February 25 2019 Board Meeting Part 2 [00:00:00] Meeting before the blue chair represents a visual reminder to us that the decisions that the board makes and the discussions. We have our regarding our children and their regarding students. And we do now how to demonstrate Civility and our conversations and our opinions and we will continue to do that throughout this discussion. We've done it the large Forum. We had here a few weeks ago. We've done it in private conversations and in our electronic communications as well, and that will be my expectation of everyone tonight. And to Foster that climate and to make sure you understand that we value your public input. I want to make sure you understand the board policies as we move through this portion of public comment. I want [00:01:00] to thank each of you has come to either observe or to take the part to come forward to the podium and share your thoughts regarding this District action. Your involvement is valued and appreciated the time that we have tonight. The board uses to collect information rather to than to gate. Let me say that again. We collect information and we're not engaging in dialogue with you as members of the public tonight. We encourage you not to mistake or any silence for a lack of Interest or care. We're listening carefully and you may see us taking notes. Although this is a topic that has been before us on numerous times before as well. If you are asking the district or the board to take action or provide information, you can provide your contact information with the district or board secretary must Douglas so that the [00:02:00] appropriate person can follow up with you. Everyone may not be here to talk about curriculum tonight. The public comment time is not a time for singular singling out any individual District employees. Or employee or students for complaints. If you have a complaint about an individual student or District employee do not mention them by name or provide information that would infer that we could figure out who they are or allow them to be identified. I will stop you with that. I need to keep your comments. There is another process. So if you have that issue, make sure you step up you take me aside after the meeting or you speak with Miss Douglas and we can tell you about that process. Please keep your comments to three minutes if three minutes is not enough time. You can always reach out to the district office or board at a later time to submit additional information. Although we will be taking our vote tonight is the plan on the curriculum. [00:03:00] Um, Miss Douglas will indicate two minutes and then when three minutes is up, and I'm going to hold you to that because everyone's time is valuable and we want to make sure people are heard there are additional instructions. When you come up to the podium. You need to pay attention to regarding stating your name and address. And I will move through the list of those who have signed up to speak. If you didn't get on this list, make sure that you go ahead and sign up and then that Miss Douglas knows that you want to speak. If you know you're on the list and you're about to be called come on up, so I'm going to begin with the Sealy. Hello, my name is fossil simple. My address is 1 3 3 2 nor [00:04:00] this one hundred and thirty Seventh Avenue and Portland. I'm a grandfather and Uncle to several students in the district. I am also a pastor and I serve as president of the National Alliance of the Assemblies of God Romanian churches. I also serve as the Intercultural presbyter for the Oregon Ministries that were. I appreciate the efforts of our school board and all of the teachers in the district. There's a lot of good work as we heard a little bit earlier being done here and for the future of our community for that we want to say thank you. I also want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak against the comprehensive sexual education curriculum. I have many reasons why I would be. Instead, but I will not be able and that short time to go into details many of [00:05:00] them. However, I want to express the fact that most of the young students come to school from good families. dear boys or girls. they are not sexual predators and have no intention to discriminate against or to Bali. Other students who made look talk or behave differently their minds and hearts are pure for the most part. I'm talking the vast majority of the students. I believe their healthy development will be hindered and the best period of their youth. will be ruined if they are exposed to the sexual content and practices. In this curriculum. Introducing comprehensive sexual education across the board to all [00:06:00] students I believe is wrong special education training counseling and correction is only necessary to The Limited number few students who will engage in disruptive behavior. Thank you very much for listening. Thank you. Miss Bailey. Janet Bailey. Thank you. Sebastian. Hello, my name is Sebastian Perico. My address is 7 5 0 West pal Boulevard in Gresham. I want to start off by apologizing for being in shorts. I just came from the gym and I wanted to be here on time and also want to state that all the opinions that I'm about to make are my own and nobody else's and I want to congratulate you guys on [00:07:00] having such a great School District. I have family in the school district. So it makes me proud and. Puts my heart at ease to know that they're in such a good school district where the teachers and board members care about them. I also understand the importance of stress that teachers have. I know that you guys as faculty and as board members are public servants and I come from a public servant background as well. I grew up in Romania and I came to the states and I served I did two internships with law enforcement One local One Federal and I also serve right now for over a year at TSA and speaking of that. I want to bring the concern about the comprehensive sexual education plan. I'm just going to talk from a little bit from personal experience coming growing up in a Christian conservative background. My family always taught me values of respect respecting