Grand Jury Grand Jury Response Mon, Aug 19, 2024 at 12:27

The loss of the in-person self-defense program for boys and girls in Santa Cruz City Schools lessens students’ ability to prevent sexual assault and interpersonal violence, inconsistent with the mandate of Ordinance 81-29. __ AGREE __ PARTIALLY DISAGREE _X_ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): When the in-person self-defense program was provided by the City, school principals fielded complaints from staff about the programming. Middle and high school teachers and other staff stated that there was a disconnect between the staff who came to train students and the students themselves. It was reported that while the trainers had knowledge and skills in self- defense, their lack of formal training negatively impacted students gaining the desired skills. Efforts were made to mitigate these issues, but at the same time that the City was evaluating the program, the District came to the conclusion that these offerings should be suspended and instead implemented a broader curriculum. The in-person self defense classes were only one part of a broader curriculum that the district uses to prevent sexual assault and interpersonal violence amongst our students. We have an articulated plan that utilizes credentialed science teachers, in-person speakers from Monarch Services, and interactive videos by Vector Solutions at every grade level and for every year from 6th to 12th grade. Middle school science teachers have attended and have been trained by staff who are contracted through the Santa Cruz County Office of Education and other community partners including the Cardea Training, an organizational development and research firm, to teach age-appropriate Sex Education. There are many components to these 6th through 8th grade units that address topics such as awareness, healthy relationships, teen dating violence, sexual harassment, active consent, bystander intervention, and more. These trained professionals use creative techniques that include role playing, student team presentations, expert videos, guest speakers from partners such as the Walnut Avenue Family and Women’s Resource Center, and more. The middle school science teachers meet and collaborate regularly to ensure clear grade level articulation and to share strategies. The entire Sexual Education Unit spreads across roughly one month of school each year. In each SCCS high school, all students take a semester-long Health Education Class in 9th grade. In these classes, students are taught lessons similar to middle school, and the lessons evolve in complexity as students mature. These trained and credentialed Health teachers also use their expertise to engage students in thought provoking and critical thinking activities that connect to students’ lives as they learn characteristics of healthy vs. unhealthy relationships. Teen dating violence, sexual harassment, human trafficking, and active consent are also covered. Each year, from 10th through 12th grade, students are taught these essential skills. Our high schools partner with Monarch Services to educate students on topics such as dating and domestic violence, healthy relationships, active consent, power dynamics, social media safety, and more. The presenters from Monarch Services bring a wealth of expertise from their agency, and classroom teachers reinforce these lessons by facilitating discussions with students before and after the presentations. This past year at Santa Cruz High, we piloted Vector Solutions for these lessons. The Vector courses are designed to be engaging and age-appropriate, featuring diverse peer presenters to help all students relate more easily to the content. The courses are customized for grades 6-8 and 9-12. Along with the videos, students took pre- and post-tests, which showed an increase in knowledge following the lessons. Topics for 10th through 12th graders included Dating Violence Awareness, Healthy Relationships, Resolving Disagreements, Stress and Anxiety, Youth Suicide Risk, and more. In addition to our programming for grades 6-12, we also teach personal safety, boundaries, problem-solving, and conflict resolution to our elementary students using the evidence-based Second Step Social and Emotional Learning curriculum. Furthermore, we’ve partnered with Kidpower International to support our TK-5th grade students. Kidpower uses an 8-point boundary framework to help prevent and address issues quickly and effectively, including stopping unwanted touch and attention.