(Credit: Austin Independent School District)
For the first time, the AISD school board discussed proposed changes to the sexual education curriculum last night, despite parents voicing their concerns since last year.
Those proposals include teaching 5th grade students about sexual orientation, 6th grade students about gender identity, and 8th grade students about proper contraceptive use. The new curriculum will focus around a recent survey that gauged parents’ feeling about the proposed changes.
The majority of the school board appeared to be in support of the proposals, paving the way for near-certain approval next Monday. However, when the board takes its vote, it still won’t be clear exactly what they’ll be approving since that curriculum has not been drafted yet, nor will it be until the vote has been cast.
The lack of concrete detail has some parents, and a couple of board members, concerned. Newly elected trustee Kristin Ashy said parents want to know what they should expect.
“I struggle with approving a scope-and-sequence as opposed to a curriculum, and being a former educator knowing the difference between a scope-and-sequence and a curriculum,” Ashy said. “I, personally, would need a little bit more detail about the lessons for me to feel really comfortable voting on this.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lisa Goodnow told trustees the plan is to begin drafting the new curriculum before the summer. Once complete, parents will then be allowed to see what specific changes have been made, as well as how their child will be taught the new information.
AISD plans to implement the new curriculum for the 2019-2020 school year.
