Taylor School District holds public hearing on state‑required HIV instruction; advisory board offers no recommendations

At a public hearing called to order at 5:30 p.m., the Taylor School District Board of Education presented the Michigan‑required curriculum for HIV and bloodborne pathogen instruction and received no recommendations from the district’s sex‑education advisory board. Emily Graham led the presentation; Superintendent Mike Wager was present.

The board reviewed statutory procedures that govern curriculum revisions, including the requirement to hold at least two public hearings and to provide public notice under section 1201. Graham said the district was presenting the Michigan Model for Health curriculum (provided through Eaton County ISD) only to satisfy the state requirement and that the board was not considering additional sex‑education materials at this time. “The purpose of this hearing is to present the physical curriculum required by Michigan to teach HIV and bloodborne pathogens,” Graham said.

Graham summarized recent efforts to reestablish the sex‑ed advisory board and said the panel had been difficult to organize and had not reached consensus. Because the advisory board had no recommendations, Graham asked the board to approve only the state‑required HIV materials. The board did not take a recorded vote on adopting curriculum at this hearing.

Officials told the public that curriculum materials would be available for viewing at upcoming school board meetings and that feedback forms would be provided for those who could not review materials that evening. The materials could also be reviewed by appointment with a student’s principal. Staff said the district plans a student survey (via the district’s student survey platform referenced as "myi") and an additional parent survey; the sex‑ed advisory board is expected to reconvene in late summer or early fall to consider whether to recommend any additional health‑education content.

The board opened the floor for public comment and recorded that no one addressed the board. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn made by Board member Shouefelt and supported by Mrs. Fields; a roll call vote recorded Shouefelt, Westfall, Block, Fields and Moore as yes, with Mardski and Morris excused. The motion passed 5–0. The district did not adopt any additional materials beyond those required by state law during this hearing.

Next procedural steps identified by board staff include making curriculum materials available at upcoming meetings, collecting student and parent survey input, and reconvening the advisory board to consider any non‑state‑required curriculum updates.