Parent raises concern over ‘safe touches’ program notice and opt-out timing at Mid Valley meeting

Jessica Dutter addressed the Mid Valley School Board during public comment to say she had opted her second-grade daughter out of a district-presented “safe touches” puppet workshop because the district provided a three-day window to object and she was not given the curriculum in time to review.

“I’m not against the idea… My main issue was that they gave us a non permission slip,” Dutter said, adding that the notice required parents to sign only if they did not want their child to participate. She said she called the phone number on the notice to request the curriculum and was told her permission slip had to be returned by the following Thursday — three days after the notice.

Dutter said she would be comfortable with the program for older students but felt second grade was too young. “If my fiance didn’t catch that, my daughter would have gone in there learning whatever because, again, I still have yet to hear a call back about the curriculum,” she said.

Board staff asked Dutter to remain after the meeting so administrators could get contact information and follow up. Several board members acknowledged the substance of her concern and suggested the administration consider sending full curriculum information with permission forms in the future.

Why this matters: Parents asked the board to clarify consent procedures and the district’s timeline for sharing curriculum for programs that address sensitive child-safety topics. The board did not take action at the meeting but a staff follow-up was requested.

No formal board direction or vote about the program was recorded at the meeting; the administration agreed to contact the parent to provide the requested information.