February 25 2019 Board Meeting Part 3
[00:00:00] Onln this information that the school will decimate and give to them rather than them learning this information incorrectly through resources that are either not parents or not through the school. My kids have told me about things that they have learned from their peers and that were very surprising to me and I would thoroughly encourage the school district to make sure that kids learn age appropriate information as soon as they can because.
They have so many other sources of information right now available to them that you cannot comprehend as parents because we are not there 24/7 with them and also as parents all of us have their own approaches to teaching kids about the way sexuality is understood by us. But when it comes from a source where there is such thorough vetting of the process and of the subject matter, I think they will be better informed.
Thank.
Hi, my name is Anna Campion Petrus. I live at one nine six seven forwad would [00:01:00] drive in West Linn. I am a mother of three eighteen and a half year old 17 year old and sent to the 14 year old started at Cedar Oak and Rosemont and then they went to an early college program. I am. In America since 1988.
I was a Rose Festival princess immortalized on the 1996 and I. We did have sex education growing up but this comprehensive sexual education is extremely dangerous for our children and as parents. I think that if the vast majority of parents understood what the CSE programs contain they would never allow their children to be exposed to them.
So when sexual rights activist say. Comprehensive, they truly mean comprehensive as anything and everything about sex can can and will [00:02:00] be thought under this Banner my I'm asking you guys to vote against this comprehensive sexual education because as a parent, I feel like my rights are being taken.
I would like to continue to be a best friend to my three children my husband and I sit down we talk we have conversations we talk about sex we talk about their body changes. We talked about including others. We talked about loving people that have different sexual orientation. We talk about kindness we talk about not hating we talked about not being bullied and vice versa.
I think we need to be talking to the. Community as well not to bully other people that are against their way of life. I think we should stop opening our bedroom doors wide open and exposing everything and [00:03:00] everything that we're doing in there and in closing our bedroom doors and talking to the children.
Age appropriate information who determines that we keep talking in this curriculum about age appropriate information who determines that who determines that a kindergartener to figure out what his gender is.  we were born with the general orders that God gave us that's we are a boy or a girl. We should not promote or acceptance.
I mean, excuse me, we accept everybody and and love everybody but we should not promote like this is who you are. And this is what so I think as a parent we should. Be able to continue being our children's best friends. Somebody mentioned being busy. You're never too busy for your children. You're never too busy to spend time with your children and talk to them about what's important in [00:04:00] life and what you know, they're asking questions about their sexuality.
In different things that they see I also believe that this comprehensive sexuality education is highly explicit and promotes promiscuity and high-risk sexual behaviors to children as healthy and normal. They some of the content that I write I read in there. I can hardly read it. It's just it's too promiscuous.
Thank you for listening.
Good evening, superintendent Ludwig chair Fetch and members of the school board. My name is Courtney. Neuron. I am the new state representative for house District 26, which includes Wilsonville. I am also a parent in our community and a former High School teacher.  Thank you all for facilitating so many [00:05:00] thoughtful discussions for our community.
Surrounding this issue and thank you to the community at large for actively engaging in this issue. I know that we all come with our own unique perspectives and experiences and want to acknowledge the diverse viewpoints of our fellow community members as a legislator focused on building in Oregon that is safe inclusive and welcoming I come before you today with the hope that you choose to offer our students complete information and.
Enforce policies and curriculum that are welcoming to all.  I firmly believe that regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation every student deserves to feel valued at school as a teacher who has addressed bullying with regards to both sexuality and gender. I know how important it is to teach every student tolerance.
My students who did not identify as cisgender already experienced the world in ways that many of their peers could not [00:06:00] understand when I hear that one. Third of all eighth graders who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming have attempted suicide, I think about the many times that I said.
Goodbye after teaching a class and hoped that they would all come back the next day. Positive discussion can be fostered by the implementation of comprehensive and inclusive education. I support sharing information with children not only to be factual but to let all individuals in our community know that they are welcome and will be honored for who they are.
And finally as a parent who wants the best for my own children as well. I am committed to helping all children understand what a healthy relationship looks like. And give them the opportunity to practice good communication skills.  Comprehensive Health and Wellness education curriculum that provides complete medically accurate and inclusive information [00:07:00] is absolutely vital for every child.
