Health classes in Utah schools are about to get a 21st-century makeover.
In addition to including traditional lessons about sexual abstinence, drugs and disease, high-school and junior-high health classes likely will also soon include information on Internet safety and the appropriate use of cell phones and other technology. The proposed change comes amid national news reports of students committing suicide after being bullied online and getting in trouble with the law for sending nude photos via cell phones.
"This is something that really threatens the safety of children in our society today," said Frank Wojtech, health and physical-education specialist at the Utah State Office of Education. The State Board of Education voted Friday to send the revised health curriculum out for public hearings before final approval. The hearings will be held across the state but have not yet been scheduled.
Under the new proposed curriculum, health classes would include lessons examining "the dangers and inappropriate use of current technology." Wojtech said lessons would likely include information about online predators, the dangers of posting personal information on the Internet and the legal consequences of certain actions.
Brenda Hales, state associate superintendent, said the state office worked with the Utah Attorney General's Office to come up with some of the changes.
"They put everything on Facebook, and they can inadvertently leave themselves open to financial attacks, physical attacks and emotional attacks," Hales said. "It's unfortunate we live in a world where you have to have this be part of the curriculum."
Many Utah schools already teach Internet safety in one form or another, but the state change would make it an official part of the health curriculum. Utah students are required to take health classes once in seventh or eighth grade and once in ninth or 10th grade.
Herminio Trujillo, assistant principal at Salt Lake City's Bryant Middle School, said his school has been teaching students about Internet safety for years through counselors and classes. He said health class is one way the subject can be addressed.
"It's a changing world, and we have to stay current with it and make sure the children don't outdistance us in our knowledge," Trujillo said.
West High School parent Alba Cruz said she supports the idea of teaching Internet safety in health classes. She said students need to better understand the dangers of chatting with people they don't know online and the consequences of posting information online.
"They're there forever," Cruz said of pictures and information students post online. "I don't know if the kids really realize what can be done with their pictures."
West High sophomore Kira Anjewierden said she thinks including Internet and cell-phone safety in health classes is a good idea. She said her parents have taught her about Internet safety, but not all parents have those discussions with their children.
But West sophomore Joey Vasquez isn't sure more information will help. He said most teenagers already know what they should and shouldn't be doing with technology.
"Most kids know about it and know it's wrong but still do it because they're kids," Vasquez said.
Still, more information in health class about technology couldn't hurt, said West senior Kassidy Feller.
"It would be good to talk about it," Feller said. "A lot of people text all the time and are on Facebook all the time and meet people there."