all nationalities respecting all people no matter where they come from and when I was in kindergarten and you know growing up in grade school, the last thing on my mind was [00:08:00] sexuality and having sex and all that stuff and so I don't necessarily agree with it. I think that. You know, we should allow parents to be parents and two teachers their kids what it means. At the right time when it's appropriate for them when the parents believe that it's appropriate. I think we should give that responsibility to tell him because I understand that teachers already have the stress as it is, and you know, I believe that they should be learning more about things such as science, you know literature history things that, you know will inspire them to grow up and change the world. So I want to thank you guys, and I hope you guys make the right decision. Thank you. Thank you. Cynthia Flannery. Cynthia Flannery 1:05 for me Quay from West Linn, Marty [00:09:00] mchargue is going to she's my co-chair our co-chair and she's passing out. Oh, yeah, just. Who are here because I'm actually here representing the Western Alliance for inclusive community. Good evening to all of you board members superintendent Ludwig. We are happy to be here and represent our community the West Linn Alliance brings together a diverse nonpartisan group of West Linn neighbors working to ensure that all members of our community. Have equal opportunities to participate in the quality of life that our town and schools offer that all neighbors are safe from hate crimes abuse or harassment and that no person or group is subjected to discrimination bigotry or prejudice. For three years, we have worked with students [00:10:00] teachers administrators and with many of you here tonight. To promote diversity inclusion and to foster a school community that in fact honors everyone the West Linn Alliance fully supports West Linn, Wilsonville School District adopting a health education plan that meets the OD e standards the health education standards already in place. In the state of Oregon. in keeping with the mission of our alliance. We strongly endorse the OD standards that encouraged the district to embrace diversity and to Foster equity and to Foster inclusion of lgbtq students in our school communities. These students by according to National [00:11:00] research are among those at greatest risk for harassment and bullying in schools. And these behaviors begin actually in the early grades and can lead to depression and childhood and to not feeling safe in school which of course in turn leads to school absenteeism. From an early age students need age appropriate information and communication skills to Foster respectful pure relationships. The OD e standards are age-appropriate by grade level and support educating students about the broad diversity with which individuals experience and express gender and sexual orientation. The standards also recommend the teaching of communication skills that promote respectful and inclusive [00:12:00] relationships between people of all gender identities and orientations understanding the range of diversity Among Us is an essential step in ensuring that all students regardless of gender identity race orientation national origin. Ability or religion are safe included and treated with respect and our schools. Thank you all of you for your efforts to achieve these goals. Thank you. Jimmy good pastor. My name is Jamie Goodpasture. My dress is 2 9 0 3 7 Southwest fillable a drive in Wilsonville. I am a Wilsonville parent of a first grader and a sixth grader. I'm here to voice my support of the Oregon Department of education's comprehensive sex [00:13:00] education standards by waving delaying or skirting the standards the OD has set in a good faith effort to educate all of Oregon. We place our children it at a disadvantage as they grow and learn throughout their school years simply put education policy and curriculum must have a foundation and unbiased science and statistics. I urge you to implement a thorough and scientifically accurate and inclusive curriculum that will fully meets the state standards, and as you said leads for all thank you. Thank you. Gil Greenman. Good evening. My name is Gail crimen. My residence is one nine seven two five Suncrest Drive in West Linn. Thank you for having me this evening. I'm a mom of a second of second fourth grade girls at Trillium Creek. After the work session on January 22nd. I took the district up on the invitation to review the Second Step curriculum. I was welcomed by Miss Douglas and also met Miss Iceland at the time. I spent time going through the [00:14:00] K5 material specifically so my comments are specifically related to that. Portion of the curriculum I have to say I didn't find anything concerning with any of the elementary materials. In fact, I would go as far as to say I applaud what Second Step has to offer. I think the breakdown is what is in the hundred to 2222 Pages which you're going to discuss and vote on tonight is not really in sync with the Second Step curriculum materials. The confusion is causing concern angst and frankly some distrust some examples include talking to five and six-year-olds about HIV and AIDS and gender identity issues. I think it's. Small to question whether five and six-year-olds are cognizant enough to process some of the things that you've outlined in the curriculum what you aren't providing appearances how you plan to address these issues because they simply are absent from second step in the materials that I reviewed. I also find it curious that you have emitted religion when talking about recognizing diversity. My daughter was on the receiving end of anti-Semitic speech in third grade. The situation was handled immediately and appropriately upon me notifying the [00:15:00] school but what you should be aware is that University goes beyond what you spelled out in the curriculum. Putting the curriculum aside for just a moment. I would encourage you not to view the concern and distrust in a vacuum that only applies to the health and wellness the health and wellness issue overall the district I've really believes has a customer