Conducting Appropriateness Reviews for ETR's Yes and Know Curriculum: In Conversation with Dr. Tanya M. Bass
By Tanya M. Bass, PhD, CHES, CSE | Kelly Gainor, M.Ed, ETR | Jessica Neupane, MPH, ETR | August 30, 2024
In this conversation, Jessica Neupane, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at ETR, is joined by Dr. Tanya M. Bass, a national award-winning sexuality educator and subject matter expert in health equity and sexual health.
Coined “The Southern Sexologist,” Dr. Bass is passionate about uplifting the lived experiences of public health practitioners in the U.S South, who often need to navigate political intricacies related to sexual health education that are unique to the region.
ETR is delighted that Dr. Bass was able to conduct an appropriateness review of the Yes and Know curriculum, our first curriculum designed for virtual implementation designed for 14–19-year-olds committed to increasing healthy relationship and life skills, with the goal of reducing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
As our first curriculum designed for a virtual setting, Yes and Know paves the way for future program strategies by reaching youth who often miss out on traditional, in-person school-based programs, particularly for those in rural communities. As a developing intervention and study, the Yes and Know team ensured to conduct appropriateness reviews with subject matter experts to ensure the curriculum would meet the needs of our diverse learners. According to the Reproductive Health National Training Center, appropriateness reviews ensure that all materials and information disseminated throughout a project are responsive to the needs of community and population of focus.
In the first edition of our two-part series featuring Tanya Bass, here’s a closer look on her insight on sexual health education in the South, the Yes and Know curriculum, and how appropriateness reviews can impact youth!
Unique Needs of Sexual Health Work in the South
Jessica (JN): “Dr. Bass, thank you so much for agreeing to chat with me about your experience on conducting a review for one our newest programs, Yes and Know. To start off, I would love to learn a little more about you! You call yourself the Southern Sexologist. Why did you think it was important to make that distinction in your title?”
Tanya (TB): “I moved to North Carolina when I was an adolescent, but I’m originally from Brooklyn. My high school coach was a math and science teacher and also taught health education. I don’t remember learning anything affirming; it was pretty heteronormative and taught more about values around marriage and family, or what someone should do to become married. It was family life education more than anything.
I teach human sexuality at North Carolina Central University, which is also my alma mater, and is a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in the South. There are cultural contexts here that are both negative and positive. We navigate homophobia, respectability politics, STI/HIV stigma, intertwined with discussing religion and faith. But I also see on this campus themes of Black liberation, body appreciation, and loving your skin and hair. Within an anti-Black world, there are spaces here that are highlighted and celebrated, which is what fueled my interest to do this work, so I coined the term Southern Sexologist to reflect my sexuality education work representing all these nuances.”
The Impact of Conducting Appropriateness Reviews
JN: “It’s clear your work and lived experiences highlight the need for conducting appropriateness reviews in sex education curricula. Can you speak more about your work conducting reviews and what they are?”
TB: “Certainly. I approach appropriateness reviews with two lenses. First, I think about what the person facilitating the curriculum would need, and how the curriculum supports and their knowledge in doing it (teaching). Secondly, I think about the learner. I think about the language the facilitator is using and offer advice to the curriculum authors based on that. Is the language inclusive, affirming, and appropriate for the learner? I think about cultural appropriateness as well as apply it to the curriculum; I think about my lived experience as an African-American woman, working primarily with African-Americans, and being in the South.”
J
N: “I love that. It sounds like key elements you consider when conducting an appropriateness review are language considerations, LGBTQIA+ inclusivity, and cultural appropriateness based on your lived experience. Is there anything else you keep in mind?”
TB: “I also think about scaffolding, such as making sure that there is proper context before a large subject, like consent, is introduced. I try to ensure learners know what the subject matter is before the curriculum takes them there. And what about accessibility needs? I try to make sure that each lesson has alternative directions to accommodate different room styles or different ability needs for students.”
JN: “That makes a lot of sense. What do you think the risks are for curriculum developers if they don’t invest in appropriateness reviews?”
TB: “They will ostracize and continue to marginalize their learners. Not all considerations for students will be captured, and I believe that we, as public health professionals, should do our due diligence and put our best effort into ensuring sex education is youth centered, and all marginalized identities are represented. Appropriateness reviews can also be conducted by other youth or other types of professionals, like social workers. Doing these reviews ensures we are lending to our end users feeling affirmed and have a positive learning experience.”
Reaching Young People with Yes and Know, a Project of ETR
JN: “Let’s transition to talking more about your experience reviewing Yes and Know. What were some things that stood out to you about our curriculum?”
TB: “Yes and Know is a fully virtual curriculum. While many interventions have been adapted to fit a virtual environment, this curriculum is specifically for a virtual setting, which is groundbreaking and can help reach young people who don’t traditionally have access to sex education.
As far as the curriculum specifically, there was a discussion in the healthy relationships portion about characteristics you look for in relationships AND bring to relationships. I also appreciated how the relationship section discussed maintaining boundaries, and did not focus on consent like most other programs.”
JN: “Boundaries and consent go in hand in hand, but it definitely seems like one is talked about way more than the other.”
TB: “Absolutely. Children and youth are the least likely to be encouraged to maintain boundaries due to ageism. It is important we provide this life skill in sexual health curricula, and Yes and Know promotes that!”
JN: “Wow, that’s great to hear. Thank you so much for your time today talking to us about your experience and insight around why these reviews are so important.”
In the next part of our series with Tanya, we’ll explore her journey as a sexuality education expert and hear her personal advice for aspiring sex educators. Stay tuned for this exciting feature coming in mid-September!
Additional Resources to Conduct an Appropriateness Review
Want to get a head start on your next appropriateness review? Check out this tip sheet below, titled, 4 Tips in 4 Minutes: Conducting Appropriateness Reviews for Sexuality Education Curricula, from ETR’s Training Manager, Kelly J. Gainor, M.Ed.
Tanya M. Bass, PhD, CHES, CSE is the lead instructor for Human Sexuality at North Carolina Central University, a Historically Black College/University in Durham, North Carolina. She is the founder of NCSexCon, an annual conference dedicated to connecting agencies and individuals to share information, efforts, and best practices across the sexual health lifespan, with an emphasis on supporting marginalized communities.
Kelly J. Gainor, M.Ed., is the Training Manager at ETR, focusing on the development and implementation of virtual training for educators. She serves as the Curriculum and Training Specialist on the Yes and Know project. She has over 10 years of experience delivering evidence-based education directly to youth, providing professional development for educators and youth-serving professionals, and designing lesson plans for groups of all ages, orientations, and identities. She can be reached at kelly.gainor@etr.org.
Jessica M. Neupane, MPH is a Marketing and Communications Coordinator at ETR, focusing on sexual health, HIV, and youth engagement projects. She serves as the Dissemination Coordinator on the Yes and Know project. She has over five years of experience facilitating sexual health education programs for young people in community-based settings. She additionally has a background in program management, human-centered design, social media strategy, and abortion rights advocacy. She can be reached at jessica.neupane@etr.org.
