Schools get condom class

CONDOM demonstrations are coming to city classrooms starting in September, Education Department officials said Monday.

City high school students currently learn about condoms during mandated sex education in health courses, but must visit health resource rooms in nurses’ offices or administrative areas for a demonstration of how to use them.

But now officials are removing the longtime ban on condom demonstrations during class periods.

“Condom demonstrations have long been part of the high school condom availability programs and have been shown to increase rates of condom use,” said Education Department spokesman Jason Fink. “Allowing condom demonstrations in high school health education class will provide students with medically accurate information that can help them stay healthy.”

Teachers who give the condom demonstrations will do so using an anatomically correct model, education officials said.

Allowing condom demonstrations in high school health education class will provide students with medically accurate information that can help them stay healthy.

—Education Dept. spokesman Jason Fink

Agency officials said they don’t yet know how many schools will participate in the classroom condom demonstrations.

As with other sexual education lessons, parents can choose to have their children opt out.

City middle schools and high schools began requiring sex education for students in 2011, and many schools have distributed free condoms to students for years.

District superintendents were informed in mid-May of the policy change and they are now passing the information along to principals.

Parents, students and staffers had mixed feelings about the new policy.

Health teacher Maria Assante lauded the development.

“This was a crucial component that was missing in the comprehensive sex and health education curriculum,” Assante said. “For some kids, seeing is believing.”

But senior John David of Flushing, Queens, said that some students would rather not see condom demonstrations.

“I really don’t agree with that. I like the personal private setting,” John said. “We have about 30 kids per class. There are going to be a few that don’t feel comfortable with that.”