Parent FAQ

Tennessee State Law considers sex education part of the Family Life curriculum. Tennessee law requires Family Life to be taught, as outlined in TCA 49-6-1301-1308.

In the law, Family Life instruction is limited to risk avoidance education, emphasizing abstinence as best practice. All curriculum should be age-appropriate and factually and medically-accurate. Tennessee state law PROHIBITS any instruction that encourages or condones sexual activity outside marriage. Tennessee state law also prohibits the distribution of contraceptives.

Tennessee State Law provides the option for local education agencies (school board) to utilize qualified persons to assist in teaching Family Life curriculum. Due to the sensitive nature of the topics, schools will often enlist help with Family Life instruction. Cookeville Pregnancy Clinic (CPC) emphatically values the integrity of a primary prevention model for physical and relationship health. Therefore, CPC provides the SRA Education program in the communities served by the clinic.

Cookeville Pregnancy Clinic has been serving schools through SRA Education for more than 20 years. SRA through CPC has a long history of educational integrity with administrators. Our certified instructors adhere uncompromisingly with state law and administrator standards.

SRA Education covers a wide range of topics. Some topics are presented to both middle and high school students; others are exclusive to either middle or high school classes. Topics include:

Whole-person health (physical, emotional, social, intellectual, etc)

Reproductive anatomy/ pregnancy (illustrated non-graphic images only)

Conception/fetal development (using a short, medically-accurate video approved by the TN Department of Education)

Goal setting

Risks of sexual activity & benefits of waiting for sex/ abstinence defined

Failure rates of common contraceptive methods (no contraceptives are demonstrated, distributed, or recommended)

Sexually Transmitted Diseases/ transmission and prevention

Pornography as it impacts the human brain and relationship health

Relationship red flags

Consent/ Sexual Assault (High School Only)

Sexting/Internet/ Social Media Safety (Middle School Only)

Healthy Boundaries

Hormones and Physiological bonding (High School Only)

The SRA Education program presented to your student’s school uses REAL Essentials, created by The Center for Relationship Education. This curriculum is evidence-based and approved by the Department of Education. The local school boards review and approve the curriculum annually.

Any statistical data presented comes from the local Department of Health, World Health Organization, Center for Disease Control and is updated annually.

For student security and integrity of the program, SRA Education is only presented with a teacher or administrator in the classroom. Substitute teachers may not supervise an SRA program. SRA educators are not alone with classes and do not present material unless the teacher is in the room.

No. SRA Education emphasizes that sexual activity involves private body parts and is inherently risky, but it does not define or elaborate on any specific sexual acts.

No. The SRA Education model prioritizes whole-person health and healthy relationships for everyone. Gender identity and sexual orientation are not within the scope of the program and are not addressed. SRA Education topics apply to every student.

No. The SRA Education curriculum uses illustrated images to depict basic human reproductive anatomy of males and females. No photographs of body parts are used.

No. SRA Education complies entirely with TN State Law, which prohibits the demonstration or distribution of contraceptives in a school setting. SRA Education emphasizes the value of waiting for all sexual activity as a best practice to avoid sexual risk.

Overwhelmingly, students report that the class was different and better than they expected!  The SRA Education program is typically presented in classrooms with individual classes (though a small number of schools host the program in a lecture hall or auditorium with multiple classes present). Generally, both boys and girls are in class together.

 The high school program is four days; the middle school program is three days. High school students take the course during Lifetime Wellness; middle schools generally host the class during a science or social studies class.

The program is presented by a certified professional SRA Specialist, specifically trained to share the curriculum. The class is interactive, using worksheets, games, activities, short videos, and conversation to move through the material. Students are encouraged to respond and ask clarifying questions in class, but more importantly, students are encouraged to take the topics home for discussion with the adults who care for them. The paper packet used in class will go home with students at the end of the week. Teachers often grade students on their participation and completion of the class.

We applaud parents who want to be thoroughly informed about what is presented to their students. Parents are encouraged to address all concerns before SRA Education is presented. Due to copyright restrictions, the curriculum packet cannot be shared digitally; however, parents are welcome to come see the workbook in person and ask questions at Cookeville Pregnancy Clinic. We strongly recommend calling or emailing to schedule a meeting to ensure staff is available.

Beth Herren, SRA Education Director  bherren@cookevillecpc.org

Lisa Reeves, Assistant Director of Cookeville Pregnancy Clinic  lreeves@cookevillecpc.org

(931)526-5525