Del Norte High School teacher provides math assignment that includes images of genitalia and questions on abortion

The Poway Unified School District Community Watch is an organization that is described as “a watchdog organization advocating for student success, transparency, and parental rights” within the school district. The organization has a math assignment posted online from Poway Unified School District. The organization states: “In 2023, without parent knowledge and the opportunity to opt-out, Del Norte High School students were given the unapproved controversial math assignment shown below.” The math assignment had a picture that included a condom and penis.

The assignment asked: “Are abortion access and abstinence in sex education related?” The math assignment had a chart with states that have abortion accessible and states that have abstinence as sex education. Students were asked to find the probability “that the state has abortion largely available” and the probability “that the state focuses on abstinence in sex education.” The last question asked: “Is there a relationship between states requiring that abstinence is focused on in sex education and states restricting access to abortion? Explain your reasoning.”

In an email that Parents Defending Education received, the organization explained about the assignment: “Thankfully, the DNHS principal took time to review the assignment and address community concerns regarding the lesson with the teacher. Even though PUSD Community Watch (PCW) has been advised there was a discussion that took place with the teacher and it is agreeable that controversial matters should be reviewed going forward, PCW would like to encourage students who were given the controversial math assignment to advocate for themselves.”