service problem the attitude. I've personally encountered from the district is the way things are done is the absolute right way and when things are brought to your attention, the immediately or the immediate response is one of staunch defense and not truly listening to your constituents with an open mind. Examples, I've personally experienced include a complete lack of response to an email regarding class sizes in the spring of 2016 that were so big it cause the class in the 1617 school year to be held in the hallways of trillion because there was not going to stop you because you're getting close to the things that you can't talk about regarding not mentioning any names and I'm not it's exciting any individual. These are real experiences and I would encourage you to finish. I'm glad to speak with you. I [00:16:00] would like you to either refrain from moving in the direction where you're identifying particular School. Or I can speak with you privately and explain what the concern is. Well, I'm going to finish my comments and ask you to sit down at this. I mean it felt like you another opportunity. I'm going to finish my comments just in bullet form, you know where I'm a parent of so I can't help that. There's been a parking issue at Trillium. That was. That it took two and a half months to receive a response from the school board. And in the response was met with disregard and frankly disrespect from the school district, and it was only when one individual School Board member reached out to me personally that the issue was really solved and and to me that's those are things that aren't acceptable last year when the high school parking issue is being discussed at the city council in West Linn. And some implications were made by a western City councilor at regarding students that weren't appropriate or respectful and refer to the school districts the school [00:17:00] districts refer to the kids in the school district, as you are clients being the school district science. I would have hoped that a District representative would have spoken up to applaud the students for taking action through Civic engagement and navigating the process respectfully and peacefully and reminding the city council of these are kids. They're due respect and they're also there West Linn constituents. We may have different ways of getting there, but I truly believe everyone in this room wants the very best for all of our children. These are just a few of my personal examples in my encounters and am asking you really to listen and take to heart what here this evening. Thank you joke hiker. Joe Kiker. Good evening. My name is Joe Kiker. I love it 60 109 can't German West Linn. I with that I believe that we live in a great [00:18:00] Community with schools and teachers that want the best for our children. So thank you for modeling that exemplifying that appreciate that but that being said there are some challenges have been brought to the board. They're still not addressed. Dr. John Maxwell says that the number one goal of the leader is to Define reality and the reality is that. We do have a safety concern in our classrooms today. This is not new news and has been brought to the attention of the board multiple times from many different people. K GW 8 News reported an article on this challenge that was titled classrooms and crisis verbal physical and sometimes violent Outburst. So, you know Oregon classrooms. It was published on February 1st of this year as a Statewide problem, which includes less than a multiple. Of course, here are a few of the highlights. Teachers across Oregon say there are seen outbursts and disruptive behavior from students at an unprecedented rate. And the alarming trend has caused many of them to question. If they can continue to provide a safe learning environment. The [00:19:00] situation has gotten so dire that the organization Association the union that represents 44,000 teachers across the state plans to release the port on this calling classroom disruptions a significant growing problem in Oregon classrooms. Here are a few of the examples. Children kicking punching screaming stabbed another children's tax pulling other children down by their hair and throwing chairs in the classrooms. Just name a few all of which have caused classrooms to be evacuated keeping our children from precious learning time. We have over 40 emails from parents of these exact things happening in the western multiple school districts. Due to the fact that these incidents are not being reported the only data that we have to go off of. Is School employee injury reports? There are two thousand nine hundred seventy seventy four School employee injury reports and Beaverton Hillsborough in Salem over the last two years and 72 percent of those were caused by students. There's a mission statement on the website on the wall the school where the states. [00:20:00] How do we create learning communities for the greater thinkers and most thoughtful people for our world? I think we can all agree that these classroom environments do not correlate with that statement. We as a community and use the school board have the ability to be proactive and correcting the situation and fixing our current classroom environments. My recommendation would be to implement a standard Behavior policy when students fill their children the classroom at risk before one of our children get seriously injured or worse and me as a father and as a parent, I think we have all had the responsibility to make sure there's our children are safe. And when we feel that we are seeing them off to school in an unsafe environment. It's very difficult as a father to send your child off and say I don't know if you're going to get pulled down by your hair. I don't know if you like a stab of attack. I don't know if it's going to be a safe learning environment. So thank you very much. Have a good evening. Thank you representative Prisa. [00:21:00] Good evening, chair Fitch vice-chair hives and all school board members. My name is Rachel prusak and I am a family nurse practitioner in the state representative for house District 37, which encompasses the West Linn Wilsonville