The district's Sex Education Advisory Board has opened the revision process to parents, holding two public hearings in March.
The board heard a range of opinions. One commenter advocated for lessons on gender identity, while others suggested the curriculum was far too liberal.
Several attendees said abstinence is not prevalent enough in the curriculum, though the district says it’s encouraged in about half of the lessons.
Parent Ben Bowater sided with the board, telling parents they should be realistic.
“Is this the best course of action to help prepare our students, not for the world we wish was for them, but rather the world they're actually inheriting," he said.
Superintendent Rick Reo said the update is very much needed, since the last one was around 2007.
“It's not just about the information. It's about the materials themselves. As was mentioned in the meeting, we've got, you know, VHS tapes that teachers are trying to teach from, even DVDs that don't work anymore.”
Fellow parent Sarah Thomas also supported the curriculum.
While she expressed that she would like it to give more weight to topics like consent, she felt the curriculum had much of the most important information.
“We do have to worry about making sure as many students as possible are exposed to the meat and potatoes of it. The other stuff is, while I think important, extras right now. For our community, it has to be an extra.”
Next, the advisory board will decide whether to present the curriculum at the April 15 Board of Education meeting.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
