February 25 2019 Board Meeting Part 5
[00:00:00] That they felt they felt they likely learned the same information but would have been more engaged in the classroom that facilitated more discussion and question asking students shared that over the course of their educational experience subject matter may have been awkward at times but age-appropriate students also collectively shared the information around sexual identity first being taught in high school was too late.
They shared students are sharing their identity and orientation in middle school. They also shared that bowling do to orientation also begins in middle school learning about orientation in middle school would be helpful students shared that education on consent is appreciated and reference the recent learning around Aaron law.
Students resoundingly shared a desire for more information on sexual education was needed during middle and primary school. There was one student who did share that they were not comfortable in fifth grade when sexual education was taught and she [00:01:00] chose not to participate this discomfort continued with the learning of anatomy and sex related topics Middle School.
She shared she still. Not comfortable with the topic but is glad that the high school curriculum glad for the high school curriculum because she knows the information information. She will need in the future. She would like to share that not all kids are ready for the information and she would like to ensure that students like her.
She described it as less mature more right naive have the ability to opt out or have more gentle presentation of subject matter that better fits their comfort level students asked for providing a facts around substance abuse alcohol sex pregnancy and pregnancy prevention at a young age. They showed that many of them are exposed to things before that.
They'd never had the chance to learn about in school. Students shared there's bullying and peer pressure to engage in sexual activity facts on more socio-emotional education regarding the [00:02:00] implications of sexual activity would be beneficial a counter point was that the absence education was not beneficial when it was perceived that half the class is not abstain.
By the same token education on heterosexual relations is not as engaging to students who are in a same-sex relationship. There was a request for education on safe sex practices for different sexual orientations students felt more education and learning around consent for teens is needed.
And they also advised that learning around protecting or watching over friends in social situations would be helpful example. It was baguette was given that if a friend is at a party and engaging in activity that would reduce their ability to consent they like that some education around what they could do to help their friend.
Drought my discussions with the students. I mean that what they were asking for [00:03:00] was more education. And I learned early range.
What I will say is that I am on the school board for the next two years.  I am going to be held I would expect you to hold me accountable for this curriculum as we go for I'm here to listen to you and I'm here to work with our Administration and to continue the dialogue.  But I absolutely believe that.
This is what our students need based on the voice of our own students.  extra.
So proud of this community our third or goal is to make sure that we listen the community and we have a community with that's very important because I mean look around you look at the last couple of meetings. I'm proud of the respectful demeanor worth is intersection of religion and education of our kids and [00:04:00] sexuality and despite those very sensitive topics.
Everyone here tonight was been very respectful. So I want to thank you for that and I want to let you know that. Even if this outcome isn't a hundred percent of what you wanted. The result that we have now is substantively different because of what you've given us over the last 12 months and dr.
Spencer Iams and doctors poison will tell you that that what you're looking at tonight is different because of what you have said to us.
As I look at this curriculum, I'm excited by a lot of the stuff that's in it it teaching young children how to tell the difference between appropriate inappropriate touching giving as miss a guy said tonight in her comments. It's empowering kids to know that they control their bodies and then if something happens if they don't like this is how this is what you do with it.
This is how you report it. This is how you get this is how you make sure doesn't happen again. It's talking about bullying. How do you know when you see bullying? What can you do to stop it? What do you do? If you're feeling sad and depressed here are the resources connect you to [00:05:00] defeat the places that you don't you don't feel alone learning that all individuals aren't heterosexual or cisgendered and regardless of how a person identifies with their gender or sexuality that they they deserve to be respected and feel safe and.
I have a first grader in the district. I have a third grader and I'm a fifth grader. And these are things that I want them to know if somebody touches one of my kids inappropriately. I want them to know that they have control their bodies and can report that if somebody bullies my kid. I want them to know what they can do if they're feeling sad and depressed.
I want them to know what they can do if they're straight. I want them to know they can't treat someone's not straight differently. If they're gay. I want them to feel empowered to respect themselves and demand respect for themselves. I'm doing that at home. And what I heard tonight is Will parents should be.
