Fairfax Parents - Opt Your Child Out Now!

To Parents of Fairfax County Students:

Part of this week and all of next week (November 6-15) Fairfax County is administering the Fairfax County Youth Survey to all 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students unless parents opt them out or instruct them not to complete the survey.

The survey designated for 6th grade students includes questions that touch on topics like alcohol and illegal drug usage.   You can view the entire survey that would be administered to 6th graders HERE.

For 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students, some of the survey questions become much more explicit and intrusive.  Here are a few examples, but you can read all of the questions being asked of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders HERE.

• “How old were you when you had sexual intercourse for the first time?”

• “During your life, with how many people have you had sexual intercourse?”

• "During the past 3 months, with how many people have you had sexual intercourse?"

• “The last time you had sexual intercourse, did you or your partner use a condom?”

• “The last time you had sexual intercourse, what one method did you or your partner use to prevent pregnancy?”

• “Have you ever had oral sex?”

If you do not want your child to have to answer any of these intrusive questions, you have the right to opt-out your 6th, 8th, 10th or 12th grader from taking this survey.  Here are the links to the Opt-Out forms that you need to complete, sign, and return to the school counselor as soon as possible.

6th Grade Opt-Out Letter and Form

8th, 10th, and 12th Grade Opt-Out Letter and Form

According to the opt-out letter, the completed Opt-Out Form needed to be submitted to your child’s school counselor no later than November 5th, but we still encourage you to complete the form and submit it to your child’s school if you don’t want your child being asked these questions.  The opt-out letter to parents also states the following:

“You have the right to preview the survey and may deny permission for your child to participate if you desire. If a student is uncomfortable with any question on the survey, the student does not have to answer that question or may elect to discontinue the survey. While it is hoped that as many students as possible will participate, you have the option of completing the attached form if you wish to opt out your child.”

Remember: This is only a survey and not a test, which means that your child cannot be punished for simply refusing to take the survey.

If your child hasn’t already taken the survey this week, and for some reason the school fails to honor a completed opt-out form, you can still instruct your child not to participate in the survey, or your child can simply choose not to take it.