Austin schools may soon teach children a new curriculum promoting high-risk sexual behavior. A group of parents, however, are speaking out against the plan.
Austin Independent School District is currently formulating their new sex ed curriculum for grades three through eight, which is being developed in part by abortion business Planned Parenthood. The curriculum will include lessons promoting the high-risk sexual behaviors of those practicing LGBT lifestyles.
The curriculum has sparked controversy in the community throughout the past several months, and at a school board meeting Monday night, a group of parents and citizens showed up to rally against the plan and testify to the trustees.
“These types of lessons are sexualizing our children,” said citizen Lorie Meynig. “Please focus on reading, writing, and arithmetic.”
“I oppose the approval of the sex ed program because in that curriculum, sixth-graders will be engaging in written scenarios to propose solutions to homophobia,” said Caryl Ayala, co-founder of the local group Concerned Parents of Texas. “This will create a climate that pits students against one another and violates students’ rights to hold a different opinion regarding boundaries of sexual behavior according to their family’s values.”
Ayala said the school board’s curriculum violates the cultural values of many Hispanics like her and her family, as well as a majority of AISD’s student population.
“I am offended that this school district is grooming 46,000 Hispanic children to accept these behaviors,” she said. “I consider this a direct assault on Hispanic family culture.”
“Many of us are concerned that the national sexuality education standards that have been adopted by the AISD board are not in compliance with the laws of the state of Texas,” said grandparent and district taxpayer Don Dores, who brought up the age of consent laws in the Texas Education Code. One example of questionable age-appropriateness is an incident in 2017 where AISD Covington Middle School sent children home with a Planned Parenthood information sheet that included YouTube links to the abortion business’ consent video series, videos that feature gay and lesbian couples undressing each other and preparing for sex.
“It’s time for us to stand up to the board, tell them to go back to the drawing board, and give parents another opportunity to give their input in what their children should be taught,” said Mary Elizabeth Castle with Texas Values, who spoke at the pre-meeting rally.
Even apart from the sex ed curriculum, the school district has already been actively promoting high-risk sexual behavior to students. AISD hosts an annual “pride week” in their schools and encouraged children on social media to march in the Austin Pride Parade in August.
“The AISD all-district high school marching band will perform and march alongside AISD principals, teachers, staff, students and parents… #AISDpride #AllAreWelcome” read a Facebook post from the school district.
Yet despite the district’s slogan of “All Are Welcome,” the school board has discriminated against those who don’t join them in promoting high-risk sexual behavior. Last September, the board tried to ban local Celebration Church from renting a district public facility for one reason—the church holds the foundational Christian belief that marriage is between a man and a woman. The school board was unsuccessful in their discrimination attempt after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton got involved and warned the district that doing so would violate state law and the First Amendment.
The board is expected to decide on changes to the sex ed curriculum in November, with children expected to begin learning the content in May.