Possible or if you're here tonight, you're probably a really good parent but most parents aren't here tonight and some parents aren't great parents and so great parents. I think should be supported in schools and not-so-great parents should have the slack picked up by school. So I think that's what we're doing here [00:06:00] tonight.
So I heard a lot of parents say they want the power to. Teach their kids this you absolutely can. No one is forcing you someone said tonight that if this passes I have to take my kids out of the school district. No, you don't you can just opt out of this. And then the question is where would you go this is a state standards.
And so unless you go to a private school that you're probably going to District as something similar, but probably a lot less thought in the nude the move put here like director Molitor. I spoke to the high school students. And it was it was powerful. They're not divided like like we are in this room.
I heard one voice from the students that I met with and that was we want more information. We wanted earlier there was a woman that there's a student I spoke with an 11th grade who said that if she knew what consent was earlier in her life. She'd be a lot happier. Now we heard from mr. Artur Berg who bravely sets night that he was sexually assaulted and that maybe if he had some educational earlier in life, he could have gotten through that a lot better than he did.
[00:07:00] And so when the kids are asking for this information and I ask these kids they said have any of you in there are 16 of them have any of you in a public education system ever received information of a sexual nature from a teacher or an advisor. You thought was too soon that you weren't ready for.
Nobody said they had I said, do you know anybody who's everyone comfortable because you got the information too soon and they said no they said we're not getting it soon enough and we're going online and get this information. Okay. So I feel like those are our choices one parent said. We need to be parents for our world right now when information that we know is a click away.
Literally a click away that we do not want the Nexus. We need to prepare them for the world. They're living at not the road that we want them to live in and so even though I think this frequent is fantastic. I recognize that I am not every child's parent. This district is not every child's parents every parent should get to decide.
What is best for their kids and that's why I've worked very closely with dr. Ludwig and dr. Spencer Iams. And dr. Swanson is to making sure one that adequate notice is involved here. And when I say [00:08:00] adequate it means specific curriculum what is being taught that goes out with plenty of time of noticed a pair.
And then if they don't like it, there's a very clear opt-out system in place. And I think that they have developed that I am satisfied with what they've what they proposed after several drafts of this. This is a I think a very good final product and its director Molitor said if it's not good if we get into the fall of next year and you see holes in the system we want to know about it hold us accountable for what we have and I'm going to tell you right now, it's this is the first time we're doing this there's.
Going to be probably mistakes. Okay, that is immune system is failing. It just means we've got to correct things and we want you to work with us to make sure that happens and so I will be strongly supporting the curriculum adoption as it's being proposed tonight, and I would encourage my board members to do the same.
Thanks.  Hello everyone. Thank you to those of you who stuck around for this portion. And [00:09:00] thank you to the administrators doctor soy son. Dr. Spencer. I am dr. Ludwig who put a lot of work into this. I know dr. Solis and I've seen you up in front of large groups of people talking about this over months and I appreciate that amount of dedication.
My lack of having questions this evening. I think it's just reflective of the length of time that we've been engaged in this process. Not a lack of, you know curiosity or it really is just reflective of how long we've had this conversation and how many iterations have occurred as you've received feedback from the community.
Um, so I weighed many factors to inform the decision before me about the human sexuality education for students engaged with conversations with constituents with diverse perspectives. I poured over the quantitative data and Anonymous survey such as the organ healthy teen survey and the organ student [00:10:00] wellness survey.
I reviewed the proposed curriculum. I listened to teachers I read reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Disease Control and I read all the materials presented to me from our constituents presented to the board and I listen to students. The revised Oregon Health & Wellness standards have three main categories that have been updated.
They involve topics around sexual decision-making and reproductive Health gender identity and consent. I would like to address briefly each of these and share some of the quantitative and qualitative data that informs my decision this evening. Consent is an increasingly relevant Topic in our national discourse and it is a skill that these standards aim to teach our students consent is included as a topic and healthy communication and relationship skills.
