Oregon teacher on leave after showing 1st-grade students video about masturbation, erections 

An elementary school teacher in Oregon has been placed on leave after showing 1^st-grade students a health video focusing on genitalia and masturbation. 

Joyce Smith-Johnson, elementary level director for Springfield Public Schools, issued an apology and confirmed the inappropriate nature of the video in an email to frustrated parents Nov. 7. The email also confirmed the Mount Vernon Elementary school teacher in question has been placed on administrative leave as the district investigates the incident. 

“Last week I learned that your student watched a health-related video that was not age-appropriate, nor district-approved,” the email reads. 

“To ensure you have accurate information, the video shown in class highlighted specific parts of human anatomy and shared that sometimes people will touch themselves in private. This content should have never been shared in your child’s classroom. I’m sorry your student viewed this video. 

“We are still investigating why this video was shared. My expectation is that only district-approved and age-appropriate instructional materials will be given to the students. If you would like to review district-approved instructional materials, please reach out to your students’ principal.” 

The video was produced by AMAZE, an organization described as a “free resource to help you talk to your kids about everything from babies to bodies to gender to consent to relationships.” 

The animated video in question depicts a cartoon grandmother speaking to her grandchildren about human anatomy and the act of masturbation. The video features cartoon images of the grandchildren’s genitals – including a cartoon depiction of the young boy describing how his penis sometimes “stands up in the air and it feels good when I touch it,” while an erection shows through his clothing. 

“When your penis stands up, it’s called an erection,” the grandmother replies. “Girls also have a private part that they may want to touch because it feels nice — the clitoris. 

“It’s OK to touch your genitals and learn what different parts feel like, but it’s best to never do so in public,” the grandmother meekly advises. 

Courtney Nash, whose 6-year-old 1^st-grader was exposed to the video, took to social media to express her anger and dismay about the incident, questioning how to keep her child safe moving forward. 

“I’m mad, I’m sad and it was just an incredible sense of feeling helplessness that I have no choice but to send my daughter back to that class.”