Dexter Community Schools Updating its Sex Education Curriculum

The Dexter Community Schools (DCS) Board of Education voted to accept the updated sex education curriculum with modifications.

The Dexter school board made the decision at their Nov. 10 special meeting, which included a public hearing on the Sex Education Curriculum Update. The Sun Times News followed up with school board president Elise Bruderly about the topic.

Bruderly said the meeting was five hours long and the school board heard approximately two hours of public comment before beginning board discussion and deliberation. She said board members then shared general impressions before moving on to a detailed, grade by grade, topic by topic, resource by resource review of the materials that were recommended to them.

“The board approved many of the lessons in their entirety and some with minor modifications, such as moving them in the lesson sequence,” Bruderly said. “The board also requested that several lessons be sent back for the SEAB committee to rework. Our directions to the SEAB (Sex Education Advisory Board) included things such as: finding different resources for some lessons, adding parent resources, or reconsidering the scope of particular lessons.”

Bruderly said over the last weeks the board has had a significant volume of contacts regarding the curriculum.

“We have a community who is invested in our youth and the board has been trusted with stories, thoughts, advice, and ideas which have helped us view the curriculum through our neighbors’ eyes,” said Bruderly. “We have read each and every email and did our best to represent the wide-ranging viewpoints in our community and world.”

At this time, Bruderly said the SEAB will receive the list of requested modifications and will work through them before any further board action is taken.

The Board will be discussing the specific process and timeline for revisions at their next meeting on Nov. 17th. Due to the late hour, Bruderly said the board wanted to think through process options further before making a decision.

To see the past two meetings online and hear the public comment, go to https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcvaeqTQP62JhSwY56699V46bsy-4cQSQ and to learn more go to https://www.dexterschools.org/departments/curriculum/seab.