Thank you again to the school board and superintendent Ludwig for your time this evening.
Hi, my name is Andrew Turpin of the 19 Touchstone in Lake Oswego. Although my three daughters not attend school here. I do have numerous nephews and nieces to do so it does it does matter to me what direction this District takes and thank you for this time and just can't say how thrilling it is to follow a state representative and not.
Really solid speech so thank you, but I just am coming as a concerned father and I want to address that we are all coming out of. Out of respect and out of love for one another. I think that's very clear. We have disparate views on this, but I know that we all want the best for our children and that's really the heart that I'm speaking from.
I think though that [00:08:00] that the parents are where a lot of this responsibility lies as a daughter of three daughters from I've got a second grade through high school or so. I know the challenges of media, but no that's a responsibility that I have to take on that. I am the best for them and knowing them independently.
How each one learns and and can adopt these issues and that's the challenge that I took on when I decided to be a father and that's where I want that responsibility to lie for me and my family so that is what I'm speaking out for and that's where I want to see this direction headed or this conversation headed.
It is a public health issue, you know, every time I hear about transgendered students and or transgendered individuals and how that is how they're impacted by the suicide rates. It is scary and. Disheartening as not what any of us want to see but you know, I just want to make sure that the curriculum is set in a way that addresses their needs and doesn't necessarily coddle them [00:09:00] or let them go down this path that is going to make a life very difficult for them.
So I just want that voice to be heard and for you to all have a thoughtful vote on this and again, thank you for your time. I do really appreciate.
Hi, my name is Damaris I a nose and my address is 1 3 1 0 5 Southeast Wellington Court in Happy Valley. I have several nieces nephews and cousins they go to school in this disorder interrupt you. Did you sign up on the list? Oh no some. Okay. Hold on a second and we'll get back to you. Okay? All right.
Are you on the list? Okay, go ahead step forward, please.  Hi, my name is James Campion and I was in Middle School. My mind said was on building go-karts in tree houses. All right, I'm gonna need you to give your address, please. [00:10:00] So two six nine zero Oxford Street, West Linn.  Yeah, that's good. Thank you.
I remember when we first had the sexual ed class what I could remember was that the kids were being taught at I have sex and have it in a safe way as well as being handed condoms and everyone in the class was saying now it's time to use these condoms shocking. I think that if kids were not taught how to have sex and sexualized at a young age that there would have not been so many sexually abused victims.
Hey, I'm out for teaching kids that have her have respect and respect each. American College of Pediatricians States. They said this comprehensive sexual education CSE goes far beyond sex ed and is dangerous assault on the health of innocent on the innocence of children. I disagree with the school pushing the their comprehensive sexual education class and their agenda on our kids and future kids to come.
Thank you. Thank you.
[00:11:00] My name is Julie Miller and I'm at two three to five carriageway. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you all. I appreciate the chance to hopefully provide some ideas that you may not have heard of before let me Begin by saying that although my intent is not to politicize this Vote or the conversation surrounding sexual education or gender issues.
It really is a possible for something this Progressive. Do we discuss in a non-political manner? In fact the very idea that this conversation of a sexual education curriculum. I was framed as health and wellness is in an in and of itself both political and deceptive why else would such a term as health and wellness be so broadly used to speak of something a specific and Progressive as sexual education and gender identity.
This board is claimed that parents have had the ample opportunity to raise concerns over the proposed curriculum of the past year through previous Health Wellness board meetings and Imam communication with members of the board. So let me ask you if your [00:12:00] doctor. Every year your doctor want to discuss discuss your personal health and wellness, but later you found out that you really had cancer and the doctor simply referred to it as health and wellness.
Would you not be rightfully outraged at your doctor Oregon State statue requires that schools maintain what are called 21st century school councils in order to ensure that parents have the ability to take part and the education of their children. Only through these Avenues such as this can parents be assured that a district is being transparent and open it.
It's approach to educating and administering the ability administering the ability to email board members and or attend board meetings are important, but are not enough and the law agrees. Furthermore there's a candidate running for a board position right now who believes that it quote. It is imperative that I win the seat to keep the Progressive Majority on the school board and quote statement such as this only further many parents concern about what should absolutely be a non-political position and Lead many of [00:13:00] us to question whether the board if it were composed mainly of individuals such as this would have the objective of providing the best education for our children a rather the objective indoctrinating our children to a certain political ideology.
