Public speakers urge Northeast ISD trustees to retain high‑school health graduation credit

Northeast Independent School District trustees heard more than an hour of public comment on Item C on the agenda — whether to keep the half‑credit high‑school health course as a graduation requirement. Teachers, students, parents and local advocates urged the board to retain the credit, citing mental‑health prevention, CPR/first‑aid training and sexual‑health instruction; one parent asked that the course be made elective and replaced with a U.S. Constitution comprehension class.

Tracy Rudnick, a NEISD teacher, said the class gives students coping skills and access to trained counselors "to help with self harm, suicide, all of that," and that lessons on communication and bullying give students tools to solve real‑world conflicts. "They're specifically trained to help with self harm, suicide, all of that," she said, arguing those resources can matter long after graduation.

Kelly Johnson, a health teacher at Lee High School, told trustees the course covers "mental health along with other important…