Open Records Reveal Austin ISD Dishonest: Gov’t Struck Sex Ed Deal with Canadian Abortion Provider
Austin, Texas – It has been discovered yet again that Austin Independent School District (Austin ISD) and staff were dishonest about the nature of their connection with abortion provider Alberta Health Services.
Documents that were turned over as a result of Public Information Act request have revealed that Austin ISD had direct communication with Alberta Health Services, which made it clear that Austin ISD is required to have an agreement with the abortion provider in order to use their sex education material and Austin ISD used these materials under these terms.
Kathy Ryan, the director of academics for Austin ISD, told the Austin American Statesman that “the district does not have any legal concerns because it did not contract with, nor did it take donations from the Canadian groups.” The Statesman says, “Ryan said the online resources were free.”
It’s been revealed this quote is not true. There is clearly a transaction between Austin ISD staff and Alberta Health Services. The results from the Open Records Request reveal there was a formal agreement in order for the school district to be authorized to use the materials from Alberta Health Services. On October 2, Professional Resource Librarian, Stella Bromley emailed Alberta Health Services about using the materials. Alberta Health Services responded, that “The materials are copyright and any adaptations require permission. In that case, an agreement form will need to be completed.” Austin ISD continued to include Alberta Health Services sex education materials and also voted to adopt them for use in public schools.
“Any first-year law student could tell you that a formal agreement is a contract. Because AISD employees are so preoccupied about skirting one law, they are willing to go so far as to deceive parents and the public about their interactions with foreign abortion providers,” says Texas Values Policy Advisor Mary Elizabeth Castle.
Texas law SB 22 prohibits government entities from contracting with or having a transaction with abortion providers or their affiliates. The law prohibited Austin ISD from using the “Get Real” sex ed materials from Planned Parenthood, so the school district was forced to use other materials, and it appears they have been trying to hide their transaction with Alberta Health Services because they are also an abortion provider.
So while Austin ISD wanted parents to believe that the resources were merely found online and that there was no agreement or communication, the email correspondence between Austin ISD staff member Bromley and Alberta Health Services prove differently. Austin ISD had contact with Alberta Health Services and specifically required permission in an agreement in order to use the copyrighted services. Again, Austin ISD fails to tell the whole truth about the influences on the radical sex education it adopted in October.
See the original Public Information Act Request here.
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