Last Friday, the State Board of Education (SBOE) approved new health
textbooks for public school students.

Due in large part to action by supporters like you, a chart detailing
some contraceptive methods, failure rates and their ability to
protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) was included in
three of the teachers editions of the books. Unfortunately, the
publishers did not add this potentially life-saving information to
the student editions of the books. Without direct access to this
information, most Texas teens won't learn about anything other than
abstinence. The new textbooks will be used in Texas schools for the
next ten years.

The high school textbooks were approved by a 13-1 vote. The
lone "nay" vote was by State Board of Education member Mavis Knight
(D-Dallas).

Take Action!

Send a thank you note to Ms. Knight for opposing the textbooks:

Mavis Knight
PO Box 763337
Dallas, Texas 75376-3337
sboesupport@...
***********

During one of the final hearings, SBOE member Terri Leo (R-Spring)
insisted at the last minute that publishers make misleading and
outright erroneous revisions to textbook discussions about marriage,
relationships and homosexuality. Among the changes she demanded to
the textbooks:

Add to Teacher's Editions: "Opinions vary on why homosexuals,
lesbians, and bisexuals as a group are more prone to self-destructive
behaviors like depression, illegal drug use, and suicide."

Add to Teacher's Editions: "If you discuss homosexuality in class, be
aware that Texas law rejects homosexual 'marriage.' Students can
therefore maintain that homosexuality and heterosexuality are not
moral equivalents, without being charged with 'hate speech.'"
Ultimately, the publishers refused to make these last-minute
changes. However, language defining marriage as "a lifelong union
between a husband and a wife" was added to some of the middle-school
health textbooks.