We only need to see the news to see how important it is that our young people and our adults [00:11:00] understand what it looks like and sounds like to have consent. Whether or not consent can be revoked under what conditions consent can be given or not given for example when alcohol is when one is under the influence of alcohol the 2017 organ healthy teen survey administered by the Oregon Health Authority shows that 13% of 11th graders in Clackamas County have engaged in sexual behavior when they didn't want to.
Because of pressure we need to teach our young people how important it is to not pressure others and how to get out of situations when one is being pressured. These are important communication skills, and they are increasingly crucial and professional and personal contexts are teenagers need to learn that they have the right to protect themselves from unwanted touch and they need the skills to do so.
In the same survey nine percent of 11th graders and [00:12:00] Clackamas County reported that during their life. They have experienced unwanted sexual conduct conduct with them by an adult. We need to teach our youngest children that they have a right to protect themselves from unwanted sexual touch from adults.
They need to be told that they have this right and taught how to protect themselves. So that's a little bit about the consent foursome. Now I'll address the topic of human sexuality and reproductive health. Reviewing the organ healthy teen survey from the air 2015 which is the data set that informed the the revised health and wellness standards that we see before us and I also reviewed the year 2017.
I see that we actually have a significant number of students who are already engaged in sexual relationships. For example in 2017 of the students who took this survey anonymously in Clackamas County nine percent of eighth graders. Reported being sexually active and 45% of 11th [00:13:00] graders reported being sexually active.
of these students who are sexually active 17 percent of the eighth graders either did not use reproductive health or they use a condom or they didn't know whether or not they. I heard from our high school students that they learned in school how one gets pregnant but did not learn much about how one prevents pregnancy.
They knew that the apps that abstinence was the best method they felt they actually heard a lot about abstinence what they didn't know as well as how to protect themselves if they decided to engage in sexual. The students stated that they wanted more information about how to prevent unwanted pregnancy and protect themselves from STIs and they wanted this information to be delivered in a way that didn't feed into a fear or shame based model of human sexuality.
They wanted this information early. Early in high school [00:14:00] or even in middle school. They felt that by the 11th grade their peers were already engaged in decision-making around sexual health and they needed this information before the sexual decisions were being made. Finally. I'll address the topic of gender identity and sexual orientation in 2017.
The organ student wellness survey was administered to all the Westland Wilsonville 6 8. And 11th grade students and they anonymously self-reported.  Over 13% of our eighth grade students reported being teased or to use the survey language bullied and the past 30 days because someone thought that they were gay lesbian bisexual or transgendered.
Over 7% of our 11th graders reported the same. When I listen to our high school students, they reported wanting to learn about gender identity earlier. They witnessed harassment in middle school about gender [00:15:00] identity and they felt that learning about gender identity. Even before Middle School would be valuable one soft-spoken in high school student ask that we move away from a binary gender identity framework.
So I want to just pause here for a moment and consider just the the implications of harassment. On an individual so I am a cisgendered heterosexual person. I use the pronoun she her and hers and my identity is a for firmed all around me. It's been affirmed all around me since since I was born and religious institutions and popular culture and traditional culture and media and most families.
My gender identity and sexual orientation is portrayed as being normal and correct.  Did it there is a cisgender and heterosexual framework all around me. In fact, it's so pervasive that as a cisgender and heterosexual [00:16:00] person. I may not even be able to identify how many messages and images I receive on a daily basis that tell me that I am normal and correct and that I belong.
During a phone call with a constituent. I learned that this parent has a teenager at one of our high schools who uses the pronouns they and them this parent was communicating support for any work we could do. And our school is to raise awareness of gender identity. This person's child was in the hospital for their second suicide attempt.
They had experienced harassment by their peers like the time the word fag was written in Sharpie on their desk the parent questioned whether or not they were safe and our community.  I also talked with a woman who described herself as a Conservative Christian. She hopes her children will practice abstinence until [00:17:00] married and she fears that they will be uncomfortable learning about human sexuality in the classroom at the same time.
