New Sex Ed Curriculum Will Be Taught In Cherry Hill Schools

CHERRY HILL, NJ — The Cherry Hill Board of Education adopted a new sex education curriculum during a meeting on Tuesday evening.

Ever since Gov. Murphy called for the new curriculum earlier this year, many Cherry Hill Public School District parents have attended the board of education meetings to make their feelings about implementing it known. Some have supported it; others have not.

Farrah Mahan, a Cherry Public Schools District assistant superintendent, addressed parents' concerns regarding some of the words used in the new sexual education curriculum.

"Examples listed under the performance expectations ... [like] romantic and sexual feelings, masturbation, mood swings, the timing of pubescent onset, are just that, examples," she said.

"The Department of Education ... stated performance expectations are not required concepts that must be taught in class," Mahan continued.

"These are merely examples, and the the school district curriculum does not need to include specific words or concepts in order to meet the core ideas or performance expectations of the standards. Our curriculum does not use the language outlined in the examples," she said.

Another Cherry Public Schools District assistant superintendent, Kwame Morton, stated during the meeting that the new sexual education curriculum would emphasize students' personal and mental health, physical wellness and safety.

The new curriculum that the Cherry Hill Public School District adopted Tuesday evening will be on the Rubicon Atlas website, Morton added.

In addition, Cherry Hill Public School's Board of Education members have said they will each attend at least one of the district's upcoming Back to School Nights to answer parents' questions about the new sexual education curriculum.

Cherry Hill School District Superintendent Joseph Meloche, as well as others during the meeting, reminded parents that they can opt their child out of the new curriculum by contacting their child's school.

Students whose parents opt them out would likely work on a different activity within their school's library or during a study hall, according to Morton.

Got a news tip? Story idea? Send me an email with the details at janel.miller@patch.com.