When Vashon’s school district applied for and received a CDC grant to redo its sex education program, it wasn’t because our young people have gone astray in this area. There aren’t high rates of teen pregnancy or sexual assault here, no known outbreaks of sexually transmitted infections. But that doesn’t mean the district’s teachings on sexual health are as strong as they could be. Recently an islander who has worked in prevention at the district noted that students at McMurray Middle School seemed hungry for information on this topic. Currently the schools’ sex education meets state requirements, but doesn’t go beyond that.

With state funding not covering basic education, the district has made core subjects such as math and history a funding priority. Sex education understandably hasn’t been a target. How fortunate are we, then, that this grant could ultimately provide more than $10,000 to craft and implement changes, updating sex education at the middle and high schools to be more in line with what experts now recognize is meaningful and effective for teens.

A state official noted when Vashon garnered the grant that the schools didn’t display particular need, but there was a lot of enthusiasm. That enthusiasm is still apparent, as school officials have clearly committed to examining this topic through the lens of the latest science. Local health professionals who care about youth also joined the committee crafting the plan, as did the director of Vashon’s anti-domestic violence organization. They’ve worked with experts in the field to determine what Vashon currently has to offer and what teens need most. They’ve crafted what seem to be thoughtful recommendations, a holistic approach to sex education that goes far beyond learning about the reproductive system and birth control. The plan also includes offering condoms at the high school, a practice that’s backed by research and that other schools have been doing for years. As noted earlier, Vashon doesn’t have high teen pregnancy rates. Still, in 2012 just 19 percent of Vashon High School seniors reported using a condom the last time they had sex. In a small town where it’s hard to visit a store without bumping into someone you know, providing condoms at the school — along with education about them — could go a long way in developing good habits in teens that they will take into adulthood.

The district is now challenged with implementing the recommendations, something made difficult by the fact that high schoolers only have one term of health class. The school community should look forward to seeing how meaningful changes for our youth may happen in this important area.