JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In a decision that has sparked significant debate, the Duval County School Board voted 6 to 1 to implement changes to the district’s health education program. The new policy will introduce gender-separated health classes for grades 6 through 8 and shift the sexual health program to an abstinence-based curriculum.
The decision followed a heated discussion among board members and the public. While some members argue that these changes align with state standards, others question their necessity.
District 4 Board Member Darryl Willie expressed his concerns, stating, “I think we’ve done something where we actually created something we didn’t need to create. I think the policy was good where it was.”
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Board Chair Charlotte Joyce defended the decision, emphasizing that the changes mirror state statute requirements. “I think there’s something in state statute and we’re just mirroring that language with what state statute required,” she explained.
The board also deliberated on whether to implement an opt-in or opt-out policy for health classes. Ultimately, they decided to maintain the opt-out policy while adding a requirement to notify parents about health classes and the material taught, using multiple channels two weeks in advance.
District 7 Board Member Melody Bolduc highlighted the potential benefits of gender-separated classes, suggesting that students might feel more comfortable asking questions in a single-gender environment. “Girls could ask questions in the presence of girls, boys asking questions in the presence of boys… that they would feel more comfortable asking the questions about their equipment,” Bolduc said.
However, the changes have raised concerns among parents and community members. Mandy Rubin, a parent, pointed out logistical challenges, stating, “There is no space to take a current, functional, working mixed-gender classroom, split it into two and find an extra health educational specialist like those are highly specialized educators.”
Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier acknowledged these concerns and mentioned that the district is looking at how other districts manage similar logistics.
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