On Wednesday, October 12, after concern by parents in Central Kistap around sexual education, the CKSD School Board undertook a deep study session over the sexual health education in place for Central Kitsap schools. 

The board met at the new CK Silverdale Center and started with a brief overview of the sex education standards currently in place. They explained Washington state requires Social Emotional Learning (SEL) for K-3, and comprehensive sexual health instruction starting in either Grade 4 or 5 through Grade 12.

 However, a very important distinction was clarified regarding the optionality of this program. 

The board stated that “prior to receiving instruction, all students in grade 5-12 will be required to return a form, signed by their parent or guardian, opting them in or out of the CSHE instruction.”

As of this 2022-2023 school year, not only is it possible to opt out of sexual education, but parents are required to even opt in their children in the first place. 

The study session contained several community members who shared their unease of sex education in CKSD.

Brett McConaughey, a teacher out of district and a parent in Central Kitsap, said that she has, “…connected with a lot of parents and they have had negative interactions, not specifically with the sex ed curriculum, but with some of the other recources that are available at school.”

McConaughey stated she has children that are not quite old enough to go through the sex education curriculum yet, and she’s happy to see that the district is open to improvement of the course. 

“I think when it comes to sex ed, and actually any form of education, the parent opinion is actually the most important opinion before the opinion of the school district. So I think checking with the parents is a good thing,” McConaughey said.