SIECUS CURRICULUM REVIEW SUMMARYNavigator: Finding Your Way to a Healthy and Successful FutureA Fear-Based Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Curriculum for High School Students

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SUMMARY: SIECUS REVIEW OF Navigator

In order to convince high school students to remain abstinent until marriage, Navigator relies on messages of fear and shame, inaccurate and misleading information, and biased views of marriage, sexual orientation, and pregnancy options. Navigator fails to provide important information on sexual health, and the format and underlying biases of the curriculum dictate specific values and discourage critical thinking. Ultimately, Navigator falls far short of helping young people develop the skills and knowledge they need to become sexually healthy adults.

RELYING ON NEGATIVE MESSAGES

Message of Fear and Shame— Trying to scare students and instill guilt.

  • Students are asked to brainstorm about the negative consequences of sex outside of marriage in each of four categories. Suggested answers include:

    Physical: Pregnancy, STDs, AIDS, Infertility, Cervical Cancer.

    Emotional: Emptiness, depression, low self-esteem, loneliness, broken heart, anger, bitterness, depression.

    Mental: Stress, worry, fear, regret, memories, pressure, confusion, distraction.

    Social: Bad reputation, loss of friends, rumors, gossip, poor grades, withdrawal, parental conflict.

    (Navigator, workbook, p. 34)

  • “Researchers have scientifically documented that viewing pornography actually changes the neurological structure of your brain. It can affect your character, your self-image, your view of others and of the world around you.” (Navigator, workbook, p. 24)

This focus on negative consequences is clearly designed to scare students rather than educate them. There is no scientific evidence to support the assertion that premarital sexual intercourse leads to everything from bitterness to confusion. According to recent studies, forty-seven percent of all high school students have had sexual intercourse. It is inappropriate and potentially harmful for education programs to imply that these teens lack self-control or self-respect or to suggest that they are less worthy of love, trust, and respect. This can only be damaging to these students and serve to alienate them from their peers and the program. Furthermore, the odd focus on pornography serves only to underscore the curriculum's messages of fear.

DISTORING INFORMATION

Sexually Transmitted Diseases— Misleading students

  • “Any kind of sexual activity can spread STDs from one person to another.” (Navigator, Guide Book, p. 40)

  • “The doctor has done the first scrape of her cervix. If this procedure does not remove all of the cancer, she will need to have a full hysterectomy in order to remove all the cancer, in which case Sherri will never be able to have children.” (Navigator, work book, p. 48)

According to the curriculum, “sexual activity” includes any type of “sexual stimulation.” Given that such a broad definition could easily encompass masturbation in front of a partner, petting with clothes on, or a particularly good foot massage, this statement is neither accurate nor informative to students. Instead of providing facts about STD transmission, testing, and treatment the curriculum tells stories of worst case scenarios. Students would be better served by an open and honest discussion of the level of risks associated with a variety of sexual behaviors and an emphasis on the importance of regular STD screening.

Condoms— Emphasizing failure .

  • “Condoms are ineffective in preventing the spread of HPV because it is a highly contagious STD which can infect the entire genital region and can be passed by skin to skin contact.” (Navigator, workbook, p.45)

  • “She realized that the emotional pain she was experiencing was real, and that a condom wasn't going to do anything to blunt the emotional hurt she was experiencing.” (Navigator, workbook, p. 33)

The discussion of condoms relies on exaggerated failure rates and suggests that condoms cannot prevent STDs. This focus seems to be based on the illogical assumption that if young people believe condoms will not work then they will abstain from sexual intercourse. While such inaccurate information may discourage teens from using condoms, this does not mean they will not have sex. Instead it means that they will be at increased risk for unintended pregnancy and STDs, including HIV, when they do become sexually active. Condoms were never intended to prevent emotional pain; they were intended to protect against STDs and unintended pregnancy and we know from years of scientific research that they do a good job at that .

Contraception— Denying teens information

  • “Navigator does not promote the use of contraceptives for teens. No contraceptive device is guaranteed to prevent pregnancy. Besides, students who do not exercise self-control to remain abstinent are not likely to exercise self-control in the use of a contraceptive device.” (Navigator, Guide Book, p. 36)

The curriculum is discounting sexually active teens by suggesting that they lack self-control and will not be able to use contraception reliably. It is unconscionable for an education program to deny young people vital information about pregnancy and disease prevention simply because the authors disapprove of the decisions those students have made.

PROMOTING BIASES

The Marriage Mandate— Promoting one lifestyle

  • “Marriage is the highest level of commitment that two people can make in society.” (Navigator Guide Book, p. 10)

  • “Social science research indicates that marriage has significant physical, emotional, mental, and social benefits.” (Navigator Guide Book, p. 10)

The curriculum explores marriage in a limited and directive way that presents it as the only appropriate way of life and suggests that individuals who choose otherwise are making the wrong decision for themselves and society. It is not the place of education programs to dictate goals for students.

Pregnancy Options— Mandating choices

  • “If students list abortion, ask ‘if a girl chooses to have an abortion, do you think it will have long-term consequences for her? Do you think it will affect her physically, emotionally, mentally, or socially?'” (Navigator Guide Book, p. 36)

  • Students are asked to give advice to a friend considering adoption, the suggested response reads: “I would tell her that although it may be difficult, it has so many benefits for the child that in the future she will probably feel very good about her choice, knowing that she did what was best for her child.” (Navigator Guide Book, p. 38)

It is important for educational programs, especially those used widely in public schools, to respect the diversity of opinions and provide unbiased information on all options available to a woman confronting an unintended pregnancy as a teenager or an adult. Navigator does not adhere to this standard of educational programming.

copyright © 2005, SIECUS