Board approves recommended sex-education curriculum after two-year review

The Boyne City Public Schools Board of Education on a voice vote approved the district's recommended sex-education curriculum after a presentation summarizing a two-year review by the education advisory board.

Erin Ivy Botox, identified in the record as an assistant principal at Point City Middle School, told the board the advisory board formed in 2017 had revised curriculum delivery during and after COVID so that district health teachers now deliver the content. "Our curriculum is now accessible at all times on our website," she said, noting the district added a QR code on parent letters to make lesson outlines available. Kelsey Burke, introduced by the advisory board as the first presenter, summarized the two-year report and said pre/post testing and surveys show most middle school students "feel they're learning material at the appropriate time," with post-test gains she described as "roughly 30%."

Board members questioned opt-out rates and grade-level timing of instruction; presenters said opt-outs were low (single digits, one presenter estimated about 2'% at a school last year) and that some elementary-grade safety conversations occur informally though are not formalized in the current district curriculum. The board voted to adopt the curriculum as recommended administratively; the motion passed by voice vote.