FORT WORTH — On Tuesday, Fort Worth school board members unanimously voted to approve a new abstinence-based sex education curriculum for Fort Worth ISD.
The new program, “Choosing the Best,” will cost the district around $72,000. This comes after the school district suspended the former curriculum last year following backlash from the community over its treatment of topics like sexual orientation and gender identity, according to WFAA.
Public comment during the school board meeting attended by The Dallas Express saw speakers both for and against the proposed curriculum.
Opponents argued that its foundation upon abstinence is flawed and will not work, claiming the previous curriculum was a better alternative. Proponents argued that the new curriculum has community support, adheres to Texas law, and is more age-appropriate, with some speaking approvingly of it being morality-based.
Groups such as For Liberty & Justice, a non-profit organization that advocates for mobilizing the church and spreading biblical values throughout the city, organized a liberty rally supporting “Choosing the Best.”
Meanwhile, Amy Ramsey, a member of the group Defense of Democracy, said during a public comment that she was against the proposed curriculum and instead favored the previously suspended curriculum called Healthsmart.
“Healthsmart is comparable and is already paid for — $2.6 million,” said Ramsey in a posted video on X.
Cheryl Bean, a candidate for Texas House District 97, spoke in support of “Choosing the Best.”
“I am an advocate for public school education; however, I am very concerned about the lack of moral compass this country is heading in [sic].”
Missie Carra, a parent advocate in Fort Worth ISD, told The Dallas Express in a text message, “Choosing the Best is a WIN/WIN for FWISD! Not only did it receive the highest evaluation scores from the Curriculum Review Committee and SHAC, but it was also widely supported by Fort Worth Parents and Stakeholders.”
The Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Bo French tweeted on X, “For too long, local officials, elected in so called ‘non-partisan’ elections have pulled most everything our community does hard to the left. It’s time we shine a light on the disgusting, reject the evil, and pursue an agenda that puts the interests of parents ahead of radicals.”
Dallas ISD has also faced criticism for embracing LGBTQ topics and groups in its public schools. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the district partnered with a clinic that enabled transgender hormone usage as well as sex alteration surgeries. Following public scrutiny, the LGBTQ Resource page was made private from the public.