Sexual Health Education

Sexual Health Education Policies in Florida School Districts

In Florida, district school boards are constitutionally and statutorily charged with determining how they will implement statute. All materials used for specified instruction relating to reproductive health to be approved by the Department of Education. (HB 1069). Policies and curriculum regarding family life instruction and prevention and control of disease are determined at the district level and reflect the values and concerns of the community as well as the needs of students. Brevard Public Schools provides abstinence-plus sexual health education instruction. According to s. 1003.42 (3) Florida Statutes, students can be exempted from the teaching of reproductive health or disease prevention education upon request from their parents.

Family Life & Disease Prevention

Instruction in reproductive health, family life and the prevention and control of disease must be age and grade appropriate. The following Florida Statutes address the specified health education instruction:

Section 1003.41, Florida Statutes (F.S.) – State Academic Standards
Section 1003.42(2)(o), F.S. – Required Instruction:
- Subsection (35) of this statute allows any student whose parent makes a written request to the school principal to be exempted from the teaching of reproductive health or any disease, including HIV/AIDS, its symptoms, development, and treatment. A student exempted by this subsection may not be penalized by reason of that exemption.
Section 1003.46, F.S.  – Health education; instruction in acquired immune deficiency syndrome
- Subsection (1) allows each school district to provide age and grade appropriate instruction related to acquired immune deficiency syndrome as a specific area of health education.
- Subsection (2) provides specifications for certain components of health education.

Florida Statute 1003.46 Health education; instruction in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

(1) Each district school board may provide instruction in acquired immune deficiency syndrome education as a specific area of health education. Such instruction may include, but is not limited to, the known modes of transmission, signs and symptoms, risk factors associated with acquired immune deficiency syndrome and means used to control the spread of acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The instruction shall be appropriate for the grade and age of the student and shall reflect current theory, knowledge, and practice regarding acquired immune deficiency syndrome and its prevention.

(2) Throughout instruction in acquired immune deficiency syndrome, sexually transmitted diseases, or health education, when such instruction and course material contain instruction in human sexuality, a school shall:

(a) Teach abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage as the expected standard for all school-age students while teaching the benefits of monogamous heterosexual marriage.

(b) Emphasize that abstinence from sexual activity is a certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, including acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and other associated health problems.

(c) Teach that each student has the power to control personal behavior and encourage students to base actions on reasoning, self-esteem, and respect for others.

(d) Provide instruction and material that is appropriate for the grade and age of the student.

Human Trafficking

Did you know?

Florida is third in the nation for reported human trafficking cases.

What is Human Trafficking?

Human Trafficking, under both federal and Florida law, is defined as the transporting, soliciting, recruiting, harboring, providing or obtaining of another person for transport; for the purposes of forced labor, domestic servitude or sexual exploitation using force, fraud and/or coercion. Human trafficking is modern slavery.

There are approximately 30 million people enslaved throughout the world with 2.5 million located right here in the United States.

Many of these victims are lured with false promises of financial or emotional security; instead, they are forced or coerced into commercial sex (prostitution), domestic servitude or other types of forced labor.
Any minor under the age of 18 who is induced to perform a commercial sex act is a victim of human trafficking according to U.S. law, regardless of whether there is force, fraud or coercion. Increasingly, criminal organizations, such as gangs, are luring children from local schools into commercial sexual exploitation or trafficking.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, every two minutes a child is trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation in the United States.

Pursuant to State Board of Education Rule 6A-1.094124, Florida Administrative Code, Required Instruction Planning and Reporting, school districts must annually provide instruction to students in grades K-12 related to child trafficking prevention and awareness. Using the health education standards adopted in Rule 6A-1.09401, F.A.C., Student Performance Standards, the instruction for child trafficking prevention will advance each year through developmentally appropriate instruction and skill building. Age-appropriate elements of effective and evidence-based programs and instruction to students in grades K-12 related to child trafficking prevention and awareness and must address, at a minimum, the following topics:

Recognition of signs of human trafficking.
Awareness of resources, including national, state and local resources.
Prevention of the abuse of and addiction to alcohol, nicotine, and drugs.
Information on the prevalence, nature, and strategies to reduce the risk of human trafficking, techniques to set healthy boundaries, and how to safely seek assistance; and
Information on how social media and mobile device applications are used for human trafficking.

How to Report

Children and adults can be victims of human trafficking. “If you see something, say something.”

Florida Abuse Hotline - 1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873)
If You See Something, Say Something 1-855-FLA-SAFE (1-855-352-7233)
Local Law Enforcement - 911
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Cyber Tipline
National Human Trafficking Hotline - 1-888-373-7888
BeFree Textline Text "BeFree" (233733)

Resources

Florida

National

For more information and resources, please visit the FLDOE Human Trafficking webpage: Human Trafficking.

Florida Statute - Human Trafficking

Opting Out

A parent of a public school student may also request that their child be excused from: The teaching of reproductive health or any disease, including HIV/AIDS. Each district school board must establish a policy enabling a parent to object to a child’s use of a specific instructional material and a process enabling parents to contest the district school board’s adoption of a specific instructional material.

According to Florida Statute 1003.42, section (3):

“Any student whose parent makes written request to the school principal shall be exempted from the teaching of reproductive health or any disease, including HIV/AIDS, its symptoms, development, and treatment. A student so exempted may not be penalized by reason of that exemption. Course descriptions for comprehensive health education shall not interfere with the local determination of appropriate curriculum which reflects local values and concerns.”

Visit the tabs at the top of this website for each specific grade band to review the opt-out information and parent informational letter.

Mollie Vega, Director, Secondary Programs

Vega.mollie@brevardschools.org

321-633-1000 ext. 11310

Danielle O'Reilly, Content Specialist

K-12 Health/PE, Driver Education, and JROTC

oreilly.danielle@brevardschools.org

321-633-1000 ext. 11387