TAMPA, Fla. — Some Hillsborough County residents aired their grievances about Hillsborough County Schools' approved materials for sex education in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades during a public hearing Thursday.
Terry Kemple has a great-grandson in the 7th grade.
“My interest is a vested interest in my family, but also in all the families of the county whose children are in these schools being exposed to this kind of material," said Kemple.
The Hillsborough County School Board approved "Reproductive Health and Disease Materials for 7th Grade Comprehensive Science, 8th Grade Physical Education, and 9th Grade Health Opportunities through Physical Education" in a recent meeting.
Since then, the district has received more than 3,000 petitions objecting to the board's approval of that curriculum.
“I hope that the school board reverses direction," said Kemple.
On Thursday, a hearing officer held a public hearing where petitioners were able to speak and share their concerns.
Julie Gebhards also has a 7th grader.
“I am here because I don’t approve of the indoctrination, the sexual ideological indoctrination that’s happening in the sex ed curriculum," said Gebhards.
The district provided ABC Action News with some of the petitions, which objected to various lessons people felt were inappropriate.
During the hours-long meeting, Jeff Gibson, the district's lawyer, took the time to go through specific complaints on the petitions.
“We welcome the community’s engagement. Certainly, the community was engaged in the drafting of this curriculum, and it is the district’s goal and wish that the community continue to be engaged, but respectfully, what has been presented to your Honor was in no way questioning that the material wasn’t based on the criteria," said Gibson.
As for the next steps, the hearing officer will make a recommendation, and the Hillsborough County School Board will then vote on whether to keep the curriculum or adjust it.
The school district emphasized that parents who don't agree with the sexual education curriculum can always view the materials themselves and then choose to have their children opt out of the curriculum.