Why understand the school district must educate a manner that reflects the state of Oregon's agenda. There are many areas in which decisions can be made locally to determine for example, the age at which it is appropriate to teach certain sexually explicit material to our children contrary to the belief of the board Canada and mention my position is not to impose on the school system a set of values opposed or hers.
But rather to promote a values the reflect what is best for a child and which have stood for the test of time. For several thousands and thousands of years. It has been appropriately understood that there are two genders and that is both unnecessary and even inappropriate to teach young children about sexuality.
I urge this board to consider the consequences of implementing a radical new agenda that has neither been tried before in a proven [00:14:00] what is truly in the best interest of our children. Thank you.
Okay, we're going to move on at this time to the presentation of dr. Swanson and dr. Spencer Iams others who have signed up able to speak after.  Is that unless you're planning on leaving? Go ahead, but.
Hello.  My name is Stephen Campion. I live at 19 101 Suncrest Drive. I'm on the list. I've been a member of the West Linn Community for about 15 years business owner alongside with my wife and we have raised five kids. In this community and the last 15 15 odd years and we love [00:15:00] it. We love the fact that people are inclusive loving and they receive you with open arms everywhere you go, whether it's at the local supermarket at the parks, and I love that.
Tonight I want to express my concerns about what's before us regards to. The si si SE and I would strongly encourage the board to to really consider what's being proposed for us.  I have four boys and a girl and I would really love the courtesy to be able to teach my kids. About one of the most sacred things that Humanity has experienced since its.
Creation or Inception? No pun intended. [00:16:00] And I would I would like to have that right and a privilege to be able to share with my kids and not have someone else who? You should be teaching our maybe at the age of kindergarten or first grade. Whatever ages are appropriate or we deem appropriate according to to this curriculum.
I would really ask the board really think hard on teaching them how to read at that age rather than how to put on a condom.  I would encourage the board to think about. The fact that statement such as I like you and I want to have anal sex with you are on the same level because they're not.  and if each and one of you guys have had kids or currently have kids or grandkids, I would highly encourage that you would think about statements such [00:17:00] as that and how they're presented by a stranger, Frankie.
Now by someone that truly loves them and truly put scented bed every night kiss him good night and read some stories and shares their family history and their family
past and traditions and I would really ask that you guys would honor that and consider that when you make your. Thank you very much.
Thank you. I sent over the eight o'clock time. May I go now? Yes. Thank you very much. I'm Suzanne Gallagher and my address is 1 5 5 3 2 Southwest Pacific Highway Tigard.  I'm executive director of an organization parents rights for education and I will say I am impressed with the number of parents who are here tonight.
Many of whom I have not [00:18:00] interacted with or known prior to this evening.  That's impressive.  We care about many issues as an organization. However gender transitioning is particularly harmful.  especially with minors.  the disturbing aspect of the gender transition issue amongst minors is the effort by schools to recruit children to their false premise one can actually change their gender.
Through surgery and hormones that is not medically accurate and is debated within the medical community and I think you know it parents are concerned about the impact that this makes on vulnerable minors, as you know, school counselors are confidentially without parents knowledge or consent advising minors to pursue radical and reversible Medical Treatments.
Which are legal in Oregon and offered to minors at [00:19:00] taxpayers expense without parents knowledge or consent. What are you going to do? When one day they figure out that they made the wrong decision? Are they going to look to you?  to be responsible.  CSE is now taught K through 12 students are became obsessed with sex using porn as a safe Outlet.
They're told that that's safe sex and experimenting at school this year. We had a report and we hear from lots of parents in Oregon. And nationally we had a report of a middle school boy who cannot control his Bells because he allowed another boy under duress to perform anal sex on him at school in the.
The school took no responsibility. This is in Oregon claiming. It was consensual really this is illegal for 12 [00:20:00] year olds, even with the Romeo and Juliet law. They are too young and cannot consent.  We also hear stories from teachers who are forced to teach curriculums the compromise their values. We haven't discussed teachers.
