The Plymouth School Board plans to take a bit more time before introducing a bit of new curriculum to Junior High students.
During Tuesday night’s school board meeting, a proposal was considered that would introduce the PATH (Positive Approach to Teen Health) program. It’s sponsored by a non-profit organization out of Northwest Indiana and attempts to encourage positive health choices among students at the Junior High level.
Lincoln Junior High Principal Reid Gault says this is an area of need at the school.
“Their mission is to equip, empower, and encourage teens to make healthy choices through life skills, relationships, and character building,” says Gault.
The program was initially proposed to be implemented as part of Lincoln Junior High School’s science curriculum. 10 days would be used as part of those classes to teach students about topics such as healthy relationships, drugs, and sexual health.
An alternative approach is to teach is as part of a health class. Drawbacks are faced with that approach, however, because only a portion of the student body would receive the information.
The program is abstinence-based according to representatives of the non-profit organization. They say, however, they attempt to use scientifically-backed information in their curriculum.
School Board President Todd Samuelson says he’s not comfortable with the plan as presented.
“Two weeks is a big chunk of time and I would rather have some knowledge of what does that do to their curriculum,” says Samuelson.
The classes are designed to be implemented a little later this spring, April was mentioned.
School board members tabled the matter for consideration at their next meeting to discuss the curriculum change with science teachers at Lincoln Junior High. Allowances for opt-outs were also discussed.
