Many, but not all, counties have formulated policies with regards to sex education.

In most cases, the actual text of these policies is a version of the Georgia Law and Board of Education Rule. To find out if your county has a policy go to our Local County Policy document. If you find that our information is outdated, please let us know.

How to change the sex education curriculum in your county

 Make sure that your county has a Committee that reviews sex/AIDS education curricula and instructional materials. Become a member of the committee or make sure that people you trust are on the committee. Talk to sex education teachers on or off the committee about your concerns, and what you think can be done. Involve members of the community, who should also be on the committee. Make sure there are student representatives on the committee.

 If your local school board does not have a policy, or if you think the current policy is limiting your child’s sex education, mobilize other parents, go to school board meetings. We are here to help you!

Change is Coming!?

In several counties in Georgia, community groups have taken action for change during these last years. In Athens-Clarke County, it began as the result of the concerns of the Public Health epidemiologists over the high teen pregnancy rates. OneAthens Teen Pregnancy Prevention Implementation Team was made up of many different parts of the community and looked at teen pregnancy, not only as an individual concern, but that of the whole community, as well. The higher drop-out rate from high school is not the only worry; the cost of teen pregnancy can be calculated for each county and is based on less tax revenue, more public assistance and child welfare, more medical costs etc. (National Campaign By The Numbers, 2006)

The Athens-Clarke County community action recommended to the school board the implementation of comprehensive sex education, and in January 2009 the county adapted F.L.A.S.H as the first comprehensive sex education curriculum in the state of Georgia.

Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (G-CAPP) was part of the community campaign in Athens-Clarke County, and they have taken their experiences to three areas of the state in the Taking Time for Teens program: the Northwest (Dalton and surrounding counties), the Southeast (Savannah and surrounding counties) and the Southeast (Albany and surrounding counties). See also their brochure and Advocacy Toolkit.

However, change has been slow. It is important that the community gets involved if progress is to be made, and remember that you, as a parent, have an especially strong voice when it comes to your school and school board policies.