As part of Integrated Science for 7th graders, students have a family living/human sexuality unit,
for which written parent permission is required in order for a student to participate.

Letter & Parent Permission/NonPermission Form
Return parentally signed, completed permission form to science teacher via your student.

The below letter (or a similar one) is sent home prior to the start of the unit.

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Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):

Your child is enrolled in a Health or Science class this semester. Included in these courses are units relating to family living and human sexuality in which human reproductive organs and their functions may be described, illustrated, or discussed.

This letter is to inform you of your right to request that your son or daughter be excused, due to religious beliefs or personal moral convictions, from any class which includes these subjects. These rights are included in Education Code Sections 51240 and 51550, but do not apply to descriptions or illustrations of human reproductive organs which may appear in a textbook, adopted pursuant to law, on physiology, biology, zoology, general science, personal hygiene, or health.

Any written or audiovisual material to be used in a class in which human reproductive organs and their functions and processes are described, illustrated or discussed, shall be available for inspection at the school office or the District Media Center.

These Code Sections are printed on the reverse side of this letter, along with a form to request that your child participate or be temporarily withdrawn from any class covering materials described in paragraph two above, during the time these subjects are being discussed. Please complete this form, sign it, and return it to your child’s Health or Science teacher as soon as possible.

If you require additional information about the course your student is taking, please request a teacher conference.

Sincerely,

Linda L. Calvin, Ph. D.
Associate Director, Pupil Services

HEALTH OR SCIENCE INSTRUCTION, FAMILY LIFE AND SEX EDUCATION

The California Education Code states that:

Section 51550:

No governing board of a public or secondary school may require pupils to attend any class in which reproductive organs and their functions and processes are described, illustrated or discussed, whether such class be a part of a course designated “sex education” or “family life education” or by some similar term, or part of any other course which pupils are required to attend.

This section shall not apply to descriptions or illustrations of human reproductive organs which may appear in a textbook, adopted pursuant to law, on physiology, biology, zoology, general science, personal hygiene, or health.

Section 51240:

Whenever any part of the instruction in health, family life education, and sex education conflicts with the religious training and beliefs of the parent or guardian of any pupil, the pupil, on written request of the parent or guardian, shall be excused from the part of the training which conflicts with such religious training and beliefs.

As used in this section, “religious training and beliefs” includes personal moral convictions.

This request shall be valid for the school year in which submitted, and may be withdrawn by the parent or guardian at any time.

Pursuant to Sections 51550 and 51240 of the California Education Code, I request that my
son/daughter, _____________________________________

____Participate in the Family Living Education unit.

____Not participate in the Family Life Education unit.


Signature of Parent/Guardian_________________________________ __ Date_____________________


Return this form to your student’s science teacher by_______________________________
Until this form is returned, your child will be excluded from the program.