You may have received a letter that your 6th-12th-grade child will be given a survey at school from the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth. Questions concern physical activity, nutrition, injuries, tobacco, alcohol, drug use, and sexual behaviors. The surveys can be viewed here.
Some middle school parents may be uncomfortable with the nature of certain of the questions, which may introduce concepts the student isn’t yet familiar with, such as:
During the past 12 months, have you ever been the victim of teasing
or name calling because someone thought you were gay, lesbian, or bisexual?
A. Yes
B. No
During the past 30 days, on how many days did you use a waterpipe
(also called a hookah, shisha, or narghile) to smoke tobacco?
A. 0 days
B. 1 or 2 days
C. 3 to 5 days
D. 6 to 9 days
E. 10 to 19 days
F. 20 to 29 days
G. All 30 days
The high school survey is much more explicit in its queries:
Some people describe themselves as transgender when their sex at birth
does not match the way they think or feel about their gender. Are you transgender?
A. No, I am not transgender.
B. Yes, I am transgender.
C. I am not sure if I am transgender.
D. I do not know what this question is asking.
During your life, with whom have you had sexual contact?
A. I have never had sexual contact.
B. Females
C. Males
D. Females and males
During the past 3 months, with how many people did you have sexual intercourse?
A. I have never had sexual intercourse.
B. I have had sexual intercourse, but not during the past 3 months.
C. 1 person
D. 2 people
E. 3 people
F. 4 people
G. 5 people
H. 6 or more people
The high school survey also ends with two collections of photographs of teenagers (one of girls and one of boys). Survey respondents are asked to select three that are most likely to fit in with their friend group and three that are least likely to fit in. The purpose of this judge-by-appearance question is unclear, but asking students to make assessments of others based solely upon their photographs seems counterproductive to anti-bullying and anti-discrimination efforts that schools claim to be employing.
To opt your child out of this survey in Arlington County, please submit this form in English or Spanish to Rebecca.Hjelm@apsva.us or fax it to 703-228-1171 no later than this Friday, November 15, 2019.
To opt your child out of this survey in Fairfax County, please submit this form for 6th graders or for higher grade students to your child’s school counselor. The November 5th deadline on the opt-out is not relevant.
Outside of Arlington and Fairfax Counties please use the forms located at the bottom of the Virginia Department of Health Youth Survey page.