They are marginalized and discriminated against this will become even more evident as these controversial topics gained traction and good families will be leaving the public schools. I know you don't want that.  They will begin opting out of classes and then leave the schools.  the opt-in policy.
Is the answer.  Making the default opt out.  Everyone is opted out unless they choose to be opted-in. [00:21:00] Why would you want parents to be on the defense?  These parents in this room here is they are now.  so many.  so many would opt out if they only understood what. This curriculum entails.  this approach is win-win for the district everybody who opts in wants to be there.
It is simply providing choice to your isn't that what schools promote choice for everyone? Thank you.
So I am making the decision that we're moving on to the presentation portion of from the district at this time. We'll take comments later. I have your names on the list. So I may be not to introduce. Dr. You'll have a chance but not at this time. Oh tonight. [00:22:00] Right now we're going to give the presentation from dr.
Seuss and dr. Spencer items from the district and then it will reopen public comment.
Okay, dr. Spencer irons and I are going to go through and talk about the comprehensive sexuality education plan and what it is that would actually be in there to approve when it said that it's required by the Oregon Department of Education as part of meeting division 22. That's something that you sign off on every year.
February and it's a large comprehensive piece that says this is what public education includes so there are things around curriculum instruction children not getting concussions and sports activities. The idea is all of those assurances are meant to say this is [00:23:00] all of what academic social emotional.
Mental health all of the pieces of a public school education contain.  The reason that there is this separate comprehensive sexuality education plan is there is legislation around this piece of the health Wellness curriculum. It's sort of a sub part of the health and wellness curriculum, so it's being updated as health Wellness.
Along with any other subject area every seven or eight years because there's the legislation that has to do largely with prevention of violence and sexual disease a school board then has the right and the responsibility to hold us accountable. So there's two parts to the comprehensive sexuality education plan A lot of it is the [00:24:00] policies that school districts have as those are referenced in the plan and the actual standards put forward by the state, but the second part is an outline of how the West Linn Wilsonville School District would intend to implement.
And put those pieces in place. So as such it is not meant to be a communication tool with the community. It is meant to be an overview and an overarching document that says if approved this is what we will do and the pieces of what we will do will then appear largely on our website and. Full detail also as a plan it's meant to be that we State the plan and say what we will do and upon approval we can go ahead and completely do it.
So, for [00:25:00] example, you see within the plan there are tables that have these are the topics for the sexuality education components of the health Wellness curriculum. And right now those are for grades 6 through 8 and 4 9 through 12.  Because at this time we're focusing only on using say the Second Step curriculum for K5.
There isn't a table for K through 5, but what you have and it'll be shown to you as we go through it in a series of 16 statements that are meant to broadly Define. This is what we will do. If you choose to approve it, you also may give more specific Direction about if we approve we would direct staff through the superintendent to do.
So, that's one thing to bear in mind that with division 22 [00:26:00] every year you sign off or say, I don't know that we have met that. With this plan because it's meant to be the outline of what for the next two years. The school district will do there is also space for you to specify, you know, we would like more detail about or other pieces that that we would like explained.
So what approval means is that for? The 2018-19 school year this school year through 2021 the 16 statements that you will see are what we are going to do and we are accountable for making sure that all Educators in the school district follow the things that are outlined in the plan. The other thing that we will [00:27:00] be doing is collecting data about the effectiveness of what we're doing now because that informs the update that will take place after that.
So this is different than the other curriculum areas because it has this every two year cycle. And the reason for that is is to maintain the medically accurate. Best practice component.  So the Oregon healthy teens data, that will be something that right. Now the state of Oregon is in the process of combining two previous surveys and that includes data from all 8th grade and 11th grade students about their perceptions about there.
Social emotional well-being it includes a lot about substances and about other influences on their decision-making. So it's data that's used in the area of Health and Wellness. [00:28:00] We will be using student participation and perception surveys the school climate overall School climate and safety survey data.
And we will be surveying and using parent survey data. So that will be in the interim of this plan and what we will use to inform and dr. Spencer items and I will also be describing as we go through this how we move from the iteration of what we're bringing to you this evening to what would go forward next time.
Thanks so much and just thanks to the involvement of our community. It really speaks to how strong less than Wilsonville school district is that we have parents and community members that care so much and I just I know we all appreciate the input that we've had throughout the process. [00:29:00] So one of the important things to think about in terms of context, is that when we think about.
