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Tampa residents raised concern over a sex education curriculum at a school board meeting, claiming it violated state laws.
Video of the "special called" Hillsborough County Public Schools board meeting was organized to focus on the controversial sex education curriculum that was sought to be overthrown by petitioners.
Among the many speakers pushing back is Terry Kemple, the president of the conservative activist group Protect Our Children who led the petition effort to repeal the curriculum.
Kemple gave opening remarks for the petitioners at the meeting, stating that the curriculum violated a few state statutes.
Hillsborough County Public Schools board meeting was organized to focus on the controversial sex education curriculum that was sought to be overthrown by petitioners. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
He told Fox News Digital that "the material is far too mature for 11 and 12-year-old children. So that's where our primary focus was on the seventh-grade curriculum."
The accusation that the curriculum violated state laws was also leveled at the board by other speakers, including Julie Gebhards, a mom of six, who blasted the Hillsborough County school board. She claimed the school board has violated Florida statute 1003.46 which requires instruction of abstinence in the sex education curriculum.
She also raised concern over the opt-out process from the district’s sex education curriculum, calling it a "farce."
"This is the most innocuous content of the sex ed. You’re only pretending to give parents an option because almost zero parents actually see the opt-out form regardless of how you say you provide it to so many parents in so many ways," Gebhards told the board.
She went on to say during the hearing, "Also because nowhere on the opt-out, where parents see that you’re directing children, 11, and 12-year-olds to get condoms and STD testing promising no parental notice."
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Fox News Digital followed up with Gebhards, and she said that "nobody has seen the opt-out process." Gebhard currently has three kids in Hillsborough County Public Schools district: a 7th, 10th, and 12th grader.
Another speaker is Kenneth Dojka who called the sex education curriculum "pornographic."
Julie Gebhards sent Fox News Digital a photo of herself. Gebhards attended the specially called meeting, claiming the school district violated state laws due to the sex education curriculum.
"All these guys have tons of evidence. Reasons that this curriculum is pornographic. You don't need someone to tell you that. You can look at it with your own two eyes and see that. Reasons that its outside what the state statutes say. We don't need to tell you that. You can read through those," Dojka said.
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"I can tell you the will of the parents. The will of the people who have children in Hillsborough County is not this," Dojka said.
The other speakers addressed topics such as sexuality, gender identity, and sexual activity. The speakers have been active in calling out the material in the district’s sex education curriculum since September 20th when the board initially voted to adopt the sex education curriculum.
The Hillsborough County Public Schools held several specially called meetings after the petition effort garnered wide support. The Board decided to move forward with the sex education curriculum, siding with a former judge that determined that they did not violate any state laws.
Hillsborough County Public Schools sent Fox News Digital a statement in response to the pushback by the petitioners.
Tanya Arja, Chief of Communications at Hillsborough County Public Schools said that "the reproductive health education curriculum was created to provide students in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade with medically accurate information regarding reproductive health."
Arja affirms that the district "promotes abstinence as the first expected standard while also teaching them about healthy decision-making skills" and that "the curriculum for the 2022-23 school year was developed in accordance with new legislation, School Board policy, and state standards."
Hillsborough parents blast school board over sex education curriculum. (iStock)
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"Our curriculum fosters communication with parents and guardians to help continue the conversation at home. It is our goal to ensure students have a full understanding of reproductive health and disease prevention as outlined in state standards. This curriculum was written by a team of stakeholders including teachers, students, parents, medical professionals, and community members," she said.
Arja explained further that "every parent who has a child in the 7th, 8th or 9th grade required instruction is provided the opt-out form" titled "Reproductive Health and Disease Education."
"As always, parents have the opportunity to review the curriculum and opt-out if they feel it is best for their child," she said. "Every parent was sent an email at the beginning of the school year with the opt-out process and the opt-out form. Then prior to beginning instruction on this topic, the teacher must provide parent notification. The opt-out form is sent and must be signed and returned before the instruction begins. Parents can opt out at any time, even if the instruction has already started. The opt-out forms also remain on our district website under Reproductive Health and Disease Education, located on the district's homepage."
Hillsborough County Public Schools presides over 206,841 students and 303 schools.
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