School District. I am here today. To voice my support for a Comprehensive Health and Wellness education curriculum that provides complete medically accurate inclusive information to students these comprehensive standards provide education about the emotional physical and social aspects of human sexuality and healthy relationships. These topics are crucial for the development of our students and our community National Association of School nurses. The American Public Health Association American Medical Association Society for adolescent health and medicine and the American Association of Pediatrics [00:22:00] are just a few of the many medical groups who support Comprehensive Health and Wellness education. They all agree sexuality education should be medically accurate evidence-based age-appropriate. And she'd include the benefits of delaying sexual intercourse while also providing information about normal reproductive development alongside nurses and Physicians Educators also want students to stay healthy and meet their life goals and therefore want resources and support so they can teach students the tools. They need to make good choices when left on their own students will turn to their friends and the internet which as we all know is Rife with misinformation. Our Educators who spent years studying to learn how to present information are experts and Adolescent dialogue and have the ability to break down complex issues in two ways students can understand. This is who should be talking to our young people during a critical time in their development. I am so thankful that the [00:23:00] board is moving to vote on adopting the curriculum that includes information about gender identity conversations about consent and practical information about contraception. It is critical that lgbtq youth see themselves represented in our curriculum because when we exclude gender identity in a health and wellness curricula, it sends a message to lgbtq students. You are not welcome here. Findings from the 2017 National School climate survey demonstrates a students attending schools with these resources and supports report more positive School experiences, including lower victimization and absenteeism and higher academic achievement the same survey demonstrates that Oregon schools were not safe. For most lesbian gay bisexual and queer students and that many students in Oregon do not have access to important School resources resources screws me such as lgbtq inclusive curriculum, and we're not protected by supportive and inclusive school [00:24:00] policy. Talking about gender identity and consent during health and wellness education is one important way to increase acceptance and respect for all people and decrease bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It is also critical that health and wellness education includes information about consent and healthy relationships young people need to understand what a healthy relationship looks like and have the opportunity to practice good communication skills young people need developmentally appropriate information. And answers to their questions about sexual health and relationships without being shamed or judge. As a family nurse practitioner and Community member, I support the Comprehensive Health and Wellness education curriculum before the board tonight providing comprehensive information about human sexuality and reproductive Health Care to this community's youth is necessary to ensure our students can grow to be armed with knowledge about their own bodies rights and health as they grow. Thank you for all the work that you do is board members and for your time this [00:25:00] evening. Thank. Thank you, Audrey Lipsy. Hi, I'm Audrey Lipsy. My address is 3262 Top View Court and I'm a junior at West Linn High School. I'm speaking for many students who couldn't make it tonight, and I'm here to urge you to vote Yes for the proposed Health curriculum. In third grade A group of kids told me to go to hell and I didn't know what to do. So I went home and cried in fifth grade A boy came up behind me while I washed my hands. He pressed his body against mine and proceeded to wash my hands for me. I pulled away and he laughed at me. I didn't know what to do. So I went home and I cried and sixth grade. I liked girls and boys people told me it was wrong and I felt broken. I didn't know what to do. So I went home and I cried. In 10th Grade my trusted guy friend and I were watching a play. [00:26:00] He grabbed my head and my neck and he tried to kiss me I pulled away and he kept grabbing me a teacher yelled at us and he left me alone. I didn't know who to tell so I went home and I cried it wasn't the last time he would physically harass me in 10th Grade. I confronted that guy and he simply said he didn't know he had done anything wrong in 10th Grade. I let a class in which every single student had a story of harassment assault or rape. I can't erase their pain, but I can try to prevent it from happening to others and the best way to do that is through education sexual harassment happens to children. I was a child we are not innocent. We are hurt and we are scarred and we are scared and we demand change we need to learn about our bodies. We need to learn that we can say no, we need to learn that it's okay to feel different and we need to know where to go if we need help. We need to know this before high school and we need to know it before Middle School. I have read the proposed curriculum in its [00:27:00] entirety. It will teach young kids that they need to ask before touching others and that they can say no to being touched it teaches kids that their identity is not decided by their genitals it teaches kindness it teaches children so many important things that they can take with them into middle school and Beyond this curriculum can save lives and it. When you say no to this, you are hurting Our Generation and condemning future children to pain and shame and I struggle to see your point of view this community and this country needs change. We cannot sweep uncomfy topics under the rug put children first vote Yes on this curriculum as it is no changes and no Cuts. Thank