She's willing to support and education that reduces harm. She recognizes that not everyone shares her values that some people need this information in order to make safe decisions. She also recognizes the increased risk for suicide amongst our lgbtq youth. She's willing for her children to experience some discomfort in the classroom and to take the opportunity to have those conversations with them at home.
If the implementation of this curriculum will help all our young people to be healthy mentally and physically.  So that's just some of the qualitative and quantitative data that I received in those three main areas of the health and wellness standards that have been revised. I'd like to touch just a moment on the big picture research and data that backs the creation because I've been [00:18:00] hearing some asks about, you know, is this scientifically backed most of you have probably heard of the Center for Disease Control and prevention the CDC.
It's an organization that's stacked with doctors and public health experts. It's and they have a list of 19 critical sexual education topics. You can find this information a www.cdc.gov healthy youth. I recommend you take a look at this for yourself. It was released in the year 2016 and it recommends.
So much of basically what these standards follow that we teach the abstinence is the only way to 100% protect oneself from unwanted pregnancy and STIs, which is what our our curriculum will teach Our Youth and it also teaches them about the importance of limiting the number of sexual partners. And how to use a condom and how do you use a condom in conjunction with [00:19:00] other forms of contraception in order to prevent STIs and pregnancy the CDC also recommends that we teach about gender roles and gender identity and how to communicate and have healthy relationships.
Their recommendations claim that this will give us healthier outcomes. So finally, I know I've been going on for a while. But this is a topic. I've been exploring and listening to you all for some months now. So I appreciate your sticking with me here organs health and wellness standards have a large amount of data and input to back their validity.
Our teachers are experts in delivering age-appropriate content. Qualitatively, we have heard a range of stories about why we need this curriculum quantitatively the majority of the emails that I received as a board member. We're in support of these standards. Our district has listened to those who [00:20:00] oppose this education and made adjustments to the human sexuality plant.
Some curriculum was pulled. A Workforce with parent representation is being developed to assist in the implementation of the curriculum. There's a plan for keeping the parents informed of an advance of the delivery. There's a plan for parents to opt out adequate accommodations have been made to meet the concerns of those who are opposed to teaching our young people about gender identity and human sexuality.
I hope that as we implement this curriculum that our parents will use this as an opportunity to talk with their children about the concepts. I realized that sometimes parents are actually learning these concepts for the first time. I mean, I just learned the term cisgendered. I mean probably a couple years ago that's probably reflective of my actual my gender privilege that it's a tie, you know.
Could have not known that term. And [00:21:00] I also hope that all the parents will take the time to read the standards that OD e put out and actually really get to know what what is it that Oregon Department of Education is asking that we teach our kids so finally I'm closing I am deeply appreciative of the conversation that has emerged in our community many people have voiced their opinion and more importantly have listen to opinions that are different from their own.
And for the most part we have engaged in this conversation conversation in a way that's quite respectful and my hope is that we'll continue these conversations with our young people and really amongst ourselves and. Role model a way that we can have these conversations that values various ways of being and our various values systems.
I know we have a love that's big enough. We've been hearing about love this evening. I know we have a love that's big enough to embrace all of our young [00:22:00] people. So let's just continue to show up as such and I'll be voting in favor of the adoption of the human sexuality plan and will be advocating for the robust implementation and follow through.
To ensure that the organ health and wellness standards are met.  I would ask any of the board members who at least wrote a good portion of their statement out to provide it to Miss Douglas to help with the minutes.  Thank you to all of the parents and students who took the time to attend any of our forums or feedback sessions provided by the district who sent email?
Who came to board meetings to speak or took time to speak privately with me? I'm aware. There are viewpoints about the sexuality components of the proposed curriculum that cannot be reconciled my decision to vote to approve. The curriculum is Guided by the following considerations one our [00:23:00] families and our children.
