Before reading this update, please read the prior article describing the state’s new mandate for sex ed using the so-called National Sex Education Standards.
On July 21, at the board of education meeting, Dr. Schuler addressed the new state law being implemented in the fall, and said, according to the transcription,
District 214 is not anticipating any changes to its health education curriculum in light of the recent legislation. Our teacher developed curriculum uses a collection of online resources as well as the Glencoe Health textbook, which has been used in the district since 2014.
Glenco health is a research-based program for high school students that focuses on the development and application of critical Knowledge and Skills during this crucial period in their children’s lives Glenco Health provides age appropriate and up-to-date content that aligns with the Center for Disease Control National Health standards to help students become Health literate individuals moving forward. We are plan on posting publicly our scope and sequence for our course our health education course in our academic handbook.
So all parents have the information necessary to make an informed decision. As noted parents do have the right to have their child opt out of the unit at their discretion again. I just want to clarify we are not anticipating changes to our curriculum based on the recently passed legislation.
This all sounds very reassuring, but, again, the state law mandates schools with sex ed adopt the new standards.
Here’s that statement, from the new “implementation checklist“:
“School districts that choose to provide instruction in sexual health education must develop or select a curriculum that is aligned with the new standards.”
What are we to make of Schuler’s statement, in this context? A parent e-mailed him for clarification just after the board meeting and received no response. In discussion with other parents, our best guess is that either
The district thinks they have a “loophole” that exempts them,
OR
They have already changed their curriculum to such a degree that it conforms to these new requirements without changes, which, again, require explicit affirming instruction in Gender Ideology (including promotion of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones) and role-playing deciding to have sex as teenagers.
We know from the equity audit that at least one school brought in an outside speaker on “Gender Identity,” that students are being asked their pronouns and they are being given a lesson on the “Gender Unicorn.”
Schuler’s statement is so carefully, vaguely, worded that either of these could be true.
What are the “collection of online resources”? Many of us have seen links to websites that don’t merely provide information to teens as a life skill but promote sexual activity for teens. What’s more, the district is required to post the curriculum, not merely it’s “scope and sequence.”
We as parents cannot accept vague statements that attempt to placate parents without actually addressing our concerns. Please contact Schuler and the school board using our convenient contact form to make your voice heard before the school year begins!
