I would like to give a shout out to UP UnitedParents.org for all of their hard work working with the Capistrano Unified School District to protect students from a medically inaccurate, age inappropriate comprehensive sexual health education curriculum:

With the 2/27/19 Capo USD board meeting, UP finished their one-year fight for a better sex ed curriculum. 

What UP has accomplished:

Written by Skip Hellewell 
  
1.  We stopped Teen Talk, a horrible curriculum, which no other school district has stopped to my knowledge.  At least we stopped 90% of Teen Talk because some of the less offensive material is used in our curriculum.  

2.  Parents will be talking to their kids in more detail about sex.  Our initiative to involve parents in the teaching of sex ed was a complete success.  There will be discussion questions for child and parent to work on for each lesson and these will be well publicized to the parents.  This also informs parent on what is being taught and prompts them to teach their  values to their children.  Moving this teaching of values into the home for each lesson is a giant accomplishment that wouldn't have happened without our pushing.  

3.  Our 22 recommended changes to improve the curriculum made a big difference including these additions in the addendum: a)  improved communication to parents of the student-parent homework talks, b)  A better opt-out process, c)  Instruction to students re communicating to parents, d)  more emphasis on friendships and less on romantic relationships, e)  Removal of the definition of SOGIE (acronym for sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression), f)  CDC recommendations for pre-natal care to counter the abortion info, g)  more accurate info on harm of HIV/AIDS and risk of HIV transmission, h)  more content on ways to have healthy relationships based on mutual respect and affection (basically our request to teach you can have fun without sex),  i) teaching that 18 is the legal age of consent (consent was taught without mentioning kids can't give it), j)  more teaching of boundary setting and refusal skills,  k)  move "Lesson 11 Liking and Loving" which is more about abstinence to the place of Lesson 12 to finish with a positive message.   Overall we got about half of the changes we asked for, but the more important half in they're well implemented.  

4.  The addition of information on the harms of pornography.   This was the result of the middle school and high school kids who spoke to the trustees; their innocence had a big influence.  I was so proud of our youth and they'll long remember the role they played.  

5.  We created a widely-recognized organization "UnitedParents.org."  This was an important platform for informing people and getting our message out and will have future uses.  Thank you Deb.

6.  We informed thousands of parents in and outside of our district on the evil their children will hear in school.  When we started parents didn't know anything.  An informed public is a critical strength. 

7.  We provided help and motivation to parents in other Orange County areas to influence decisions in their school districts.  Yesterday we learned that the Chino Unified School District is going to create their own sex ed curriculum.  All the local districts have followed our fight with interest and we've proven parents can make a difference.  We have requests for more town-hall meetings.  

8.  We learned how to have an influence in local government.  We were not silent, we spoke up for good.  We made a difference, one that will grow with time.  

9.  We met some really good people across Orange County as well as up and down our state.  The benefits from this will continue.