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Assistant Superintendent Emily Graham outlines state-mandated HIV curriculum and opt-out process at Taylor School District hearing
Summary
At a Taylor School District public hearing, Assistant Superintendent Emily Graham described the state-required HIV and bloodborne pathogens lessons, how families can review materials and videos, and how a permanent opt-out will be recorded; the board closed the hearing and later approved a motion 6-0.
Assistant Superintendent Emily Graham told a Taylor School District board public hearing that the district will teach the state-required HIV and bloodborne pathogens lessons and that parents retain the right to opt their children out of that instruction.
"While this curriculum is state mandated, parents retain the right to opt their child out entirely," Graham said, and she added that the district has added a permanent opt‑out option that will be maintained throughout a student's enrollment.
The hearing, called to order by board Chair Miss Moore at 6:00 p.m., reviewed legal requirements under Michigan law that public schools teach modes of transmission and prevention for communicable diseases including HIV and AIDS and that boards hold at least two public hearings before adopting or revising HIV instruction materials. Graham said the district is presenting only the state-required HIV lessons and is not considering additional maturation or sex‑education materials at this time.
Graham described the district's efforts to reconstitute its curriculum advisory board (referred to at the meeting as the CIAB), saying the group faced recruitment and governance challenges after prior leadership. To gather community input the district will administer a student survey in the spring followed by a parent survey, she said.
On specifics for classroom instruction, Graham said the fifth‑grade lesson runs about 45 minutes, middle schools will have three lessons and high schools six lessons, with supplemental videos and materials available for parents to review by appointment at each school or at copies placed at the back of the meeting room. "The fifth grade lesson is 45 minutes," she said.
Parents may indicate opt‑out preferences via a district form. Graham said the district will file those opt-outs in student records and school administrators will review and confirm opt‑out lists at opening administrator meetings so that families who move or change schools remain honored.
Chair Moore opened the public‑comment portion and asked speakers to state their name and address for the record and to limit remarks to about three minutes. A member of the public asked whether opting a fifth‑grader out would carry through middle and high school; Graham confirmed parents can select a permanent opt‑out and that district staff will track and honor those choices.
After closing the hearing at 6:12 p.m., the board recorded a motion (the transcript does not specify the text of the motion). The motion was moved by Mrs. Schufeldt, supported by Mrs. Fields, and passed 6‑0; Mrs. Mordarski was listed as excused.
Materials described at the hearing will be available for review at this meeting and at the next two board meetings; Graham encouraged parents to make an appointment at their child's school to view binder copies and supplemental videos.
The board did not adopt any curriculum changes during the hearing; the district will continue the review process and use the scheduled surveys and CIAB input to inform any future recommendations.
