Beth wrote: "I would love ideas from any of you who have done
education on the gradeschool level about how we could overcome these
barriers and what to includein the curriculum!"


Beth,

I teach 6th graders currently (I have taught everything between 6 and
12th except 11th :) ).  Here's what I would suggest you do:

(1) Research the curriculum and how it is implemented in the
classroom.  There should be a standard course of study for health/
sexuality issues (yes, I agree it's not sexual, but we all know people
are ignorant and we must humor them).  Find out what, if anything,
about breastfeeding is mentioned.

(2)  Talk to the principal/ teachers in the school about who teaches
the health curriculum.  Sometimes the classroom teachers does,
sometimes the P.E. teacher, sometimes outside people.  My school uses
speakers from the Health Department.  Find out from that person what
is said about breastfeeding.

(3)  Write a proposal for your presentation.  Include materials (you
could read a book about nursing mammals-- it might work into the
science curriculum-- and then talk about how humans are mammals and
nurse their young and this is why, etc.) and presentation style.  You
want it to be clear that you will not be showing the children breasts
or talking about sex.  (Again, I know it sounds stupid, but speaking
from experience, 90% of people in public schools are pretty stupid.)

(4)  Present it to the principal and/ or superintendent.

If this does not work, you should find a school board member to be on
your side or start a letter writing campaign to your local newspaper.
Nothing moves education bureaucrats faster than the threat of looking
bad. ;)

In my class, although I teach language arts and social studies, I
mention breastfeeding whenever it seems appropriate.  For example, my
students did debates today and one was on vegetarianism versus
meat-eating. One child mentioned that breastfeeding moms needed 65g of
protein per day (now I have NO idea about the accuracy of that
number)... at the end I mentioned that BF takes very few calories and
very little processing/ energy as compared to ABM and we talked about
the environmental implications of just raising cows for dairy products
like formula, let alone meat.

Teresa G in NC

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