Discourse Analysis of Curriculum on Sexuality Education: FLASH for Special Education

Family life and sexual health (FLASH) is the chosen sexuality education curriculum for special education in both King County (Washington) and Multnomah County (Oregon), the most populous in the two states. FLASH is currently undergoing a longitudinal, randomized, behavioral evaluation by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, for which the results will be available in 2015 (King County, n.d.). Using discourse analysis to examine the FLASH curriculum, I deconstruct and highlight the dominant discourse(s) and discursive frameworks that construct and maintain the concept of intellectual/developmental disability (I/DD) as it has historically been understood. I argue that FLASH, similar to other sexuality education curricula for special education, highlights the discourse of I/DD over sexuality. As social workers, we work closely with not only schools and support services, but also the I/DD labeled community, including family members and caregivers. Social workers have an ethical duty, per the National Association of Social Workers’ (NASW) Code of Ethics, to advocate for social justice, respect the inherent dignity and worth of persons, and recognize the importance of human relationships. However, the dominant discourse maintained and supported by this curriculum is in direct opposition to the NASW ethics, leading to a call for social workers to advocate for a change in sexuality education curricula.