Here they go again. Opponents of Scarborough health and sex education curriculum are back at it again, and this time their intent appears personal. Having lost the battle in the realm of public debate, several outspoken opponents of Scarborough’s health education curriculum have now, through this paper and other local papers, taken to personal attacks on the Scarborough School District’s superintendent. In reality though, their attacks are more than personal; they are attacks on families of students in Scarborough that have willingly participated in the district’s health program for middle-schoolers in the past and present as well as those that desire to do so in the future. They are also attacks on the teachers, nurses, and staff that have developed and are implementing a sex education curriculum that is recognized for meeting the state’s learning results guidelines.

Their attacks are also unfounded. The statistics are telling. This year 140 families have opted into Scarborough’s eighth-grade health curriculum while only 11 have opted out. In all the previous years the curriculum has been taught, only a handful of families have opted out. Additionally, very few public schools in Maine are utilizing the Heritage program, an abstinence only program that is touted by the opponents of Scarborough’s curriculum. In fact, at a school board public hearing in Scarborough this fall, Mary Schiavoni of the Heritage program indicated that only two public schools in Maine have participated in Heritage’s eight-hour program. That is two out of nearly 300 districts. It is clear that people are voting with their intellect and their feet.

Scarborough is not alone in rejecting the Heritage program. The state’s public health director, Dr. Dora Anne Mills, when explaining the state’s decision to not accept federal funding for the Heritage program, said “this money is more harmful that it is good.” With it, “you can’t talk about comprehensive reproductive information” (Portland Press Herald, Sep. 20, 2005). It was no surprise that in August of this summer, the Maine Department of Education notified all public school districts that the Heritage program falls short of meeting the state standards for health education.

It is time to bury the idea of a Heritage program in our public schools in the sand; perhaps in the same place that its supporters bury their heads when faced with the issues of sex and health education. For the group of families that wish such a program, there are plenty of outlets outside of public schools that might partner with you to offer a Heritage or similar program such as churches, non-profits and private entities. In the meantime, they should stop attacking and trying to undermine Scarborough’s curriculum that so many families value and benefit from.

Numerous parents and citizens rose and spoke at the public forum on Scarborough’s health education curriculum held this past summer by the school board and expressed strong support for the current health curriculum. In fact, these proponents considerably out-numbered those wishing to adopt a Heritage program. Many of those that spoke, including myself, made it clear that we would not sit idly by while a vocal minority attacks our school system and community. This holds true today. We appreciate all the hard work and dedication of our school health teachers, nurses and staff and their respect for the maturity and intelligence of our pre-teen and teenage citizens.

Jim Damicis

Scarborough