After much media attention surrounding Dallas Independent School District’s Out for Safe Schools program, which partners with a transgender clinic, the district has now deleted any mentions of the program.

The program was launched in 2018 and provided teachers with intervention strategies for harassment or name-calling in schools. Once teachers and other faculty members completed the training, they were given badges signaling to LGBT students that the teacher was considered an “advocate.” The program was found to be in partnership with the Resource Center, a clinic that provides sterilizing cross-sex hormones and clearance letters for gender mutilation surgeries. 

The Dallas Express has reported that Dallas ISD removed its promotion of the Out for Safe Schools program. The district also removed other aspects of the webpage, including “Links to LGBTQ organizations,” which provided links to genital mutilating clinics like the GENECIS Clinic, as well as links to groups that advocate for gender mutilation procedures on minors, like The Trevor Project. 

Additionally, the document named “LGBTQ+ Resources for Dallas ISD & Surrounding Communities,” which was publicized for all to see and posted on the district webpage, has been removed, and access to the document is now restricted. The document provided students with resources on how to socially, legally, and medically change their gender.

Dallas ISD has also been scrutinized for its partnership with an after-school sex education program called “Positive Prevention Plus,” which is run by Healthy Futures of Texas. 

Initially, Dallas ISD told Texas Scorecard that the district was not in partnership with HFT. However, a document obtained by The Dallas Express shows that DISD signed an official partnership agreement with HFT on January 31, 2023.

As reported by Texas Scorecard, the lessons included in the program are “Gender and Sexual Orientation,” which would cover “LGBTQ+ Bias and Its Effects.” Other lessons included topics such as contraception, HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and how to wear and use a condom properly.

Although no schools in the district have adopted the program, the HFT has said they are working with principals from the district to implement the program and send opt-in forms to parents. They also maintain that the program is a “voluntary after-school program for 9th graders that parents can choose to opt their teens into.”

Brady Gray, president of Texas Family Project, told Texas Scorecard that he is still skeptical about whether the program is being implemented throughout the district. 

“While I am thankful that DISD has removed mention of their Out for Safe Schools program from their website, I am skeptical as to whether or not the program itself has ceased,” explained Gray. “Parents in DISD need to remain vigilant. Talk to your kids and know what it is they are being taught.” 

Texas Scorecard reached out to Dallas ISD but received no response by publication. 

Emily Medeiros

Emily graduated from the University of Oklahoma majoring in Journalism. She is excited to use her research and writing skills to report on important issues around Texas.

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