect to your child’s elementary health education.”
The K-12 district, serving families in Westwood and the Township of Washington, says its health and physical education policy states: “In accordance with the provisions of [state statute], any student whose parent presents to the principal a signed statement that any part of the instruction in health, family life education, or sex education is in conflict with his/her conscience or sincerely held 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 or graduation shall result.”
Mortimer did not speak about the letter at the Oct. 28 board meeting beyond noting it would be sent Oct. 29.
Mortimer emailed Pascack Press Nov. 12, “The elementary health letter that parents received includes a public link to lesson plans that include the content that will be covered. The new state-mandated health standards will be implemented in December.”
On Nov. 16, she said 10 families had reached out so far.
Kenduck’s outreach highlights two lessons for grade 2 and two lessons for grade 5 as examples of the new state-imposed curriculum.
For Grade 2, lessons include “Your Body Is Private” which discusses medically accurate names for body parts, personal boundaries and trusted adults. Another Grade 2 lesson is, “I Am Special” and discusses gender and gender-role stereotypes.
For Grade 5, a lesson is “Growing Up” that discusses human sexual development, and “Growing Up: Identity” that discusses sexual orientation and gender identity.
Kenduck notes the New Jersey Department of Education requires all public school districts to teach the updated standards. Some standards are not new and were included as part of the 2014 Standards.
The state Department of Education explains online, New Jersey requires that all 1.4 million of its students “participate in a comprehensive sequential health and physical education program that emphasizes the natural interdisciplinary connection among wellness, health, and physical education.”
It says, “All students will acquire the knowledge and skills of what is most essential to become individuals who possess health and physical literacy and pursue a life of wellness by developing the habits necessary to live healthy, productive lives that positively impact their families, schools and communities.”
Kenduck’s letter provides links for parents to follow if they’re interested:
- New Jersey’s updated health standards,
- A curriculum guide, “The Great Body Shop,” published by The Children’s Health Market of Wilton, Conn., (“a pre-K–8th grade nationally recognized comprehensive health education resource”) which the district purchased to supplement its health education lessons,
- The district’s elementary health and physical education curriculum, and
- The district health and physical education policy.
A discussion of topics raised in the new state health education standards first occurred in late August when Westwood trustee Michelle Sembler, the board’s curriculum committee liaison, apprised members and parents.
A couple of parents expressed concern about the new standards at the August and September meetings but only one, from Washington Township, mentioned it at the Oct. 28 meeting. She said she wished the letter had gone out prior to the board meeting.
For more information, call Kenduck at (201) 664-0880 ext. 2070 or write to him at michael.kenduck@wwrsd.org.