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Show Legislative Group Hears About Sex Education in Utah "Is it really true?" Robert L. Leake asked after showing several documents and newsletters news-letters concerning sex education educa-tion in Utah schools which have flooded the area since June of 1968. Mr. Leake, a health specialist special-ist on the Utah State Board of Education, posed the question to members of the Women's Legislative Council last Thursday. Thurs-day. He was introduced by Mrs. Marion J. Clark, education educa-tion chairman. Answering his own question, Mr. Leake said the accusations are not true in Utah. He used an overhead projector to show the documents and said that in general Utah schools were accused ac-cused of: using SEICUS produced pro-duced films and materials, films showing intercourse, and films on contraceptives. Promoting Pro-moting nude sensitivity programs pro-grams and explaining and condoning con-doning homosexuality. In actuality, he explained, the total "sex education" program in Utah schools, and they are not called that, are: sixth grade maturation program for girls where mothers attend with their daughters and the school nurse explains the menstruation menstrua-tion process; in junior high schools, growing and developing develop-ing into maturity with some discussion of venereal diseases and how they are contracted; in senior high school, physiology physiol-ogy and emotional understanding understand-ing of sex. "Actually," he said, "there probably is less so-called 'sex education' now than in the last 12 years." Mr. Leake also said that SEICUS materials have never been submittd to the board of education for use in the schools He explained that SEICUS was organized in 1964 and stands for Sex Education and Instruction Instruc-tion Council of the United States. Stat-es. Mr. Leake said that some confusion has arisen because SEICUS has given its stamp of approval on many films made prior to their organization and which already were in wide use. "Just because they are stamped approved by SEICUS is not reason to throw them out." Two such films he named nam-ed are "Human Reproduction" made by McGraw Hill and a-vailable a-vailable in the BYU library, and "Worth Waiting For," produced pro-duced by the LDS Church. Mr. Leake explained that the furor against sex education was raised first by the Christian Crusader and then political extremists. ex-tremists. He said SEICUS was first linked with a communist plot because one of its officials, offic-ials, Isadore Rubin, refused to take a loyalty oath when he was a teacher during the McCarthy era. In 1969 the John Birch Society and Robert Welch made public statements and joined the protest against sex education educa-tion labeling it a "filthy communist com-munist plot." Mr. Leake said that every complaint that comes into the state board of education is thoroughly thor-oughly investigated. "So far there has been no basis in fact to any of the complaints." He asked those present to put their trust in the schools, see that responsible men and women are elected to school boards, and go to the school principal immediately whenever there is a question of improper conduct concerning a teacher. A question and answer period per-iod followed Mr. Leake's address. ad-dress. The next meeting of the Women's Wo-men's Legislative Council will be Feb. 5. |