A crowd gathered outside to watch Tucson Unified School District’s discussion on the Family Life Curriculum, which includes sex education, at the Duffy Family & Community Center, 5145 E. Fifth St., on Sept. 10, 2019.

 Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Daily Star

TUSD has adopted an alternative curriculum for families who don’t want their kids to get sex education in school.

The curriculum focuses on giving students the tools to manage, understand and process emotions.

Unlike Tucson Unified School District’s recently adopted Family Life curriculum, which includes sex education and lessons on consent, and gender identity and expression, the alternative program touches on topics like self-confidence, personal advocacy, media influence, bullying, cyber bullying, hygiene and communication.

“What we want to do is make sure we give our children enough skills so that they understand what is right for them and how to make good choices in their lives,” says Tammy Hille, coordinator for the district’s counseling department. “Those are the biggest things that we really want to focus on.”

The lessons might be taught by counselors and social workers, Hille said.

The Family Life curriculum was hotly debated, with some arguing that sex ed should not be taught in schools at all, despite the fact that parents and guardians need to opt in for students to take the classes.

After delaying the vote several months to make changes to the program, the TUSD Governing Board passed the primary curriculum on May 13, and the alternative, which does not include sex ed, passed at the virtual board meeting on Tuesday.

Hille expects the number of students taking part in the alternative curriculum will be relatively small, based on enrollment for previous sex education programs the district offered. Students in the alternative program will likely receive instruction in small groups.

Like the primary curriculum, the instruction varies based on grade level. The alternative curriculums were created by a working group that included teachers, a social worker, a counselor, curriculum specialists and staff workers from Mexican American Student Services to ensure cultural awareness and sensitivity while also using the American School Counselor Association standards as a guide.

The alternative programming becomes the default since the Family Life curriculum requires a permission slip. If parents or guardians do not want their student to receive either of the lessons, a counselor or social worker can come up with another option, Hille said.

Bernadette Gruber sat on the committee that created the Family Life curriculum and was opposed to including lessons on consent and gender identity.

The way TUSD passed both curriculums “violated their own process,” she said.

She says the alternative curriculum should have been reviewed by the advisory committee she sat on and should have been public for 60 days before going to the board for approval.

The TUSD board created many opportunities for community involvement last year, Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo said. That feedback was considered in developing the alternative program. He added that legal counsel said TUSD was in compliance with state regulations.

Gruber, however, says the district could have delayed the curriculum adoption given that the community could not attend board meetings in person because of the coronavirus.

“This being a priority in the middle of a pandemic seemed kind of odd,” Gruber said.

Become a #ThisIsTucson member! Your contribution helps our team bring you stories that keep you connected to the community. Become a member today.

Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223. On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara