v:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} b:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} 12.00 281 7772400 10058400 259 261 257 276 262 279 1 0“““““““““““ 5 2 0 285 282 1 False 0 0 0 0 -1 304800 243 True 128 77 255 3175 3175 70 True True True True True 278 134217728 1 34 -9999996.000000 -9999996.000000 8 2105633 2105633 130600 0 8079405 8079405 1801059240 0 3196923 3196923 1750860776 11 2967783 2967783 66962152 0 13948636 13948636 741360104 28 11367680 11367680 447216040 0 8799318 8799318 161592744 0 16711679 16711679 8 0 Bluebird 22860000 22860000 (`@““““` 266 263 5 110185200 110185200 With rising trends and more pregnant teens than Freedom has ever seen, is adding sexual education into the school’s curriculum really such an eccentric idea? The school board has just recently approved sexual education to be taught at Freedom as part of the freshmen health classes in the fall. Some students feel as though the time has come for Freedom to get proactive about sexual education. "I think it’s a good idea, because obviously the pregnancy rate is really high. I think it’s for the best," said senior Erika Barlow. Mrs. Woods, Mr. Summers, and Mrs. Martz will each be teaching students about the anatomy of the male and female reproductive systems, STDs, forms of birth control, and legal issues regarding sex while, upon the school board’s request, adding a large emphasis on practicing abstinence. While the teachers are prepared for some parents to have an issue with this new addition, there has been a surprising amount of support for the plans. At one of two school board meetings, parents who were present actually pushed for the plans of sexual education. Freshmen will be able to opt out of this part of health class if their parents choose so. As of now, there’s yet to be any serious criticism surrounding the new class, although some students believe it may be pointless.Senior Julie Scheller believes that students already know the means of contraceptives, and sophomore Andrea Cary said, "It’s honestly not that different because we had a teeny tiny sex ed. class in freshman seminar." The school has also recently applied for a grant in order to "help get more supplies and potentially a guest speaker," said Mrs. Woods, who seems to have high hopes for the new class. Whether students and faculty believe this class will be seen as an improvement, a negative impact, or something that hardly makes a difference, informing students about subjects that will be taught in sexual education next year has the goal of equipping students with the knowledge needed in order to make informed decisions.