What's The Best Way To Teach About Puberty?

Daniel Stover has a fourth-grade daughter at Eisenhower Elementary. As part of a Family Life class, students watched a video Friday called The New Improved Me: Understanding Body Changes.

The video is divided into two parts—"Boy into Man" and "Girl into Woman"—and students watched both parts.

“I’m not sure why she needs to see the boys’ part,” he told school board directors Thursday.

Like other parents, Stover screened the video beforehand when the school offered the opportunity. He didn’t like what he called “graphic depictions” of male genatalia, semen production and ejaculation. He thought children should watch only the video pertaining to their own sex.

Stover, who said he is otherwise pleased with the school, also didn’t like fourth-graders being shown a video advertised to “give young teens an information-packed explanation of male and female body changes.” At least one store recommended it for fifth through ninth grades.

A panel that included parents reviewed and approved the video in about 2004, said Diane Schimelpfenig, the district’s director of teaching, learning and assessment. She added that she hasn’t heard complaints about the video in her four years at her current job or in the years she spent as an elementary school principal.

However, the health and physical education curriculum is due soon for another review. As part of that review, the video will be examined to see whether it's the best or most appropriate way to teach children about their growing bodies. Schimelpfenig and other district staff are also meeting Monday to discuss the video.

“We certainly are interested in parents’ response,” she said.