Fort Worth ISD is expected to restart its later this spring, according to its superintendent.
The reset is needed after Superintendent Ang茅lica Ramsey instructional materials from California-based . As a result, the .
After reviewing other curriculum options, the district plans to resume teaching sex ed in the spring of the 2023-24 school year, she said.
HealthSmart is currently used as the district鈥檚 overall health curriculum, Ramsey said. .
鈥淭here are modules within the purchased materials that can be used for sexual health,鈥� the superintendent said. 鈥淭hey are not being used.鈥�
But in January, the Fort Worth ISD school board stopped the School Health Advisory Council鈥檚 review of HealthSmart鈥檚 sex education curriculum so the district could follow the process outlined in state law. The district during the recommendation process.
Several members of the School Health Advisory Council voiced concerns about sex education, including the then-proposed curriculum鈥檚 content and the district鈥檚 communication to parents about opting into these lessons.
Hailey Sinclaire, the School Health Advisory Council co-chair, also has voiced concerns to the school board about the lack of sex education this school year.
鈥淲e need to do everything possible to provide students with the information they need to take care of their bodies, make informed choices and help them have a path to a healthy adulthood,鈥� Sinclaire, a health care worker, . 鈥淎ll of this starts with education.鈥�
Ramsey explained that state law on how school health advisory councils review sex education materials as relatively new. The was updated in 2021. The process for is:
- School board adopts a resolution convening school health advisory council.
- Advisory council must hold at least two public meetings on the materials before considering adoption.
- Advisory council presents recommendations to the school board at a public meeting.
- School board ensures recommendations meet state standards and considers taking action.
The is filled with volunteers, a majority of whom are parents.
To set them up for success, administrators are working with members so they better understand the committee鈥檚 purpose and responsibilities as well as establish norms and a calendar 鈥� things that Ramsey views as key pieces needed before jumping into the sex education review.
鈥淚t is unfair to ask a group of volunteers to be tasked with so many responsibilities, be subject to processes in Texas Education Code, and understand both the state standards in health and sex education for multiple grade levels without training and some team building to build trust amongst the group,鈥� Ramsey said.
Disclosure: Laurie George, a member of the Fort Worth Report鈥檚 , is a member of Fort Worth ISD鈥檚 School Health Advisory Council. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .
Jacob Sanchez is an enterprise journalist for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or via .
