FWISD reviewing sex-ed curriculum after complaints
The Fort Worth ISD is telling parents it will review the process of putting together sex education curriculum for middle school students after getting complaints.
Parents of kids who go to McClean Sixth Grade Center say a class about abstinence was teaching a lot more about sex than they'd hoped. Amber Dyke is one of several parents upset. She said the sex-ed class dealt topics she did not approve such as terms like homosexuality, bisexual, and transgender.
"Why did they think that that was okay to be able to be taught," she said.
Another parent, Alison Kelley said the letter she signed provided by the district on what general instruction would be discussed did not mention any of those terms.
"There were three points to that letter and all three points mentioned the word abstinence so it was going to be a program focused on abstinence which I think most parents were like that sounds good," Kelley said.
Parents say what frustrated them even more was how difficult it became for them to look at the text book.
"The teacher told this student that he was not allowed to bring the health book home that it had to be checked back in to the classroom at the end of every day," said Zeb Pent.
Parents say when they said they wanted to look at the text book they were able to do so but only under the supervision of an administrator on campus. Pent says a teacher's guide leaked to his group was called "Abstinence, Puberty and personal health." It includes material dealing with transgender, homosexuality, and gender identity. Some parents say these topics are not appropriate for a 12-year-old.
TEA guidelines for 6th grade health instruction do not include transgender or homosexuality instruction but the TEA does allow districts to add content to the health curriculum at their discretion.
"Somebody was pushing a propaganda a liberal worldview in the name of abstinence and that's deceitful and that's not being transparent," Kelley said.
We reached out to Fort Worth ISD's Director of Health and Physical Education and were directed instead to district communications. A spokesperson sent us a statement saying in part "both the curriculum and materials were reviewed and recommended by Fort Worth ISD's School Health Advisory Council (made up of parents, educators, and health professionals) and have been approved by the Fort Worth ISD board. We will review this process with our school health advisory Council this summer and determine if a change is necessary moving forward."