Eugene school sex ed assignment sparks controversy

EUGENE, Ore. (KPTV) - A controversial and shocking homework assignment for high school students in Eugene was under fire Tuesday morning.

Students were asked to write a short story depicting a sexual fantasy. The assignment, and other activities, got a lot of backlash from parents at Churchill High School who called them inappropriate and shocking.

The assignment said:

“You will write a short story of a paragraph or two. This story is a sexual fantasy that will have NO penetration or any kind of oral sex (no way of passing an STI). You will choose 3 items (romantic music, candles, massage oil, feather, feather boa, flavored syrup, etc.) to use in your story. Your story should show that you can show and receive loving physical affection without having sex.”

After this assignment got attention, another controversial assignment involved a spinning wheel labeled with various sex acts resurfaced from February. When the wheel stopped on one of the acts the students were asked to write the initials of both a boy and a girl in the class they would do the activity with.

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The principal said the school uses a curriculum in its health classes called OWL or Our Whole Lives. The superintendent of the school approved the process for a new curriculum that will replace OWL.

Jennifer Geller, a former member of the school board from when it approved to adopt the curriculum, said her kids had gone through the OWL programs at her church. She called the program accurate comprehensive and good for the district.

“There’s a range of curriculums out there, and, from my perspective, and my experience, this seemed like an age-appropriate, comprehensive sexuality program that served my children and me well,” she said.

The health teacher also works as a Churchill football coach. The school has not announced any plans to change the staffing for the football team.

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