By Elizabeth Lowe
Staff writer

Goodrich – Possible eighth-grade condom demonstrations sparked discussion June 13 when the school board met.
Demonstrating the ‘two-finger? condom application method to eighth and ninth-graders during sex education classes was the recommendation made by the school’s sex education advisory board.
The advisory board, comprised of parents, students, local clergy, and school administrators, was not entirely in agreement on the decision.
Parent Nancy Smith, an advisory board member, cast the lone vote against the changes.
‘I don’t have a problem with (eighth-graders) asking what a condom is,? said Smith. ‘I do have a problem with showing them and demonstrating them, at that level especially.?
Cindy Rivet, a Goodrich Middle School sex education teacher, says middle school students ask about condoms.
‘They see them in ads and want to know what they’re about,? said Rivet. ‘They make it appear they’re the best things since Jello and they’re not. We need to tell them that.?
Parent Victoria Whiting, who sat in on an advisory board meeting, felt members favored condom discussion rather than demonstration.
‘My take was the eighth-grade teachers wanted to say the word condom, not necessarily demonstrate them.?
‘This came from the parents and students,? said Goodrich schools superintendent Kim Hart, adding eighth-graders are sometimes already sexually active.
‘Students wanted it because they really felt ninth grade is too late.?
Of six students polled by The Citizen, four adamantly opposed the idea.
‘Eighth grade is too young,? said Leah Koby, 15. ‘They shouldn’t even be showing high school students that.?
‘Honestly, I think that’s a little too far for sex education in school,? said Jared Marchbanks, 15, who says he hasn’t seen condoms demonstrated in either Goodrich or Atherton schools curriculum.
‘If they really want to know they could ask their parents about it.?
Katie McCaughna, 15, feels it should be included in curriculum. ‘I think it’d be a good idea because kids now in high school start doing that,? she said.
Although condom application wasn’t demonstrated this year it’s already part of the ninth-grade curriculum, says Hart, stressing parents will be notified before the lesson and can opt out at any time.
Parents can also view curriculum materials before the lesson, she said, and students don’t touch condoms.
Abstinence instruction–like that given to high school students this year by speaker Jason Evert–should be the main sex education focus, said some parents, requesting he be part of GMS education.
Sex education materials are paid out of the school budget as part of the regular curriculum, but speakers are paid separately through fund-raisers, donations, or other means, says Hart.
Parent Teesha Lieber spoke in favor of giving students adequate information.
‘I used to work with the Midwest AIDS Prevention Project,? she said. ‘Studies show the more information given, the more likely (teens) will choose abstinence. Obviously abstinence is the first thing, but we can’t fool ourselves.?
Condoms won’t be promoted as birth control, says Rivet, but to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
‘What we need to push is what those STDs are and what condoms do not protect against,? said Whiting. ‘We need to push abstinence.?
The Goodrich Board of Education will decide on changes following a public hearing at the 6 p.m. June 20 meeting in the community room of Goodrich High School, located at 8029 S. Gale Road.

Condom conundrum
Goodrich eighth grade demonstration debated
By Elizabeth Lowe
Staff writer

Goodrich – Possible eighth-grade condom demonstrations sparked discussion June 13 when the school board met.
Demonstrating the ‘two-finger? condom application method to eighth and ninth-graders during sex education classes was the recommendation made by the school’s sex education advisory board.
The advisory board, comprised of parents, students, local clergy, and school administrators, was not entirely in agreement on the decision.
Parent Nancy Smith, an advisory board member, cast the lone vote against the changes.
‘I don’t have a problem with (eighth-graders) asking what a condom is,? said Smith. ‘I do have a problem with showing them and demonstrating them, at that level especially.?
Cindy Rivet, a Goodrich Middle School sex education teacher, says middle school students ask about condoms.
‘They see them in ads and want to know what they’re about,? said Rivet. ‘They make it appear they’re the best things since Jello and they’re not. We need to tell them that.?
Parent Victoria Whiting, who sat in on an advisory board meeting, felt members favored condom discussion rather than demonstration.
‘My take was the eighth-grade teachers wanted to say the word condom, not necessarily demonstrate them.?
‘This came from the parents and students,? said Goodrich schools superintendent Kim Hart, adding eighth-graders are sometimes already sexually active.
‘Students wanted it because they really felt ninth grade is too late.?
Of six students polled by The Citizen, four adamantly opposed the idea.
‘Eighth grade is too young,? said Leah Koby, 15. ‘They shouldn’t even be showing high school students that.?
‘Honestly, I think that’s a little too far for sex education in school,? said Jared Marchbanks, 15, who says he hasn’t seen condoms demonstrated in either Goodrich or Atherton schools curriculum.
‘If they really want to know they could ask their parents about it.?
Katie McCaughna, 15, feels it should be included in curriculum. ‘I think it’d be a good idea because kids now in high school start doing that,? she said.
Although condom application wasn’t demonstrated this year it’s already part of the ninth-grade curriculum, says Hart, stressing parents will be notified before the lesson and can opt out at any time.
Parents can also view curriculum materials before the lesson, she said, and students don’t touch condoms.
Abstinence instruction–like that given to high school students this year by speaker Jason Evert–should be the main sex education focus, said some parents, requesting he be part of GMS education.
Sex education materials are paid out of the school budget as part of the regular curriculum, but speakers are paid separately through fund-raisers, donations, or other means, says Hart.
Parent Teesha Lieber spoke in favor of giving students adequate information.
‘I used to work with the Midwest AIDS Prevention Project,? she said. ‘Studies show the more information given, the more likely (teens) will choose abstinence. Obviously abstinence is the first thing, but we can’t fool ourselves.?
Condoms won’t be promoted as birth control, says Rivet, but to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
‘What we need to push is what those STDs are and what condoms do not protect against,? said Whiting. ‘We need to push abstinence.?
The Goodrich Board of Education will decide on changes following a public hearing at the 6 p.m. June 20 meeting in the community room of Goodrich High School, located at 8029 S. Gale Road.