Middle School Sex-Ed Lesson About Transgender People Is Causing Hullabaloo In Texas

by Grace Carr

Fort Worth schools are reeling after a sex-ed lesson for sixth graders entailed gender transitions and sexual fluidity.

Parents began complaining after their students came home and shared what they’d learned in class. Thirty parents met with educators on April 26 to express their grievances and demand the district make changes to the sex-ed lesson, according to the Star-Telegram. None of the parents had been consulted or told what would be taught in the class.

“Teaching kids about transgenderism is outside the scope of TEKS and should be off-limits for public school classrooms,” said a spokesperson from parental rights group Stand for Fort Worth. The group started an online petition, “Tell Fort Worth ISD To Stop Hiding Transgender Curriculum From Parents,” on Thursday, which already has 252 signatures.

Forth Worth 2016 guidelines allow students identifying as transgender to use whatever restroom corresponds with their gender identity.

Sex-ed programs in other states have also been causing chaos. A California school district told parents in February they can’t opt their kids out of a new sex education course covering abortion, homosexuality and transgender issues. Despite California’s 2015 Healthy Youth Act, which lets parents opt their children out of sex ed classes, the Orange County Board of Education decided parents don’t have that right.

Delaware is considering adopting a policy allowing young school students choose whatever name, gender or race they want under a veil of school protection mandating the parents not be informed of these decisions unless the student explicitly wishes the parent be included.

A similar set of guidelines from Chicago Public Schools instructs staff to not tell parents about their child’s gender transition without the child’s permission. Policy guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Education also instructs school personnel to speak with students first before discussing their gender nonconformity or transgender status with the student’s parent or guardian. The Oregon Department of Education has also issued similar policy guidelines.

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