What will WA sex ed law look like for Kennewick students? Overview offered this week
The Kennewick School District will host a community presentation Tuesday night on the district’s new health and comprehensive sex education curriculum for students grade 6 through 12.
The session is 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the district’s administration building, 1000 W. Fourth Ave.
The change in curriculum is being spurred by SB 5395, Washington state’s comprehensive sex education law, which passed in 2020 and was later approved by Washington state voters through a referendum.
The law mandates every district provide comprehensive sex ed instruction to students in grades fourth through 12th.
Students in kindergarten through third-grade will be taught “social-emotional learning.” No sexual health content will be taught to those students.
It’s currently being phased in to all 295 public school districts in the state, with instruction to begin next school year.
Under the new state guidance, families can still choose to exclude their children from being taught the curriculum.
“The presentation will provide an overview of the Washington state learning standards and instructional requirements, the process that was used to select the materials, an opportunity to review the content of the materials, and opportunities to ask clarifying questions,” read a news release from the school district.
The board will consider passing the material at its May 25 meeting.
A local committee of parents, nurses and stakeholders reviewed and selected the health materials that are now up for consideration.
In-person attendees will be allowed to ask clarifying questions and give feedback that will be provided to the Kennewick School Board.
The meeting also will be livestreamed online and a recorded video will be made available after the meeting.
Online viewers will not have the ability to ask questions in real time, though an online form for feedback and questions will be available later.