Do not all look the same or come from the same understanding about gender and. In my work as a lawyer representing Children and Youth in my work as a parent. And in this work as a board member I am deeply concerned that information on these topics provide Equitable and accurate education about sexual topics as well as Equitable and accurate information for and about those who are lgbtq in our community in a way that does not carve out instruction with an implication that it is.
Not an. Component of our curriculum as provided by the legislature and the Oregon Department of Education. My now adult foster son told me recently how comforting it would have been to have been given language and opportunities for conversation about sexual and gender identity in Middle School. It would not be consistent with my advocacy for all children to deprive some of them of the [00:24:00] opportunity to receive instruction at school that gives voice to their lives.
In a meaningful positive and healthy way based on dr. Spencer Iams report if one child is safely now without abuse. The district's implementation of Erin's law is worth it. I have three students in the district one in middle school and two in high. I have very strong opinions about what I want my children to know and the values.
I hope my children keep lifelong. My family has spiritual beliefs and a long Heritage of those beliefs. I believe it is my role as a parent to teach values about gun safety drugs and alcohol staying safe with people. We don't know mental health the environment and sex all topics covered in the health and wellness curriculum.
I have advocated around the opportunity with the principles of my children's schools in the past out on those topics. Now, the district has committed to Communication in [00:25:00] advance with families about upcoming topics and has provided an opt-out option to family. I am reassured that families who do not feel a particular child is ready for that information or who want to provide their own instruction or who have differing Family Values will be able to preserve their Authority and control over the instruction of their children receives.
The district has provided a detailed communication plan to provide permit parents to opt out to I have looked through all of the proposed curriculum from cover to cover. I'm pleased that my children is students in the district are getting extensive and broad range instruction on health and wellness, including social and emotional learning.
I can find a number of aspects to the curriculum that are specially praiseworthy the frequent reminders to quote following family Rules or quote following family guidelines, the illustrations that include showing families and persons from diverse backgrounds. [00:26:00] Cultures races ages and genders instruction around television violence and advertising the high school text provided students with anticipated challenges to the abstinence stance the high school materials discussed therapy as a family resource.
The messages were important and age-appropriate. I found areas that weren't perfect same-sex couples were not represented in illustration and family breakups were address exclusively as divorce between a husband and wife. The emphasis on games seem to have step with our community and the legality of marijuana for adults was not updated in some.
Nor was the Affordable Care Act discussed session updated and the first grade curriculum. I wondered whether some of the messages regarding don't talk to strangers and staying away from someone with a gun would be consistent with the values of all families in our districts. I wondered the same thing about the materials on tattoos and piercing in the middle and high school text and the Second Step curriculum.
I disagree with the Never Never [00:27:00] approaches being best research base, but it is age-appropriate. Also in the Second Step curriculum for fourth graders, I felt the depiction in the illustration of an older man with a young boy asking to look at pictures of unclothed people played into a stereotype that may be limiting the effectiveness of instruction in all it is good curriculum the sexuality components in the high school textbook are all something that I would personally want my kids to know and not anything.
I personally would want to know they were studying an. The sexuality components in the middle school textbook is something I would want to know in advance so I could discuss family values and have more family and one-on-one conversations around that material and my child's response 3 the district must assure compliance with the vision 22 organ Department of Education rules to receive state funding.
The sexuality components as well as the other components of the proposed curriculum are part of the rules at an organ and ministration [00:28:00] organ administrative Rule 5. 8102 2 1 4 4 0. Section for that rule provides that quote local school board shall approve the plan of instruction and require that it be reviewed and updated biennially in accordance with new scientific instruction and Effective Education strategies in quote all of our almost 10,000 students benefit from State funding all of our almost 10,000 students would be terribly hurt by the loss of that.
For the Oregon legislature passed laws requiring the school districts provide teaching on the particular subjects addressed in the district's proposed curriculum, the proposed curriculum meets the minimum standards on the sexuality components as does not extend beyond what the law requires five.