Health education it is in the context of a holistic and integrated approach that big swirly diagram. There is what's considered a best practice in terms of whole child whole school approach to how. Of which health education is only one small part thinking about the other components of physical education making sure that our students have lots of physical activity that we have nutrition information that we are have access to healthy foods for all students.
We have an excellent nutrition services department here in less than Wilsonville. That's really leading us forward in that way as well as some of the work that happens from our school Gardens and Crest around [00:30:00] that education and nutrition for all students the specific health education standards and teaching.
Is what we have been adopting through our curriculum adoption process and then that portion of it that's about sexual health that smaller portion is what dr. Sorenson is outlining helping us out line tonight that social emotional climate that we heard so much conversation about that we. That we all of us in this room want all students to feel respected and supported that every student feels safe and welcomed in our schools.
That is a key value that we all hold its part of this holistic approach to health and it is something that we strive for every day and will continue to strive for so all. With weather with difference of religion, whether it's with difference of perception and gender [00:31:00] any of those things. We want all students to feel safe and welcome in our schools.
So we think about the physical environment and our bond Summit. We got to think quite a bit about that the health services provided by our School nurses are School social workers are School psychologists counseling so. Psychological and social services employee Wellness Community involvement and family engagement.
That's all part of this holistic approach to health and this plan for sexual health comprehensive sexual health education is a very small sliver within that holistic approach.
One of the things that's so unique in our schools about.  This topic is that unlike many other parts that teaching mathematics for example doesn't have a lot [00:32:00] of our legislature has not passed a lot of laws that specifically guide. Districts in terms or direct districts in terms of how they proceed with teaching mathematics there have been a number of legislative.
Bills and laws that have been passed over the last few years that impact and where things are and presenting this comprehensive sexual education plan today. The first one was passed back in 2009 by the Oregon legislature that human sexuality education that deals. Grades 6 through 12 and the big difference in that for those of us that were around in education at that time was really the shift to moving from abstinence-only education to abstinence-based prioritized education.
Where. This new [00:33:00] law states that for grades six through 12. We absolutely need to continue to talk about the values and importance of abstinence and provide other medically accurate information as well. So that has been a lot in Oregon since 2009 for grade 6 through 12. In 2013, the healthy teens relationship Act was passed that is in response to.
That how do we all as School Employees helped provide both education and information. To make sure that students and this applies in grades seven through twelve really are have the resources to make sure that it they are in healthy relationships if there was any [00:34:00] sort of abuse. Or disrespect or harassment that all of the students would know what their resources are to deal with that situation.
It requires us to have training for employees that if we as Educators recognize an abusive situation going on between students that we have to help support those students to get to a healthier situation know what their resources are. And it also provides that we need to provide education for students in grades 7 through 12 on that same topic the most recent legislation that has impacted where we are with our comprehensive sexual education plan is Aaron's law which was passed in 2015.
Erin's law is very. Specific and very interesting. I had the pleasure to [00:35:00] meet Erin. Merryn. It's actually the name of the woman who started this legislation that has now been passed in 35 states in the US and is pending in 15 additional States. Aaron has a very compelling story growing up as a as a child who was unfortunately experiencing sexual abuse.
Outside of school, but at some point she was Found the courage to tell someone with in school who was able to help her get the resources. She needed to have a safe environment and to protect herself and so Aaron's law which is passed in 2015 and Oregon requires that we in an age appropriate. And culturally sensitive way provide for lessons per year [00:36:00] at for every student in grades K through 12 around sexual abuse prevention and what that really.
Means is that boundaries around what's your body? What you have the right to say? No to people touching your body. If you don't want that to be touched where the resources who are The Trusted adults in your home. You can go to who are trusted adults outside of your home. You can go to if something unsafe were happening to you.
So that is Aaron's law and I would say that one thing that I just want to share a very short situation that Erin's law has we've started teaching those lessons this year and. We have seen a student as a situation where student participated in one of these lessons and that brought forward a disclosure [00:37:00] that went forward and here in our own District a situation happened.
Where now that student is in a safe situation and no longer being abused. And so that's really has sat on my heart and as we move forward in this complex, Conversation that we're having as a district.
