Parents flood State Board with public comment opposing draft Michigan health education standards

LANSING — Dozens of parents and community members spent much of Tuesday afternoon telling the Michigan State Board of Education they oppose the department’s draft 2025 Health Education Standards, arguing the document moves sexual-education content into required health classes and undermines parents’ ability to opt children out.

The meeting opened with staff advising each speaker would have three minutes. John Grusselbacher, a candidate for the state House, told the board the draft “strips parents of the option to opt out, a right guaranteed by Michigan law, MCL 380.1507,” and called large portions of the document “not academic standards” but a “parenting manual.”

Supporters and opponents appeared in the room. Taryn Gao, a parent and former local advisory board member, urged adoption, saying the draft is guidance rather than curriculum and “parents retain the right to opt their child out.” “These are best-practice recommendations,” Gao said, adding that the 2007 standards are…