Parents and students allege Houston Public School film assignment included explicit content; board told to ensure mandated reporting

Multiple parents and a student told the Houston Public School District board at a public-comment period that a film-study assignment included sexually explicit scenes and that the district had not properly documented or pursued mandated reporting.

Julie Rosenal, who identified herself as the grandmother of a pupil in the film class, said parents weren’t told the truth and offered copies of the assignment lists. “I’m so angry that there are parents who think that it was the child’s choice when it was a list of films that they were assigned,” she said, adding that students were required to take notes and present on the films."You better be concerned that you have been followed your state of Minnesota policy for reporting this incident," Rosenal said, referencing the district’s duty to report under Policy 414.

Student speaker Carter Rosenol described graphic scenes that made him uncomfortable and said he stopped watching one assigned film because of sexual violence and explicit sexual scenes. “I would rather have received a zero. I know what is right and wrong,” Carter said, asking the board to prevent future exposures.

Susan Rosen told the board the superintendent announced a review on March 30 but that public records posted May 7 showed no documentation of steps described in the review. She cited Policy 414 — which the speakers said governs mandated reporting of child maltreatment — and asked who decided not to file a report and where the documented rationale is.

FA Narwa, another public commenter, argued the investigation failed to identify the allegedly explicit material and listed specific titles and content concerns, including nudity, sexual acts and scenes that could be harmful to students with trauma or mental-health needs.

Several speakers asked the board to ensure that reporting obligations under Policy 414 and Minnesota law were fulfilled and requested an independent review to determine whether students were properly protected.

The district’s teaching staff provided a contrasting account. Kyle Kaylor, a teacher at Houston High School and co-president of the teachers association, said the contested assignment was a student-choice project focused on Oscar-nominated films, that many PG and PG-13 options were available, and that no Oscar-nominated films cited by commentators were assigned or shown in class. “No Oscar nominated films were shown in class and students had numerous PG and PG-13 options available,” Kaylor said, adding that any viewing noted by parents took place off campus using family streaming services.

Other parents and community members pressed the board for full transparency and said the two-minute public-comment limit was insufficient for a matter they described as serious.

What the board did: the meeting transcript records public comment and discussion, but it does not show a formal board vote specific to the film allegations or a recorded disciplinary action during this session. Susan Rosen said the superintendent had reported an internal review and that school officials previously described the classroom environment as safe; other commenters said the public record did not support that characterization.

Officials and next steps: speakers asked the board to provide documented evidence that Policy 414 and Minnesota reporting requirements were followed and to commission an independent review to determine whether students were appropriately safeguarded. The transcript shows the district had communicated about a review earlier (March 30–31) but that parents contend the records are incomplete. The board did not announce a final, board-level investigation outcome at this meeting.