So those this is another way of thinking about some of the Big Ideas in those three laws that we just described and the Oregon Department of Education prepared this Venn diagram that can help us really think about that and it it's no accident that the overlap is really focusing on children's safety.
And and respect. One of the things that I really appreciate a lot with in my conversations with dr. Sois in about this is in student services. We're a [00:38:00] lot about responsive services. So if a student has a barrier to education or needs help or has been identified. Being homeless, you know, how can we help them?
It's sort of responsive and part of this laws. How are we being proactive and helping students know what their resources are and so that they can be empowered. I will just also note that we will be coming back to you with a whole other presentation in a couple months about the work. We've been doing around suicide prevention.
As a district for many years and have just had a big renewal in that this year that we want to bring back to you. It is just had Galley Murray who is the Clackamas County Youth Suicide Prevention specialist come and speak with us about some of the work that we're all doing together. It is an extremely.
[00:39:00] Concerning fact that suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth in Oregon and that lgbtq youth are more than twice as likely to die by Suicide than other youth.  so.  that is some background information and I'd like to move forward with as Doctor sois instead. Well, she's going to move forward with a little bit more about the process.
Our process has been informed by. Two things. First of all, we want to make sure that we're not just thanking the community and the parents but our process I think you will see evidence. We have been informed by parents very much in this and deciding what this plan is going to look like because of that.
Our process has been relatively [00:40:00] slow compared to other school districts. We started when the standards were adopted. In 2016 with participating in our own education with getting a district group of teachers counselors nurses administrators and starting parent input sessions and we ran a pattern where every time we would do something with a work group to start to say this is what it could look like then we'd schedule a parent session and we chose to do that for this first one because part of my own education about.
This is notice the school district might have maybe five parents on on the group who decided to join but felt like knowing that once we got into this particular aspect of Health and Wellness that it was going to bring forward more views and more thinking as the process went along. We [00:41:00] opted to make it as public as we could and the other reason for slowing it down.
Own has to do with our school board. You have a goal number three that as a staff member. I know I feel compelled to look at how can I always get better at working with that? And that is to communicate to be transparent and to involve and to involve not just to let you know what we're doing but to use.
Parents voice in input into what we're doing. So because of that we have these parent input and information evenings five of them and continued with work groups. And now it's February 2019. We got snowed out once but that we are actually bringing this forward. So we know that our plan also looks a little bit different from that of other school districts who [00:42:00] put something before their boards in 2017 before they'd actually worked with the teacher groups.
They were a lot shorter. They had maybe the policy statements and they had the standards and they had some grade level outlines and maybe a statement about opting out. Again with this board goal that you have we opted to put as much in as we can, but we got to a point where we actually need to know.
Is it okay to move forward and then it is appropriate for the full materials that were going to be using to be communicated in a family-friendly way that this is what children will see this is what teachers will use and that's the juncture that were at right now. The other thing though is there.
This is a continual process. So we are now also opting to have from [00:43:00] this point forward upon approval of this plan or statement about where we go with this plan that we said at our last work session on January 22nd that we want interested parents to come forward and serve. As part of the permanent group we need an ongoing group now to look at the same material and study all the time to move forward from how we continue to implement this plan and then move into the next one.
The outcomes from the process also. We've learned a lot there has been feedback from every single process of what was said in the room that actually shows up in our plan. From things that were asked for in terms of how we inform the community when we [00:44:00] inform the community and there are specific things that will not be taught as stated in a standard for middle school for example, and so we have used that information.
It's also brought forward as I think we've heard this evening and in quick and increasingly wide range of views and to where we've learned that there is not one single statement about moving forward. That's why we are going to have this representative group and we're going to look to have it represent grade levels cultural point and we want diversity of points of view on sexuality education.
That's another part of being included in the ongoing study group and school. The other thing we've learned about process is the statements that we've heard about [00:45:00] reinvigorating and re-establishing what used to be called site councils, but parent advisory groups through our ptas and other advisory mechanisms in our schools, and that's something that we have heard from the community and even though it's not part of the comprehensive sexuality education.
And feel compelled to let you know that we have heard that and that's something that we think will serve us well with all processes.
