Sexuality Education: An Overview for Independent Schools October 2017 Miguel G. Marshall Sara Silverio Marques Justine Ang Fonte Amy Patel National Association of Independent Schools 1 Contents About the Authors ...................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... 4 Disclaimer .................................................................................................................. 5 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 6 What May Be the Role of Independent Schools? ............................................................ 9 Consider Some of the Background ....................................................................................... 11 Consider Some Key Terms ................................................................................................... 13 Consider Some of the Controversy ....................................................................................... 15 Consider Some Options ...................................................................................................... 16 What Has Been the Dialogue on Sexuality Education? .................................................. 17 What Is Sexuality Education? ..................................................................................... 20 Abstinence-Only Sexuality Education .................................................................................. 23 Abstinence-Plus Sexuality Education ................................................................................... 24 Comprehensive Sexuality Education .................................................................................... 25 Effective Practice ................................................................................................................ 27 Ensuring Developmental Appropriateness..................................................................................... 28 Developmentally Responsive Educational Strategies Assessment Tool ......................................... 29 What Are the Goals and Intended Outcomes of Sexuality Education? ............................ 34 Comprehensive Sexuality Education .................................................................................... 34 Abstinence Sexuality Education .......................................................................................... 38 Risks and Potential Negative Effects of Sexuality Education Programs .................................. 38 Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 39 Implementation: Potential Considerations for Independent Schools ............................. 40 References ............................................................................................................... 43 Resources ................................................................................................................. 51 National Association of Independent Schools 2 About the Authors Miguel G. Marshall is the former interim executive director of the Independent School Health Association (ISHA) and the foremost subject-matter expert on “school health in independent schools.” With 15 years of experience working with youth in a variety of settings, including independent schools, Marshall has taught, educated, collaborated, presented, researched, and published on topics and initiatives that advance schools’ commitments to the “whole child.” His research led to a proposal of the first NAIS Principles of Good Practice for School Health in Independent Schools. Marshall most recently served on the NAIS-TABS Task Force for Educator Sexual Misconduct. He led the development of the first national survey of student health, wellbeing, and grit in independent schools, keynoted the first Independent School Health Conference, and served as a member of the planning committees for the Independent School Health and Wellness Summit and the Northeast Independent Schools Mindfulness Conference. Marshall earned his Master of Arts and Doctor of Education degrees in health education from Columbia University. Sara Silverio Marques has more than 15 years of experience in youth development, including designing, implementing, and evaluating innovative ways to improve the health of young people in the United States and abroad. Her current work focuses on the health and developmental implications of early-life adversity on children as the director of strategic initiatives at the Center for Youth Wellness in San Francisco. Prior to this role, Silverio Marques was a research scientist and Ford Foundation fellow at the Public Health Institute’s Center for Research on Adolescent Health and Development, where she focused on adolescent sexual health and rights, web-based sexuality education, and the use of research to inform policy and program development. She earned her Doctor of Public Health degree from the University of California, Berkeley where her studies concentrated on the conceptualization and practice of developmentally appropriate sexuality education. Silverio Marques also holds a Master of Public Health from George Washington University. Justine Ang Fonte is a sexuality educator and social justice activist working in both public and private schools. Her work as a teacher began in middle school mathematics, which gave her the groundwork to understand the administrative structures in school systems. She experienced first-hand the negative impact that insufficient health care and access had on her math students’ learning. She received her Master of Education in teaching from the University of Hawai`i and Master of Public Health from Columbia University with a specialization in sexuality. She is currently the director of health and wellness at The Dalton School (NYC), teaching health to the student, parent, and faculty communities. She also works as a consultant and speaker to schools and universities on feminist-based health education across the United States. Amy Patel is the Medical Director at Phillips Academy (MA). A graduate of Tufts University and the University of Vermont College of Medicine, she went on to complete a combined residency program in internal medicine and pediatrics. She has worked in a variety of settings as a physician, medical director, and health IT startup cofounder prior to joining the Phillips Academy community in 2012. She is a member of the Sports Medicine Advisory Council for the New England Prep School Athletic Council and co-director of the Independent School Health Association. Patel’s professional interests are rooted in the belief that adolescence to early adulthood is a crucial time in a person’s life for developing lifelong healthy habits, and she believes that everyone deserves access to quality health care and evidence-based, inclusive health education. National Association of Independent Schools 3 Acknowledgements The authors would like to acknowledge and thank Debra Wilson, NAIS’s general counsel, whose foresight, input, reflectivity, collaboration, experience, and emphasis on proactively healthy schools initiated this work and enabled its publication. The authors would also like to thank Bridget Janicki, NAIS’ editor, for her stylistic contributions, editing, and thoughtful review of this document. National Association of Independent Schools 4 Disclaimer This document (the “Document”) is authored by Miguel G. Marshall, Sara Silverio Marques, Justine Ang Fonte, and Amy Patel (the “Authors”) in their collective capacity. Opinions expressed in the Document are the Authors’ own and do not reflect the view of the National Association of Independent Schools, Independent School Health Association, Center for Youth Wellness (Public Health Institute, UC Berkeley), The Dalton School, Phillips Academy or any employee, student, parent, or volunteer thereof. The document and research does not reflect an academic-level, formal, documented, or systematized review of the literature on any topic. All peer-reviewed literature cited in this document was retrieved from Columbia University Libraries and, therefore, may be limited to the holdings of those libraries. Although the final publication of the Document reflects a collaborative endeavor, the references supporting information in the Document may reflect biases of the author who selected those references and that author’s interpretation of those references. Although the Document cites publications and peer-reviewed, academic literature, it does not represent a comprehensive review of research or literature on any topic(s) and it undoubtedly excludes reference to resources that may be helpful to readers. Additionally, the contents of the Document, such as text, graphics, images, and other material contained herein are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical and/or legal advice; the Document is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical, psychological, legal, insurance, or risk-management advice. Finally, information contained in the Document does not address teaching to students with intellectual disabilities. Further, because there is a dearth of academic literature pertaining to independent schools, it is important to note that research gathered for the Document is mostly reflective of studies completed within and implementations