JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Parents filled the Duval County School Board meeting Monday.
The board meeting wound up having 31 speakers signed up for public comment, nearly all of whom on one topic - sex education.
A group of parents pushing for comprehensive sex education were boasting shirts and stickers in front of the building just before the meeting to protest the lack of a decision.
Florida law requires school districts to teach abstinence as the expected standard, but school districts have flexibility in how they fill out the curriculum - things like discussion about STDs and contraceptives.
What the class will include remains up in the air in Duval County Schools - two months into the school year.
A new law requires districts to buy or create learning materials every year that line up with the chosen curriculum.
Instead of buying state-approved textbooks, the board decided in September to create its own lesson plans.
Some parents who were concerned with the existing, state-based curriculum are pleased to learn the district is taking it on, and hope the lessons will be easy for parents to access.
"There were components of the comprehensive sex education lessons that many parents objected to," said one parent during public comment
Others, who didn't have issues with the old curriculum, are simply hoping the district can get the new learning materials in place quickly.
"Timely meaning we need it this year," added another parent. "We need to be sure that our students have access to that this year."
The board is putting together a team of health educators to create it, but no specific timeline has been set.
Parents are left hoping their students can get some kind of instruction before the end of the school year.
"I just hope we have enough time to get to the teachers," said UNF Public Health Professor Elissa Barr. "My only concern is to get them the lessons in advance so they can get comfortable with it."
Despite the protest and hour of public comment on the matter, the issue was not on the school board agenda or discussed by the board in any capacity.
A board member said after the meeting it will be a focal point at a workshop next Tuesday, October 18th.