VICTORY! Austin ISD Cancels Radical Sex Education for School Year
Austin, Texas – In response to an urgent letter sent by Texas Values to Austin ISD, the district has stated they are not going to teach their radical sex education curriculum this school year. This is a tremendous victory for a broad coalition of parents and concerned citizens who have fought side by side to protect Austin children and stop the district’s new, radical curriculum passed last year.
“This is a huge victory for parents in Texas,” said attorney and president of Texas Values, Jonathan Saenz, “While the fight will have to continue next year, we are encouraged that Austin ISD has chosen to scrap their plans this school year to teach this dangerous, radicalized sex education promoted by LGBTQ and abortion ideologues and an out of control local government.”
“We are thrilled that students will have the opportunity to focus on subjects that will actually help them in this struggling economy and not controversial elective classes like the sex education program Austin ISD took from Canadian abortion provider Alberta Health Services,” said Mary Elizabeth Castle, Policy Advisor for Texas Values.
State Sen. Donna Campbell, the author of SB22 which originally blocked Austin ISD from using Planned Parenthood’s sex education curriculum said “Parents should feel confident that materials being taught in our schools are consistent with their values. I am extremely happy to know that Austin ISD will be finishing out the school year doing what is required of them; which is to teach our children reading, writing, and arithmetic. Let’s leave the human sexuality and family planning discussions to the parents and guardians.”
Sen. Campbell went on to say “Groups who perform abortions or have an interest in promoting abortions have no place in our public schools. Austin ISD worked hard to find loopholes in SB 22 by taking material from a government abortion provider outside of the United States, without taxpayer approval. I will come back next session ready to tighten up the language in SB 22 to ensure that school districts are unable to find loopholes allowing them to use radical sex education materials written by abortion providers and their affiliates. I will work tirelessly to see that conscientious, pro-life taxpayers can trust that the state will not use their tax dollars to promote any abortion providers in any way.”
Caryl Ayala, Director of Concerned Parents of Texas and Coordinator for Stand Up for Children – ATX said “Stand Up For Children – ATX has been waiting to hear from Austin ISD on whether they would be implementing the newly adopted radical sex education that includes teaching students to question their identity and to become advocates for the LGBT community. We are thrilled to hear it will not be taught this year. Our ‘Sex Ed Sit Out’ will continue virtually on May 19th as we seek to raise awareness for the teaching of this radical curriculum for next year.”
Last year, Austin ISD tried to use Planned Parenthood’s sex education program, whose materials were made illegal by SB 22 authored by Senator Donna Campbell and signed into law by Governor Abbott. SB22 prohibits government entities from contracting with or having a transaction with abortion providers or their affiliates, including Planned Parenthood.
In light of this, Austin ISD then took materials, without authorized permission, from a Canadian abortion provider, Alberta Health Services, which was even more radical than Planned Parenthood’s curriculum. Texas Values and other coalition partners fought this radical over-sexualized curriculum which promotes “sexual orientation and gender identity” (SOGI) and supported parents who spoke out against during a public board meeting. Parents can rest easy this school year, as that curriculum will not be taught as originally planned.
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About Texas Values
Texas Values is the largest statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvalues.org.