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Derby schools outline plan to implement House Bill 2382 with opt-out and video resource
Summary
Derby Public Schools administrators outlined how the district will implement House Bill 2382’s requirement to include a three-minute ultrasound/animation in courses addressing human growth and development, using a neutral video resource and a parent opt-out process.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Holly Putnam Jackson briefed the Derby Board of Education on Sept. 22 about district plans to implement House Bill 2382’s curriculum requirement for course material covering human growth and development.
Dr. Putnam Jackson said the law requires that any district course or instruction addressing human growth, human development, or human sexuality include “a presentation of high quality computer generated animation or high definition ultrasound of at least 3 minutes in duration that shows the development of the brain, the heart, and other vital organs in early human fetal development.” She told the board the district charted every relevant course from elementary human-development modules through middle- and high-school courses and has identified where the mandated content will fit within the pacing guides.
“We have selected an opt out letter and a video,” Dr. Putnam Jackson said, describing the implementation steps. She explained the district plans to post the opt-out form and the video on the district website (with a QR code on the opt-out form), notify families several weeks in advance, and offer an alternative activity for students whose parents sign the opt-out.
District staff said they had worked with PE teachers, science teachers, and staff who teach human development-related lessons to identify appropriate placements within curricular units and that the chosen video resource is neutral and factual. The assistant superintendent said the video resource is translatable into multiple languages and that district practice will mirror existing opt-out procedures for other human-growth lessons.
Board members asked where the materials will appear on the website and the district confirmed the resources will be posted alongside other human-growth curriculum materials so parents can view the video and complete the opt-out form in advance.
The presentation was informational; administrators did not request board action at the meeting. Dr. Putnam Jackson said the district will use the opt-out process it already employs for comparable lessons and will provide parents an alternative activity for students who do not participate in the video presentation.
