Scottsdale school district finally approves new sex ed course, but not everyone's happy

The decision was aimed at updating the district’s curriculum, which had not been revised since 2011.

PUBLISHED OCT 23, 2024

Scottsdale, Arizona: The Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) has unanimously approved a new sex education course for students after months of debate. The decision was made at a school board meeting held on Tuesday, aimed at updating the district’s curriculum, which had not been revised since 2011.

The newly approved course is not mandatory. Parents will have the option to opt their children into the program, giving them greater control over their children's education.

Opinions from parents have been mixed, with some advocating for a focus solely on academics.

This new approach aligns with a 2021 law signed by then-Governor Doug Ducey, which prohibits school districts from offering sex education courses before the fifth grade. The law also mandates that parents have the opportunity to review and provide input on any proposed course material.

The SUSD had halted teaching sex education courses four years ago due to outdated content. This year, the district formed a committee to explore reintroducing a course, with meetings open to the public for discussion and feedback. Opinions from parents have been mixed, with some advocating for a focus solely on academics, while others believe a formal sex education course is preferable to students learning from social media or informal sources.

Arizona law allows school districts to decide whether they want to include sex education in their curriculum. If they do, there are state-imposed rules, including:

Opt-In Requirement: Parents must provide written permission (opt-in) for their children to participate in sex education classes. This means students cannot be automatically enrolled in sex education courses without parental consent.

Abstinence Emphasis: Any sex education curriculum provided must emphasize abstinence as the primary method for avoiding pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Parental Involvement: School districts are required to make sex education materials available for parental review. Parents have the right to review the curriculum and opt their children out if they do not wish them to participate.