Board hears update on CDE-driven health curriculum revisions amid parental concerns; special meeting set to meet Jan. 31 deadline

Karen Menshue, a district staff presenter, told the Cajon Valley Union Board of Trustees that a January 23 committee meeting finalized revisions to two health-education lessons after the district received CDE (California Department of Education) correction requests. Menshue said committee members reviewed slides showing the district’s spring 2024 version, CDE-recommended edits and the committee’s suggested adjustments; she described the committee’s focus as the decision-making/body-image lesson and the healthy-relationships lesson.

Menshue summarized the committee’s edits: replacing a usage of the word “queer” with “asexual” in a ‘know your terms’ slide, adding a student-facing definition of gender, adjusting visuals to clothed figures, narrowing student directions so pupils select one personal identification rather than discussing all examples, converting a list of harmful stereotypes into a student brainstorming activity, simplifying emotionally charged scenario language, and removing an explicit reference to pay differences in one slide in favor of wording about missed opportunities and limited future choices. Menshue also said the district centrally made and submitted the CDE corrections with legal review and that evidence of training and classroom implementation will be required after the curricular changes are in place.

Teachers and parents offered differing perspectives. Kathy Nida, a seventh- and eighth-grade science teacher at Cajon Valley Middle School, said teachers on the committee ‘‘felt heard’’ and that the revisions preserved clarity and student engagement; she urged the board to approve the updates. A written statement read into the record and attributed to a parent committee member said most committee changes were agreed to by a majority of members and recommended the board accept the edits as presented.

Several parents expressed concern about the timing and level of parental involvement. A parent who identified herself at the meeting as Chrissy McCullough said only three parents attended the most recent committee meeting, that some revisions felt “rushed,” and that adding terms such as “pansexual” and “asexual” raised questions about age-appropriateness and whether teachers and parents had adequate opportunity to review definitions and teacher materials. She asked that the board ensure full access to student and teacher materials before a vote and urged the board to preserve parental engagement in the process.

Board members asked for clarification about whether questions tonight could be construed as pre-vote discussion; staff reiterated the item was informational and that board members would have access to the full curriculum and teacher materials prior to the board’s formal vote. Menshue said she would attach teacher materials or otherwise provide them electronically in advance of the vote.

Legal counsel and staff told the board the district had requested an extension from CDE, but counsel warned that CDE may not respond before the Jan. 31 correction deadline. Counsel recommended holding a special meeting to vote on or before Jan. 31 unless an extension arrives; if CDE grants an extension, the special meeting could be canceled and the item combined with the next regular meeting. After discussing members’ schedules, the board tentatively set Thursday after 6 p.m. for a special meeting and said staff would circulate a meeting notice.

The board received the information item and public comment; no vote on the curriculum occurred at this session. The district will provide full materials to board members ahead of the scheduled vote and will report back on whether CDE grants an extension.