you. Thank you, Maya Moses. Hi, I'm Maya Moses a junior from [00:28:00] West Linn High School. My residence is 2 4 5 5 College Hill Place West Linn. And I'd like to urge you to vote Yes for the proposed Health curriculum. I've never felt represented in my education and this bill could be an amazing First Step. The education I need is not available to me and I just thought that's the way things would always be. I never even considered something could be done about it as a gay woman of color. I desperately need and deserve the right to equal. This education could help normalize being part of the lgbtq community. It will tell kids that it's okay to have a different sexual orientation or gender identity. It will tell young kids not to hate themselves for being different. It will tell kids not to bully others for being different. The most memorable lessons we keep with us are the ones we learn and we are kids please teach kids what they need to know before it's too late. Please vote to help me and future children feel safe and fully educated. Thank you so so much for listening. Thank you. [00:29:00] Then that moscato and apologize if I'm butchering names as we go. I've been in Moscato my residences 1 9 2 to 5 Suncrest Drive in West Linn and I'm a junior in Weston High School. I urge you to vote Yes on the. Comprehensive sexual health. education plan and cute. I want to take a personal point of view on this because. I'm a gay man. And that's really difficult sometimes and as my dear friend just said it's really hard to feel like you fit in all of the time. But this plan seems like it would be very helpful in telling people that it's okay to be different and that it's okay to understand the body. I'd also like to bring up consent and sexual harassment part of the curriculum. Every single woman, I know my life has a story of being sexually harassed or [00:30:00] assaulted my own mother has told me of stories of herself being harassed or assaulted and it pains me to live in fear for my friends and myself every single day around people who are perpetrators and with an education plan. That would not teach us what consent is and how to stop sexual. It's not only women who are victims. I myself as a victim of sexual harassment when I first came into Western High School. And I just never want another kid to experience that and everyone other pit kids to have to tell stories of sexual harassment at never want another mother to tell their child how hard it is to say? No sometimes thank you. Thank you. No, I mean guard. My name is Melanie Varga two zero nine zero Rich Brook Drive [00:31:00] Western, Oregon. I stand before you today as a mom of four kids in the Western School District. I'm a single parent self-employed and I did not come prepared to give a speech or anything like that. I enjoy hearing these Junior speak I have. Daughter who's a senior son who graduated last year and West Linn and my question. My concern is I hear the word diversity put out here a lot and I'm not here to say I stand against teaching certain curriculum that would help people who are struggling or who are being harassed. I stand here to say if we are going to speak about diversity. Then there is a flip side to that because diversity honors religion and faith and some of us have a religion and faith that feel offended as some of these ideas being offered [00:32:00] in this curriculum. So how do you split the two because if you're going to honor diversity then I ask you to honor it on both sides. You can't have it both ways. There are students that are not here that would feel offended. By some of the things being offered in my home being a single parent. I hold the law of this house is not a democracy. I'm the mama bear. I pay the bills I paid for everything what I say goes. That's how I raised my children. Some of you might say well what good can come out of that. I'm proud of my children. My son is now serving. He graduated last year. He's in the United States Marines. My daughter is currently holding the title of Miss West Land and is on the make. I'm proud of the way. I raised them being a single parent. So when I hear about what's coming from my second set of children, I really have to wonder because I teach them never bully never heard never offend, but used the law of land and the law of the land gives us a right to speak out and say hold on. [00:33:00] We deserve some rights here to there should not be any anti-Semitism in this courage. So with all due respect to everyone I am asking you with, you know, very respectfully to consider our rights as well in the hope of diversity and treating everybody equally. Thank you. Thank you, Melissa. Melissa. Good evening. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak and for respecting all of our opponents views here. My name is Melissa, and I'm a former student of the West Linn School. District and I have been a part of this district from kindergarten through 12th grade and [00:34:00] graduated. I'm speaking on behalf of myself as an Explorer in my experience as a student here and also as a newlywed who speaking on behalf as a future mother. I am against the comprehensive sexuality education plan. I think my school experience as a student would have looked very different if I would have had my education sexualized at such a young age as for my future children. I believe it is the parents duty to educate their children on whatever sexuality they believed at the time that they believed to do. So. I would say that if we're going to be equal in everything to also look at opposing views. I love [00:35:00] everyone and I'm not against anyone. So I'm coming from a perspective of love and caring for everyone with that being said. I think we should just let kids. Let kids be kids at a young age and we all have the same goal for everyone to be safe and to have a good childhood. