AUSTIN, Texas — Austin Independent School District leaders are getting ready to present an overview of revisions to its sex education curriculum. District officials said changes to the “human sexuality and responsibility curriculum” is long overdue.
- AISD to vote on sex ed curriculum changes
- Changes would give more lessons to students
- Parents will have opportunities to opt children out of lessons
Those changes would bring more lessons to students, starting in the third grade. While the topic of sex ed is a discussion some people think should be left to the discretion of parents, others believe in the age of the internet, they could use help from schools.
The curriculum is broken down into seven categories: anatomy and physiology, identity, healthy relationships, personal safety, puberty and adolescent development, pregnancy and reproduction, and sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.
District officials looked at grades three to eight and identified what was missing in those lesson plans. Lessons about the reproductive system, body parts, pregnancy and reproduction are not taught in grades three to five.
Some proposed objectives to teach 3-5th graders:
- Identify and describe the male and female anatomies
- Describe the way humans reproduce
- Identity information about how sexually transmitted diseases and sexually transmitted infections are transmitted, symptoms, and prevention
- Define teasing, sexual harassment, bullying
As for students in middle school, they would go through more detailed lessons defining sexual harassment and abuse and their impact. Students would learn about personal rights as to unwanted touches. There is also emphasis on gender identity, which is currently not covered in middle school.
Some proposed objectives to teach 6-8th Grade:
- Differentiate between and explain expressions of gender
- Explain health benefits and risks of contraception
- Describe using a condom
- Compare characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships including the impact of power in relationships
AISD’s online survey elicited responses from almost 6,000 community members, a majority of which were parents. There were thousands of comments on each category. Some parents support the teaching of consent and talking about LGBTQ issues, while other say the changes are inappropriate in a school setting and conflict with parents’ personal and religious benefits.
District officials said parents will have multiple opportunities to opt out of these lessons, which are expected to take place in May 2020.
AISD leaders will give a presentation to the board on February 18, and the board is expected to take action on February 25.