Instructional emphasis in family life and sex education: viewpoints of students, parents, teachers and principals at four grade levels.

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to assess and compare the opinions of four population groups -- students, parents, teachers and principals -- concerning the amount of teaching emphasis that should be given to family life and sex education at school grades three, six, nine and twelve. The population was derived from a large, county school corporation in north central Indiana. A large proportion of each population at each grade supported at least some instructional emphasis about the topic, with nearly a majority or more of the subjects of most of the 16 populations favoring major teaching emphasis. Some differences in endorsement among the populations and sub-populations (male vs. female students) at each grade and among the four grades were found.