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Parent protests state-required student health survey; superintendent explains opt-out and legal duty
Summary
A parent criticized state student health questions as inappropriate for younger students; Superintendent Dr. Mooney said House Bill 2656 (2023) requires districts to make the Oregon Student Health Survey available, that parents and students can opt out and the district receives only aggregate results.
A Hermiston parent used the board’s public-comment period on Dec. 9 to challenge an in-class administration of the Oregon Student Health Survey, saying questions about sexual orientation were inappropriate for an 11‑year‑old and asserting the survey ‘sexualizes children.’
James Schaffer described his daughter’s recent experience and urged the board to protect parental rights. He raised a range of claims — including an assertion linking gender‑medical treatments to suicides — and asked whether the district could refuse to administer the survey.
Superintendent Dr. Mooney responded with procedural and legal context. She said the survey cited by the commenter is part of the Oregon Student Health Survey, a long‑running instrument that the Legislature revisited in 2023 through House Bill 2656, which changed districts’ responsibilities and requires districts to make specified surveys available to students. Mooney said parents can opt their child out, students can opt themselves out, and individual questions include an "I prefer not to answer" option. She also said the district does not receive individual student responses; the state returns aggregate, de‑identified results to districts.
Board members pressed for clarity about notification and opt‑out procedures. Dr. Mooney said building principals and ParentSquare communications are the practical channels for opt‑out notices and that some surveys apply only to specific grades (the student health survey is generally administered in grades 6, 8 and 11). She added the district can post links and notifications but must follow the state test-administration manual regarding how required surveys are administered.
The exchange left two facts clear in the hearing record: the survey is state‑mandated to be made available under current law, and parents have the opportunity to opt their children out. Board members discussed whether the board should schedule separate agenda time to review the survey process and consider additional transparency measures such as posting survey content in advance.
