Massachusetts considering major changes to physical and sexual education curriculum
BOSTON - Changes could be coming to your child's physical and sexual education for the first time in 24 years.
On Tuesday, The Board of Education and Secondary Education met to officially begin the public comment period for a proposal to overhaul the physical and sexual education framework for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The existing framework has been in place since 1999.
Governor Maura Healey drafted the proposal, which would not need the approval of the legislature to go into effect.
The revised framework includes changes for all ages, and advocates say it includes medical data that did not exist more than two decades ago.
"It's a really big deal," said Megara Bell with the Partners in Sex Education organization. They help school districts draft curricula based on existing DESE framework and are in support of the proposed changes. "Since the last frameworks were updated, we have had a million students go from kindergarten to twelfth grade and not get updated health education."
Part of this revised plan includes working gender and sexuality language into the curriculum - a hotly debated topic in states across the country. Some organizations, like the Massachusetts Family Institute, spoke out against the proposed plan. Michael King is with the MFI and said, "If this framework is passed and implemented, it will only increase the growing opt-out-of-sex-ed movement across the state, not just in Worcester."
BESE voted to open the public comment period for this proposal for 60 days. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will be taking feedback via email or snail mail. After the public comment period, the board will vote whether or not to send the recommendations to the governor's desk for a signature.