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IRVINGTON, N.Y.-Children as young as 10-years-old in Westchester were among those mistakenly given graphic sex education material meant for adults, leaving parents furious and even more upset with answers they're getting about the incident.Catherine Johnson says all was not well at the recent "Wellness Fair" at the Irvington Middle and High School campus. Her 13-year-old son, and many even younger, were given sex ed pamphlets that contain graphic language and graphic advice on straight and gay sex practices, including oral and anal sex.Her son, Chris, being an eighth grader, didn't seem to mind."He was hopped up, he thought it was funny," she tells CBS 2.But she was not amused and neither was her neighbor,Dan Knowler."I don't think my child, age 11 in grade six, should be hearing about adult sex practices. He's not ready yet," Knowler says.Just how explicit were the pamphlets? One brochure, "Lesbians & HIV: Are You At Risk?" offered lesbians tips to prevent themselves from being infected with HIV. Another pamphlet even provided graphic symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases in men, including suspicious growths on testicles and genital discharge.The wellness fair was run by the Westchester County Department of Health, which put its stamp of approval right on the back of those pamphlets, where it is clearly noted the material is intended for adults."Some of these brochures had information that was not appropriate for the younger kids and we're sorry about that. That was a mistake," says County Health Commissioner Dr. Joshua Lipsman.Lipsman says new distribution procedures will prevent the mistake from happening again, but Knowler, Johnson, and other parents say school principal Joe Witazek failed to act when a student brought him the brochures and told him it was inappropriate for them. "The principal … rebuffed him. He did nothing," Johnson said.Witazek didn't comment to CBS 2 on the issue, but parents have had plenty to say and may take the issue to the school board.The County Healthy Department says some schools ask to review materials in advance of these wellness fairs, but Irvington chose not to.
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