NJ's Sex Ed. Curriculum Is 'A Model, Not A Mandate:' Middletown Admin

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — For those who were not able to attend, below is a recording of the first parent information session, held last Wednesday at High School South, for Middletown public school parents to learn what exactly will be taught in the health/physical education curriculum starting this year.

This was the first of two public sessions; the second will be this Wednesday night, Aug. 31, at 6:30 p.m. this time at Middletown High School North.

The parent information session was led by Jessica Alfone, Middletown's new assistant curriculum superintendent.

Alfone started off the presentation by saying that New Jersey school districts have the autonomy to create their own health/physical education/sex education curriculum.

"Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation out there," Alfone began. "Districts have the autonomy to write a curriculum ... Every district has the autonomy to choose a program that fits their needs. The state does not pass down a curricula."

"There is the expectation you be aligned to state standards," she did say. "(But) there is no program where the state says, 'You must do this.'"

Alfone emphasized this 66-page sex education/heath/phys ed. curriculum requirement document from the Department of Education "is a model, not a mandate. We have taken none of that model in Middletown and applied it to our curricula."

In late July, DOE communications director Laura Fredrick told the Bergen Record that school districts will be required to teach the new sex education guidelines.

"The state never said their model curriculum was required," said Middletown schools superintendent Mary Ellen Walker. "The state requires districts to teach the standards for health. Middletown’s curriculum aligns with those standards, and we are in compliance with the NJDOE requirements. The state created a model curriculum. It is just that, a model, not a requirement. Middletown chose to create our own curriculum, as we do with all of our curricula."

Alfone's statements last week echo what state Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), who chairs New Jersey Senate Education Committee, said back in April, when he said New Jersey's controversial new sex education standards should be thought of as a "guide" and said school districts don't have to use specific wording provided by the state.

"The mandate does allow for parental choice with any of the health content," Alfone continued last Wednesday night.

That's why, she said, all Middletown parents were sent forms last week asking them to opt their children into all the health/physical education classes. Middletown is one of the first school districts in the state to require parents send back opt-in forms for students to take this year's health/physical education classes. These forms are required for students in all grades, from K-12.

This is exactly the health/physical education curriculum taught in Middletown schools this year: https://patch.com/new-jersey/m...

You ca watch last week's information session here:

Related: NJ Senate Education Chairman: Sex Ed Curriculum Is A 'Guide' (April 2022)