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Bella roya. Hi, my name is Belle Royer. My address is 5005 Mapleton Drive in West Linn. I'm a junior at Weston High School. And I also did not come here tonight prepared to speak but in light of some personal [00:36:00] things that have happened to me. This curriculum is really important to me and I would like to voice my support for it when I was 15. I was by another Western High School student pressured into doing a sexual act that I was not comfortable with after this happened to me my friend Audrey lipsey and I went and for the unity day that you talked about at Western High School. We did a workshop on sexual assault and consent and heard a lot of stories from a lot of different people of all genders and sexualities boys and girls. Talking about their experiences with sexual harassment assault and even rape and this just made me realize how prevalent it is and that my experience wasn't just my experience that it happens to a lot of people and I believe that teaching consent is something very important. That should not be have to be a Unity day workshop that kid. Go to by choice to learn about it. I think that it needs to be [00:37:00] something that is taught to our students not in high school not just in middle school, but in elementary school starting to teach students at a young age about consent and what no means and teaching them how to understand people's boundaries will lead to more respect for everybody as they get older. Thank you a Briella. Hello, my name is Gabriela Petrus. My address is one nine six seven for Wildwood Drive West Linn, Oregon. I grew up and I love the West Linn Wilsonville School. I've been a part of it since kindergarten and through my educational foundations in this District. I have been able to attend Early College receive an associate's by the time I was a senior and go off to nursing school now, so I'm very thankful for all of what all of you have done for me. That being said when I'm a [00:38:00] parent one day, I would also love for my kids to grow up in this school district because I loved it so much and I want my children to have the same experience as I did. I loved all the people I met in the school district regardless of orientation nationality or religion. They're all wonderful when I become a parent one day. I want to rest assured. Knowing I'm the one introducing my child to the topics of sexuality when I feel like they already I want to have the rightfully given responsibility to raise my kids in the way. I believe is right based on my constitutional rights as a person and a parent I would feel uncomfortable having my child. At a vulnerable age being exposed to some of the explicit adult topics that are listed in the comprehensive sexual education. I should have the freedom to express my beliefs if my beliefs towards sexuality do not match up with what is instructed in the CSE. I should have the right as a future parent to share my beliefs with my children as I believe and protect them according to my values The Institute for research and evaluation states [00:39:00] that team. Sexual initiation is associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing sexual exploitation Dating Violence and unwanted or forced intercourse and rape these harms are not preventable by contraceptive use the CDC one of the major organizations, which are promoting this CSE states that abstinence from vaginal anal. And oral intercourse is the only a hundred percent effective way to prevent HIV other STDs in pregnancy and it continues to say. No prevent, no protective method is a hundred percent effective in condom use cannot guarantee absolute protection against any STD or pregnancy. This is why I do not stand with the sese curriculum. It ignores the voices of parents and does not put a strong emphasis on the safest sexual practices rather it emphasizes and promotes sexual experimentation and promiscuity. If parents feel uncomfortable with having their children watch them have sex than they should feel uncomfortable having their parents having their children be [00:40:00] educated by the comprehensive human sexuality education curriculum. Thank you for listening. Thank you. We are going to take a break just to stand up and use the bathrooms again. They're down the hall to the right or to the right down this hallway, and we will convene. I'm trying to look at our schedule. Just give me a second. We will convene if we can in five or seven minutes. Thank. Point out to folks where we are on the agenda. We had a public comment time at 650 [00:41:00] doctor soy sun' and dr. Jennifer Spencer Iams will be presenting. They'll be another time for public comment after that. So some of you signed up I went through the list. Of those who signed up on the list that indicated that first time 650 some of you may have signed up on the eight o'clock list, but would much rather speak now before hearing the presentation from the district on the curriculum. If that's true. Will you just make your way forward state your name and I will. Check you off of this list. Thank you. Yeah, just go ahead [00:42:00] step right up to the podium and give me your name and. Hi, my name is Louis Beck. My address is 175 Northeast, Oregon Street, Portland, Oregon. I just want to thank you all for giving us the opportunity to come over here. I'm with my church Philadelphia on the call. So Romanian Church. I just want to give off a little bit about myself. I grew up in the rental School. And from a very early age. My family was very loving to me. They were very kind. I ended up being a missionary in Mexico and in Africa. I'm currently on the United States Marine and the reserve. I'm I also serve at the Portland Police Bureau as a Cadet and I also work with my friend Sebastian at TSA as well. As soon as I heard about this a lot of. a lot of memories and thoughts came back to. A lot of things came back me because when I was a child and when I was young and when I was in school and Reynolds High School, we had a sex ed program and [00:43:00] I remember I specifically remember a time where a lady she came inside with the box of condoms and she said how everybody today we're going to learn about sex today. We're going to learn about oral sex vaginal sex anal sex. We're going to learn about every single type that you can do and here here's condoms who wants them? Everybody jumped for Joy, especially the boys. Everybody jumped up. Everybody was excited. Everybody was