Oil City Area School District’s superintendent implements controversial sexual education curricula without board approval

On February 23, 2023, exploreVenango reported that the superintendent of Oil City Area School District “is facing criticism from parents for unilaterally approving two controversial sex ed curricula without a school board vote.” The news outlet also reported that she was “seeking retroactive board approval 10 months after the curricula were first used.” The name of the two sexual education curricula are “We Care Elementary” and “Sexual Abuse Free Environment for Teens.” The curricula are reportedly “published by Prevent Child Abuse Vermont and taught by the ‘PPC Violence Free Network.'”

The news outlet provided a worksheet that students brought home as an assignment related to the curricula. Parents Defending Education also received this same worksheet from concerned parents. The worksheet had students match the terms “sexual expression,” “gender expression,” “sexual feelings,” “gender identity,” and “biological sex” to definitions. The definition for gender identity stated: “The social expectations, behaviors, and characteristics, as well as the thoughts and sense one has about themselves that makes someone a boy, girl, man, or woman.”

On February 28, 2023, exploreVenango reported that the district’s board “delayed a vote on the retroactive approval of two controversial curricula pending an investigation by the board’s Curriculum and Education committee during their public meeting on February 27.” The article also included a timeline of events regarding the district’s implementation of the controversial curricula.