Sexual Health Education

The following information is provided for parents to help them understand how sexual health education is taught in the Arcadia Unified School District. We want to help you make an informed decision about your child’s education. Thank you for taking the time to thoroughly read this fact and information sheet.  

AUSD Sexual Health Education Facts & Information For Parents

• Parents may opt out of Sexual Health Education and HIV Prevention. 

• Removing your child from school in relation to a protest or belief is your right as a parent, but please note, it will not be an excused absence, and your student will be responsible for all work he/she misses (California Education Code 48205). Please be sure to check with your child about any work they will need to make up or that will be deemed late in accordance with this absence.

• The pending Health Curriculum Framework of 2019 is separate from the California Healthy Youth Act of 2016, which requires students to receive sexual health education and HIV prevention education once in middle school and once in high school.

• A letter notification is sent to parents 14 days before AB 329 Sexual Health Education material is taught.

• Parents may request to view the material that will be taught in their child’s class prior to to the instruction of the material.

• Arcadia Unified school Health curricula does not address gender identity matters in elementary schools.

• In the letter created by “Informed Parents of California” that encourages families to participate in its “Sex Ed Sit Out” there was a lot of inaccurate information that especially does not apply to Arcadia Unified schools.

• The proposed California 2019 Health Education Framework has not been approved by the State Board of Education. Even if approved and passed, it is simply a framework and recommendation that school districts do not need to adopt or implement.   

• Arcadia Unified Elementary Schools teach the required Health Education Content Standards for California Public Schools Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve. (p. 24-26):  https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/healthstandmar08.pdf. 

• California is NOT requiring teachers to teach gender identity in elementary schools (K-6).

• The opt-out provision of the California Healthy Youth Act does not apply to instruction or materials outside the context of sex education, including those that may reference gender, gender identity or sexual orientation. For example, the opt-out rule associated with sex education would not apply to a social studies lesson on the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling in favor of same-sex marriage.

• Neither the standards nor the framework is mandatory. Both are optional for districts.

• The intent of the framework helps teachers provide safe and healthy learning environments free from bullying and harassment.

• The framework covers six health “domains” vital to wellness, including nutrition and exercise, drug prevention, emotional well-being, mental health, and sexual health.

• The proposed framework includes LGBTQ-inclusive language teachers can use with the intent to create safe spaces for all students.

• Because California gives local school districts the freedom to address local needs, the proposed framework does not direct what should or shouldn’t be taught. It is a guide that districts may use in developing a scope and sequence for locally designed health education program.