Sex on the beach, the climax: Themes and recommendations from a study of school-based sexuality education changes in Florida

Recently, some Florida districts have changed from an abstinence-only approach to a more progressive form of sex-ed. The purpose of this study was to better understand the process of sex-ed curricular/policy change at local levels. We conducted a series of case studies involving multiple phases/data collection methods. First, sex-ed policies from all 67 Florida counties were reviewed to determine if a change occurred in the previous seven years. For each county identified, we conducted a media analysis of local newspaper articles and interviews with key informants. This presentation will summarize findings across the counties examined and provide recommendations for policy/curricular change. In each county, use of language was important. Each side framed their arguments using carefully crafted words intended to invoke a specific message (e.g., "abortion vulnerable," "gay agenda."). Fear was often employed as a tactic used to persuade others in public discourse, in the printed press and at well-attended school board meetings. This was true for those who favored the change (e.g., fear of poor health outcomes) and for those who opposed it (e.g., government intervention in personal matters). The conflicts surrounding the sex-ed changes, sometimes quite contentious, were constructed by key informants as a local battle of a larger culture war. Conflicts were described in terms of ideological differences, geographical origin, social status, and religious freedoms. While each county exhibited a unique set of challenges and arrived at change through very different strategies, there were common themes that arouse in each county.