So in a in a table form, this is the grade levels K 5 6 8 and 9 12 and. What the materials are that we're going to be using and just the a really broad outline of what the instruction will look [00:46:00] like and this is an example of what would be then further spelled out in terms of unit plans and lesson plans once we get direction from the school board about proceeding.
So in grades K through five, we will teach the Second Step curriculum and there's two added units one called bullying prevention and Child Protection units.  And then our nurses will teach a communicable disease prevention to grades K through 5 in this school year 2018 to 2019. They will teach puberty lessons and then it will those will be taught to 4th and 5th graders in 2019 2020.
The materials used are second step and then there are and in the plan that outlines the pages and there's actually excerpts included in the [00:47:00] appendix of the plan McGraw-Hill Health and Wellness.  And there's a piece from Oregon healthy kids about disease prevention. In grades six through eight the approach to gender identity and expression is through respect and acceptance communicable diseases pregnancy prevention.
Erin's law is through safety and healthy well-being and healthy relationships. We will not in Middle School have condom demonstrations. There is not discussion of sexual interaction. Actually in the standards and we will not be having that that in the standards and they'll be no role playing about sexuality education.
So again, you can see the curriculum used and then 9 through 12 again the approach it's really important for us to let you know that what we've heard [00:48:00] and what we what Builds on our own pedagogical beliefs is. The gender identity and expression is through respect and acceptance and understanding.
Okay, I'm going to try to move us along here a little bit. And this is the specifics of the plan often, you know, the devils in the details is an expression had I think we've learned a lot from community and put in on the first couple sessions about how to do this part better how to be more clear about exactly some of these components.
So we are using the OD he's definition of what is age-appropriate. Which includes really thinking about the social cognitive emotional and developmental levels of students that the curriculum will be reviewed by administrators teachers counselors and with expertise [00:49:00] really looking at what we're going to use.
This is much tighter than we're teaching anything else in terms of we're going to be very careful that nobody is. Off, you know finding some interesting thing that they would add into the curriculum because we've heard that from our community. They want to know what's going to be taught ahead of time so that they can really make an informed decision about what's best for their child.
I know that we've talked about the using materials that have been reviewed by. The department and making sure that they meet the requirements of accuracy and with Oregon Department of Education criteria.
So for middle school and high school students. Because those are semester Health courses students sign up for a semester Health course at the beginning [00:50:00] of either the start of the year or at the start of the second semester course syllabus will come from the students teachers that will outline all of the think the topics that will happen in that Health course and be very clear which lessons have to do.
Sexuality education and what materials will be used for that that will happen at the beginning of the semester that gives parents time if they want to come and review materials and that that is absolutely something that we want to make available in a very transparent manner. I think there was some confusion this year around one parent Scott that because of the semester level of the course and not a year-long course.
We want to be very. Clear about that. We also wanted to be very clear about what along with that syllabus. There's going to be a copies and opportunities. [00:51:00] So folks know about way in advance and then a week I had a time at least one week ahead of time. Another notification will go out to families before the sexual health lessons that families would know and attached to that will be an opt-out opportunity.
That is something that we've heard very clearly and you know, really appreciate the input and the good questions from board members and community members that that needs to be very very clear and we have gotten better at that. I think as we've gone along to move that forward. So that is the plan for middle school and high school youth.
I would get those on the semesters. For primary schools the beginning of the year on those curriculum nights. We will have those health and wellness materials out the second steps materials the. Classroom the school counselors at the curriculum [00:52:00] nights will have the child protection unit, which is the lessons that deal with Erin's law sexual abuse prevention, which is the place where things like body part names will be used that might be some of the concerns for some of our families.
So those materials will be out at the curriculum night. Also any other time a parent wants to look at them just, you know, contact your principal and they'll be happy. To make those available and then again at least a week before parents will get a copy of this lesson is coming. Here's what we're going to be covering in that lesson.
And here's an opt-out letter if you choose as a family to not have your child participate the other reason we really want that information a week ahead of time is we've heard from many families that. They want the opportunity to talk with their own children about it around the dinner table in their own home [00:53:00] and frame it in a way that fits with their families values and may still choose to have the students participate in school, but they want that opportunity first to frame that or opportunity to opt out and either one is absolutely okay.
