Middle school children forced to take 'oral sex' survey

Mail: A Massachusetts middle school has sparked outrage after forcing students to answer questions about oral sex.

Parent Arlene Tessitore made an official complaint after her seventh and eighth grade daughters were forced to take the Youth Risk Behaviour Study at Memorial Middle School.

After her daughters objected to answering the questions, she said one was told they had to, while the other was taken to a counsellor before also being made to take part.

According to Mrs Tessitore, the school operates on a form of 'passive consent' where students take notes home for parents to sign.

If the school does not hear back, then consent is considered to be given.
Permission: Mrs Tessitore (right) was shocked to discover her children had been asked to complete the graphic survey

Permission: Mrs Tessitore (right) was shocked to discover her children had been asked to complete the graphic survey

As part of the complaint, Mrs Tessitore wants schools across the country to only carry out the tests only after explicit written permission has been given - as the law currently states.

Outraged Mrs Tessitore told Fox News: 'One of the questions is, 'have you ever had oral sex.''

'You’re talking about kids who probably don’t even know what oral sex is.

'It’s adult material.'

Speaking to Fox News, John Whitehead of The Rutherford Institute - who is acting on behalf of Mrs Tessitore - said: 'Kids were actually told to sit down and take them.

'The parents here are very upset.

One question even asked students what method they used to prevent pregnancy during their last sexual encounter.

Mr Whitehead added: 'It goes down a whole list, including birth control pills, condoms and one of the answers is 'withdraw.''

'Adults know what this is, but kids have to imagine or go on-line to find out what it means.'
Controversy: The Massachusetts school principal Fran Thomas also disagreed with the content of the survey

Controversy: The Massachusetts school principal Fran Thomas also disagreed with the content of the survey

But according to school principal Francis Thomas, she had no choice but to administer the test.

Speaking to Fox, she said: 'I can take no responsibility for what’s on that survey.

'It’s not generated by the school system.'

Principal Thomas said the survey was administered by a social service agency on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control.

The federal agency conducts Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) surveys - data mining exercises - to 'monitor' a range of youth behaviour, including sexual habits.

Principal Thomas said: 'It was not optional.

'It’s part of a grant that they applied for and the district said you have to administer this survey.'

Responding to the question about oral sex, the principal added: 'That’s not a question I’d be asking.

'That’s not information that needs to be gathered in an indiscriminate manner - asking every single student these sorts of questions.'

'I think there are many things that schools are called upon to do because they think they’ve got a captive audience.'