Schools adopt violence prevention program

On a 4-1 vote, the Sisters School Board has adopted a violence-prevention program for eighth-graders with the attention-drawing title "Safe Dates." This four-day module represents less than five percent of the health curriculum being taught to eighth graders, but it has drawn attention across the state from media ranging from OPB to the Associated Press.

Sisters Middle School health teacher Julie Patton said, "I had material for the younger grades, but I didn't have the material for the eighth grade. This material meets the need I have in my curriculum. This is something that I need to teach to be in compliance with state standards."

Patton noted that the focus on "dating" in the title may be a bit misleading.

"It should really be called Healthy Relationships," she said.

"This material has been adopted in all the schools in Marion County without a single parent complaint," said Yvonne Kays, the trainer hired by Deschutes County Health to help Patton roll out the program. Kays was responsible for the implementation of the program in Marion County. Bend-La Pine has recently adopted the program, and it is on Redmond's agenda for review.

Kate Moore, of Deschutes County Health Department, got a small grant to bring in this material to Deschutes County schools based on her interviews with school personnel and counselors, which indicated a concern with safe dating behavior and violence recognition and prevention.

"I selected this program because I felt like it was kind of a gap that was present in our schools," she said, adding that the focus is on empowering students to deal with their peers in various situations. "The program does not promote dating, but we try to reach students at middle school, before they begin dating."

In July of 2008, NPR reported that the Love Is Respect, The National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline survey showed that nine percent of 11- and 12-year-olds report their friends have had sex. Forty percent reported their friends have been verbally abused in relationships. And 20 percent of 12- and 13-year-olds say their friends have been victims of dating violence. The NPR article said, "If you're a parent, you probably think your child's relationship is pretty innocent and safe. Unfortunately this study also suggests that parent's views of their children's relationships are often pretty disconnected with reality."

Board member Cheryl Stewart cast the lone "no" vote. Stewart observed, "When I read through this, it seemed that the violence prevention theme was probably appropriate for eighth-graders, but the approach to violence prevention in the context of dating for 12-, 13- and maybe 14-year-olds seemed to me to be somewhat misplaced.

"The curriculum should be violence prevention in general ... talk about violence prevention in a much bigger context rather than violence prevention in dating for eighth-graders," said Stewart.

Stewart also expressed her concern that the program was being brought to the Sisters eighth-graders by an outsider (the consultant).

"I would much rather have you (Julie) teaching these very sensitive subjects to these kids so you can adapt and adjust according to our community. You know these kids. You know what they need; an outsider does not," said Stewart.

Patton noted that the consultant's job is to introduce the curriculum to both Patton and students in this first year.

"I really feel that this curriculum is a great avenue for opening up a dialogue about recognizing unhealthy relationships and (getting resources) to deal with the problem," Patton said.

The night following the school board presentation, Patton, along with Sisters High School health teacher Heather Johnson, put on an open house for parents where they could review the entire health curriculum from sixth to 12th grade. Patton has had only one parent opt out of the "Safe Dates" program.