The Oregon Department of Education has provided the research and reasoning behind the minimum standards, and I found it compelling and. [00:29:00] 6 the district listen to the feedback of parents and teachers over the last year and has made many adjustments in response to that feedback to address concerns while still meeting its requirements under the Oregon Department of Education rules and laws passed by the legislature doctors voice and has articulated again tonight the district's commitment to ongoing involvement of parents in reviewing the curriculum in years to come through a task force.
Seven finally the process of developing and adopting this curriculum over more than a year demonstrates to me that the district has a genuine approach that will provide teachers with tools guidance and training to provide the same instruction in schools across the district that is age-appropriate culturally inclusive and medically accurate.
I will be voting to approve the curriculum and asset Miss Douglas the board secretary include my written statements into the minutes.
[00:30:00] Dragon Molitor. Yes Vice chair hides. I can't fetch director Reynolds. I director King Martin. Yes.  Thank you board. And thank you. Dr. So Ison and dr. Spencer ions, and dr. Ludwig. I know we're getting ready to end the night. I just want to say thank you again to dr. Spencer Iams and doctors voice in for.
All the time they put into the process work with staff teachers meeting with families reading emails. I want to thank our students before they head out tonight for their courageous voices and parents who recognize their voices.
And I want to thank our community. Yeah, be careful driving home want to thank our community our diverse community and [00:31:00] because of its diversity. It's a strength and appreciate every parent who spoke tonight and it all the community forums. We are a better and stronger School District because you are involved.
And want you to continue to be involved stay in conversation with us continue to be active and the tremendous parent group that you are in this community. We value you tremendously. Thank you board members for your full participation for all of your research and for taking the time and investing so much in this topic and in your written statements appreciate the thoroughness and your thoughtfulness this evening.
Which do is restored like that. Well, there you are. Are you ready? Go are [00:32:00] you okay, the board has in front of them tonight a resolution for the purchase of a particular property that is adjacent to our Stafford. Operations center Athey Creek site the board and executive session is considered now for three months or more with negotiations that have become favorable for both parties.
We have developed with our attorney a purchase and sale agreement that identifies the points that the board. Of Interest the price has been negotiated agreeably amongst all parties and that resolution 2018 - 3 is up for your consideration.
I'll move that the board [00:33:00] authorized a superintendent and entry purchase and sales agreement to purchase the 5.2 one-acre parcel lot located at 1 9 8 7 3 Southwest Stafford Road from the estate of Dorothy Jean Sarandon second discussion.  I would just want to know that. This parcel is directly adjacent to the Stafford primary District Operations to Stafford Primary School The District operation Center and 280 Creek Middle School sites.
The purchase price is reduced by almost a third of the listed price and it was negotiated to 1 million. And one signed and following a due diligence period a significant due diligence period the transaction would be expected to close its not right around June [00:34:00] 10th, correct the purchase of the parcel enhances the usability of the entire.
Stafford primary 80 Creek District Operations Center area for utility installations of vehicular access and parking. There's a number of issues there about the way traffic moves through Stafford in particular and also future support facilities including warehouse space and other long-term uses, especially.
The Frog Pond development continues and we move some of the equipment and Facilities that were there at Crest it's a value to the district. It's consistent with our. Our focus on and trying to be financially responsible with the funds. We have funds separate from those that are earmarked for Learning and staff [00:35:00] and those kinds of things from previous land sales or from construction excise tax or we have the land sale from the Frog Pond location.
Which would be closing the around the same time as well.  So I just wanted to add thank you to Tim Woodley and in those duration for providing this opportunity. It sounds like it will offer Great Value to the district the. Thank you for overseeing negotiation of the best possible price and I think it's based on the value of the property value is based on.
I'm good comparative market analysis. And so I just think it's putting together a package that provides good opportunity opportunities to the district to advance our purposes of doing what's best for students.
[00:36:00] Dragon Ball the toy. Yes, Dylan hides. I can jack fetch. I bet even of I just came Martin. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. So as the last matter of business we are scheduled for a work session on Wednesday and due to personal issues. I'm not able to make that and because of purpose was board work session.
We're going to reschedule that.  We are joined. Please drive safely everyone.