happy to learn and I was thinking to myself what is going on here what is happening? And I realized that even up until this day. I have friends that are bisexual. I have friends that are gay and lesbian because I'm a Christian and even though I don't agree with what they are doing. I still love them because Jesus Christ loves them, you know, even though he doesn't agree with them, but even they come up to me and they tell me I don't. I don't even know who I am. I'm trying to understand myself Louis. Can you please help me and I would I constantly refer to my beliefs but some accept some don't but what I'm saying is I understand the problems that these females are facing. I understand that they're going through these things in that fear and that they've been abused and and taking advantage of. But [00:44:00] this this curriculum in this program is not the solution to their problem. The solution to their problem is is showing and teaching young men at like me and kids that are kindergarten up until High School how to not take advantage of women how to love women in a way that they will not use them in abuse them. But if they treat them like they're sisters treat them with respect to treat them with honor because if it comes to diversity you can see that. As a Christian, we don't agree with being gay being lesbian being transgender bisexual. We believe that there is a man and a woman a male and a female that is what we believe and for this curriculum to come in and polis a different mindset a different thought of belief on what we believe. How is that fair to us? How is that fair to the people? In this community who do not believe that because I constantly get bombarded. I constantly get I get called a hater. I had called somebody who's who's racist who sexist who'd be could just because I don't believe in what they [00:45:00] believe so you please answer the question for me. Who is the one who's really hate who's really hating? Who's the one who's really against hatred and and distrust and immorality. Who is it? I strongly disagree with this curriculum and I strongly advise you that instead of doing this. Implement a program where you teach men and women to respect each other respect each other to love each other instead of trying to decide who they are as a person because as a kid, I didn't know who I was until age of 13 or 14. I didn't know I for all I thought I thought it was a superhero because I jumped up on fences and climb houses. Like that's why I thought I was and I'm sorry for the time. I will end very shortly. But this is up to parents not a curriculum not not a specific order because everybody has their beliefs and values. Thank. Thank you. Mr. Diller. Hi, my name is Paul Diller. I live at 28500 [00:46:00] South West Meadows Loop here to speak in favor of the board adopting the proposed sex education curriculum. First of all, I want to thank our volunteers School Board. I know all of you do this on a volunteer basis and it takes a lot of your time. And you don't do it for the glory he do that in a sense of service and on this issue. I think you've gone out of your way to seek public input. This is the second of two, very open meetings that have been held in addition to lots of other Outreach. I'm the father of two boys ages 7 and 9 and 2nd and 4th grade at Beckman Creek Primary School and you know as a father I know they're growing up in a very sexualized culture. Whether we like it or not. I don't really like it. But that is the culture that we are in you just have to turn on the Super Bowl halftime show watch a TV commercial watch a music video and the culture is sexualized. And so what do we do about that? We could ignore that and just [00:47:00] hope our children stay innocent or we could recognize that they are one click away from who knows what on the internet and prepare them for what they are going to eventually see your have to deal with as they get older. And teach them evidence-based science based information so that they can become healthy responsible adults and young men as I see it is incumbent upon our schools to prepare our children for this culture and for being members of society who act in a sexually responsible way. especially with the me-too movement now, we know how important it is to. Focus on consent and teaching our boys and our girls the importance of making sure that anybody they interact with and any kind of sexual way and any kind of touching way is only with consent and I think this curriculum does that we're hearing a lot about you know, let [00:48:00] parents do this and certainly my wife and I we already have these conversations with our boys about how their bodies will change and how important it is. To not touch anybody who doesn't want to be touched and don't let anybody touch you make you but you know parents are busy. There are I don't know what the numbers are but they're there are a lot of kids in this District who come from Foster families single parent families, whatever even two-parent families who may not have the time or the inclination to get into this. So I think it's incumbent upon the district to teach these issues to our children to expose them to these issues. And this is an area where I think the district can support what kids may or may not get it home. I know that an opt-out is required by state law. So that's part of this program as I understand it. And so, you know for the parents who really have strong objections, that's an option. But for those of us who want our kids to be hooked to get this [00:49:00] education, you know, this should be available to us and to them. You know, if you cut sex ed from the curriculum, that's the kind of thing my wife and I we pay for our kids to get that to get that education but a lot of parents can't do that. So I think there are Equity considerations here to making sure that this curriculum is available to every kid in the district. Thank you. Thank you. It's Paris. My name is Jordan Ferris. My address is 2 0 8 4 5 Willamette Drive West Linn. Thank you again board for allowing me to an opportunity to speak this time to the health and wellness curriculum standards as a nurse and Advocate Ivan