Fort Worth ISD administrators, teachers, parents, and community members are heading back into the ring to battle over sex education curriculum. Before things get out of hand, we would do well to agree on some ground rules.
- Set aside religion, politics, and morals, and focus on health. Sex education is a personal and sensitive topic, about which we all have our own diverse religious, political and moral opinions. If the goal is healthier students (as it should be), we must focus on what’s best for their current and future health. This means holistic or “optimal health” which includes physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual health. This includes biology, not ideology. We must be “fact checkers” and use sound, quality, unbiased research that aligns with physical and cognitive development and comes from recognized academic or government sources.
- Move beyond pregnancy prevention to also preventing sexually transmitted diseases and the emotional and relational risks of teen sexual activity. Texas’ teen pregnancy, birth, abortion, and sexual activity rates have fallen steadily and significantly for 25 years. STDs/STIs however are at their highest rates in history. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the most common infection among teens and can lead to genital warts or cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control, “consistent and correct use of condoms may protect against HPV.” Congenital (newborn) syphilis rose 280% in Texas in four years to 680 babies in 2021. The CDC says condoms offer limited protection for syphilis, and condom use among high school students is declining- only 52% report using a condom at last intercourse. With regards to emotional and relational health, a U.S. government report presents the benefits of delayed sexual activity, including “higher educational attainment, lower depression rates, and increased overall happiness in adulthood.”
- Focus on knowledge, skills and support that provide the best outcomes for all students. Most Texas teens are not having sex. The CDC reports only 1 in 4 Texas high school students are currently sexually active. School-based curriculum should provide a broad base of character development, healthy relationship skills, future-focused decision making and goal setting that point all students clearly to the healthiest decisions and best outcomes. Every student learns respect, personal value, and dignity in a positive environment.
- Follow the law. “Comprehensive sex education” or “Abstinence-plus” advocates continue to push for sex education that breaks the law in Texas. Since 1995, Texas law (Texas Education Code 28.004) has required all human sexuality instruction to “devote more attention to abstinence from sexual activity than to any other behavior” and “direct adolescents to a standard of behavior” of avoiding sexual activity until marriage. Quantify the time given for information and skills that support abstinence. If it’s not the majority, then it’s not legal. Count the times marriage is mentioned and in what context. If it’s not there, it’s not legal and shouldn’t be taught here.
- Teach the TEKS. The State Board of Education worked for two years on updated Health TEKS that went into effect in August 2022. The TEKS include required instruction for 4th through 8th graders on Reproductive and Sexual Health. Topics include puberty for males and females (not “people with a penis” and “people with a vagina” as in some curriculum), fertilization, fetal development, healthy relationships, setting and communicating boundaries, contraception (for 7/8th grade and High School), sexually transmitted diseases, emotional risks of sexual activity, and sexual abuse definitions and responses. The TEKS uphold optimal health for all Texas students. All proposed curriculum considered should be audited by the district for full alignment and made available to the public to review.
- Support the SHAC and Board of Trustees. The School Health Advisory Council is required to host two public meetings for reviewing proposed curriculum. The SHAC will then vote and bring a recommended sexuality curriculum to the Board of Trustees, and it will ultimately be the board members who vote on adoption. Board members deal with hundreds of challenging topics in their role and need the support of parents and the community to make the best decisions for FWISD students.
An African proverb says, “When the elephants fight, the grass loses.” In the fight over sex education, we would do well to fight fair. But we would do even better by not fighting, and instead working together for what’s truly best for all our children.
Lori Kuykendall, MPH, is the president of Beacon Health Education Resources.