So we're making good efforts to just make sure we have that information translated and all the languages of our families. We have a lot of different languages spoken sometimes only buy one or two families, but it's equally important that those families have the same information so that they can make good choices moving forward.
one of the. Things that we have really worked on is what happens if a student Ops out. What will that look like for the student? What's really important to us? Is that that feels absolutely okay and welcoming and safe to that child [00:54:00] into that family and that they are given a really good other learning activity to do that is health-related.
Maybe it's a reading thing about nutrition or some other topic. That's not about the. Topic that the family doesn't want their child to participate in but is still related to and used well for health time for those students the other thing in terms of at middle school and high school when we're thinking about course credit.
We want to be a hundred percent clear in our bullet points here that opting out would in no way impact a student's grade in a negative fashion ever.
So a number 9. This has been really important for us. I personally have gotten to work with our school counselors around that child protection unit for the grades K through 5 and with our School nurses around both disease prevention and puberty the puberty lessons actually are pretty [00:55:00] much the same lessons.
We've been doing for a long time about body changes and. Use deodorant and all those kinds of fun things. So but we are just being tighter so that everyone feels that they are know exactly what they're doing in the counselors went through each one of those Child Protection unit lessons. There are six.
In the grade level and We Shrunk them down to five so we're very clear. Okay? Yes, we're doing this part. No, we're not doing that part. And so that any parent that wanted to come and see I just really want to see exactly what scenarios are going to be presented. You will be able to see that. It is very important to us.
And I appreciate that conversation about you know, teachers want to do a good job with this and are being very respectful of how we know there's diversity in our community and every family has their own beliefs [00:56:00] and we want to present the information in a way that supports children and does not provide teachers.
Giving their own value statements one of the things that we do with teachers this we practice a protocol for with you get asked a question that might elicit a value what's away evening to answer that? How do you might direct them back to their own family to answer some of those questions or if it's a medical question just answer it medically accurate and move on so.
Bottom line is we are going to just continued to do what we've learned a lot from this process and work incredibly hard to make sure all of our folks that spoke today that all of our children in our schools feel safe and comfortable with the learning activities that are presented to them.
Sorry, the materials I think barbarity addressed this but just very specifically those are the materials [00:57:00] that were using and I don't want to be deceptive there. But that that healthy kids keeping. Kids Safe disease prevention. It's really only like one page out of that cuz it just wasn't enough about communicable diseases in the McGraw-Hill.
It's very short. Thank you.
One thing that we just want to be clear about there were questions throughout the process about materials and what can be seen online. So short excerpts from materials or worksheets anything like that that is showing like the Oregon healthy teens that will be online We cannot put a whole textbook online.
So that just want to make that distinction there that that would be where if you want to see the text in its entirety you would visit the school and then again the context for an approach [00:58:00] to teaching to our standards about gender identity. And this is something that we have heard from our students and that we have heard from our community is the developing respect and acceptance.
And then finally just this is also came straight from our sessions and work sessions with the community and that we are not including role-playing as a former Middle School principal. I can just not you know, we cannot imagine role-playing about some topics that it's new information. And so, you know, there is a foundational pedagogy about instructional practices that our teachers have but we actually put that in writing because that's something.
We heard about that will certainly not be part of our curriculum and our teachers make those decisions daily. I mean they want they want kids to be comfortable, you know in classrooms. We work always [00:59:00] at getting better at that. The instruction is not about specific sexual interactions, and there are not condom demonstrations in Middle School.
And again just the process for knowing when and where information will be available that again we had to wait to see what the status of this plan is, but then the the idea is to post the outlines in all grades Second Step topic outlines on the district website. As we see what how we can move forward, but then that will become more specific as lessons are fully written so that by the beginning of the 2019-20 school year our plan is that parents will be able to see what a lesson looks like.
The only thing they will not be able to see is the whole text.
[01:00:00] And so again, we've talked about most of our next steps one of some of the other things though that we do feel compelled to mention that we did hear from the community that we could better address alcohol and substance use mental health healthy social media use specifically as it refers to sexuality and update our nutrition information.
So, of course, we will continue with professional learning and collecting data and we are forming then this task force that will include parents as part of a group and we're going to ask for it to your commitment to do that and that task force would begin meeting in the spring like next month again dependent on where we are going from here.