looking at this issue through a lens of public. Using that perspective. I know what happens when we don't teach our children acceptance and respect for all individuals or give visibility to our most vulnerable and marginalized students. We see increased rates of bullying increased rates of absenteeism [00:50:00] and suicide among our community members. not approving this curriculum denies our district and our students the opportunity to create learning communities for the greatest thinkers in the most thoughtful people for the. It denies us the opportunity to make this a better more accepting more inclusive and more respectful World by not adopting this curricula. We as a community are complicit in this systematic Erasure of personhood for our lgbtq youth as a mother of a child in this district, and as a nurse in this community, I wholeheartedly support this curriculum and the opportunities that it creates think. Thank you. Hi, my name is Heather Brinkley and I live at two to three to two Sky View Drive in West Linn. I have a fourth grader at Trillium and a junior at West Linn High School. I'm generally an introvert and don't love public [00:51:00] speaking' so I apologize if I stutter a little but I'm compelled to address you anyway. On behalf of my children and especially the child that I used to be. I see a lot of signs as I'm coming in about keeping our children innocent and as a parent I've been accused of being overprotective many times and reminded that it's my job to raise young people that can Branch out on their own as an active part of society not to raise children a lot of parents wanted to insulate their children against the knowledge that there are people who are different than they are. But we're too late our kids already know they know if they're gay they know if they're transgender. They know if they're otherwise different and they know if they're being bullied many times long before we do and the older kids here obviously know what's in the proposed curriculum have been talking to each other about it and have been staging blackouts in support of it. They're watching us to see how we will react if we reject this [00:52:00] curriculum because of his inclusivity. If we told them that being different is something they need to be protected from we're telling them to the reject that part of themselves. That's the most sacred their uniqueness. Whatever that might be. This is a good curriculum. Please don't discard it out of hand because of fear. Lastly there's a saying that I keep posted on my wall. It is be careful who you hate. It may be someone you love. And it's my reminder that when you judge someone based on one quality, whether it's religion gender sexuality or anything else you're losing out on the rest of them are kids are counting on us to model love. Thank you. Thank you. And before you speak just again, I'll be glad to call anybody who doesn't want to speak now later after the. The presentation from the staff. [00:53:00] good evening. My name is Susan Hanson. I'm a Wilsonville resident and I have two sons. They're not in school at this point, but I'm here because this subject on sexual health is really important to me and has been so over the years. I've read the plan and fully support it when our kids were in school we counted on the school's to supplement the our family health and sexual talks. There's it's a complicated subject. There's a lot to share. And and teachers are our experts in sharing information as someone stated earlier tonight again. I say the plan is an excellent one and I am pleased that it focuses on medically accurate and comprehensive information the Department of Education fa Q's that go along with it are fabulous and really provide a good guidance. I having a gay son gender identity and sexual orientation education arviat are vital to me and to him and his friends increase [00:54:00] it increases understanding safety reduces bullying and violence, but there is one thing I mentioned about the plan that I found a little bit odd on page 45 and 46. Under the high school health sexuality section there. The first bullet point is about abstinence and it talks about the importance of that and that is very important. But then no other contraceptive information comes until the very end of that section 23 bullet points later and I think that's really something to be looked at and rectified having the all the comp contraceptive information together is really important. It's and that's an important change that I would encourage you to review. Again. Thank you for your support of students in the community. I support this plan and thank you for listening tonight. [00:55:00] Hi there. My name is Alexa Flores and I leave in the two nine two eight zero Southwest Parkway Court in Wilsonville Emma Wilson. Will Mom parent over a greater. I'm here to support the or DEA as a parent of three girls who attend the Wilsonville school. I see the importance of his of implementing and an exclusive sex education plan and the benefits of that being a parent of today. With the help of the school and it got our inner guidance. We can give more information to our kids to be aware of their bodies and they chose the choices that they have to take care of it. What if what I wanted or not orchids are receiving their own information from peers in media will not be better to be able to have an open education with our kids and with that guy them with whatever or beliefs are. I'm just here for the kids for all kids [00:56:00] one and or not media is there the information is out there and we need to be parents of today with the information that we have today. Thank you so much. Hello everybody. My name is Minnie Olga and I live at to wait three eight six Southwest Wagner Street in Wilsonville. And I'm a mom of couple of girls who go to an elementary school here. So I am here to express my complete and utter support for the comprehensive human sexuality program. I'm a scientist and I realize the importance of how this information empowers children to make the decisions that they make for their person their own person. How important it is for them to have the power of the knowledge that comes.