NORTHFIELD BOARD OF EDUCATION FILE CODE: 6142.1
Northfield, New Jersey Monitored
Mandated
Policy X Other Reasons
FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION
The Northfield Board of Education shall maintain a family life education curriculum that provides material suited to each grade level, presented in a manner intended to foster respect for the human body and an understanding of how human sexuality affects personal and family relationships in conformance with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
The curriculum, developed under the supervision of the Superintendent with the active participation of teachers, administrators, parents/guardians, and representative members of the community, shall be available to all parents/guardians. The board shall ensure compliance with all requirements of state and federal law concerning the content of the curriculum and distribution of materials. An outline of the curriculum and list of instructional materials for the grades of their children shall be made available to parents/guardians annually through the district website.
The Superintendent shall ensure that the curriculum developed is articulated to the elementary school, so that the transition from elementary to middle school will be easy for all students.
Any student whose parent/guardian presents to the school principal a signed statement that a lesson that is part of the instruction in health, family life education or sex education is in conflict with their conscience, or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs, shall be excused from the identified lesson (not the entire health, family life education or sex education course, only the identified lesson) where such instruction is being given, and no penalties as to credit or graduation shall result therefrom. An excused student shall be assigned to an alternate program of independent study on a substitute topic within the health education, family life education, or sex education program. The parent’s or legal guardian’s right of excusal applies to any alternate program as well. No excused student will be penalized by loss of credit as a result of his/her excusal, but a student will be held accountable for successful completion of any alternate program assigned. Any signed statement requesting excusal from a lesson that is part of health, family life education, or sex education course must be received by the school’s main office at least seven (7) days prior to the date that the lesson is scheduled to be taught. This will allow for the preparation of alternate assignments.
The board urges all parents/guardians to become familiar with these courses and to participate in their development.
The board of education alone, upon recommendation of the Superintendent shall determine the content, sequence and materials of family life education.
Adopted: No Date
NJSBA Review/Update: December 2009; December 2010, October 2022
Readopted: October 24, 2011
Key Words
Family Life Education
Legal References: N.J.S.A. 18A:35‑4.6
through ‑4.8 Parents Right to Conscience Act of 1979
N.J.S.A. 18A:35‑4.19
through ‑4.22 AIDS Prevention Act of 1999
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-3.1 Curriculum and instruction
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-4.2 Documentation of student achievement
N.J.A.C. 6A:32-12.1 Reporting requirements
Student Protection Rights Amendment – 20 U.S.C. 1232h
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-110, 20 U.S.C.A. 6301 et seq.
Possible
Cross References: *1220 Ad hoc advisory committees
*5131.6 Drugs, alcohol, tobacco (substance abuse)
5141.6 Crisis intervention
*6122 Articulation
*6140 Curriculum adoption
*6142 Subject fields
*6142.13 HIV prevention education
*9130 Committees
*Indicates policy is included in the Critical Policy Reference Manual.