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Register to testify in support of inclusive sex ed in Texas!

by | Aug 27, 2020 | In the News

Revised on August 31, 2020

It’s been more than 20 years since the State Board of Education (SBOE) has revised its sex-ed curriculum. Register to submit public testimony urging the SBOE to support a revised curriculum that is medically-accurate, comprehensive, and LGBTQ+ inclusive on Tuesday, September 8th, 2020.

The final revisions to the curriculum are a major improvement. However, the curriculum is still lacking in areas of abortion and sexual orientation/gender identity. Read the Texas Freedom Network’s analysis of the revised curriculum here.

Things to know about registering to testify at the SBOE:

  • It will be virtual (yay!)
  • Wear purple to show that you support comprehensive sex-ed in Texas!  
  • The meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 8th, 2020
  • You have the option to register to submit virtual testimony on the SBOE website or by calling directly at 512-463-9007!
  • If you’re new to testifying, check out our guide on how to fill out the registration form here.
  • If you’re speaking on contraception or consent, register to comment on Public Hearing on Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 115, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education.
  • If you’re speaking on lack of inclusion for LGBTQIA youth in the curriculum, register to comment against Public Hearing on Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 115, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education.
  • The meeting is expected to last from 8am-9pm CT. We expect that the health education testimonies will be heard beginning at 6pm CT. We know this sounds intimidating! But, we are here to support you and can notify you when it’s your turn to testify.
  • The time has been modified to 2 minutes per person
  • You are allowed to register for yourself and one other person
  • If you are testifying on behalf of an organization, be aware that only 2 people at each organization are allowed to testify per agenda item
  • If you will need an interpreter or other accommodations, please call the SBOE Support Division in advance at 512-463-9007
  • Registration to testify will open on Thursday, September 3rd at 8am CT and will close on Friday, September 4th at 5pm CT. 
  • Late registration is not allowed.

What happens after you sign up? After you submit the registration form for the public hearing, you will immediately receive an email confirming the receipt of the form. If you are submitting virtual testimony, you will receive a second confirmation email with instructions on how to join the virtual meeting. You can expect to receive the second email approximately 3-4 hours after submitting the registration form.

Join our Slack community! You can get added to our community by taking our pledge. We will be using this space to cheer on everyone who will be testifying on Tuesday, September 8th. If you are experiencing writers block while crafting your testimony, check out our templates! These templates are designed to help guide your writing process. We have them tailored for parents, students, educators, youth-facing professionals, and volunteers. 

Every Texas student deserves to receive an education that allows them to make informed decisions about how to stay healthy and safe.

P.S. If something comes up and you cannot submit written or virtual testimony, that’s okay! There will be additional opportunity to testify on November 17-20, 2020. You can also email your testimony to your representatives! Find out who represents you at the State Board of Education here.