The Nebraska Department of Education has proposed new Health Education Standards for K-12 schools in Nebraska. In Nebraska, the actual curriculum in regards to health education is determined by local school boards. The state recommended standards are a framework for how health education should be administered in school districts. The recommendations include age-appropriate education about consent and provide information about sexual orientation and gender identity. You can read the updated standards here: https://bit.ly/NEhealthedu
Comprehensive health education can help protect children from abuse and provide information that can be life-saving for LGBTQ+ youth. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that health education programs should include “gender identity and sexual orientation and questioning, communication, recognizing and preventing sexual violence, consent, and decision making.â€
OutNebraska supports the update of these standards and understands how critical it is that LGBTQ+ youth receive equitable access to education, which includes seeing themselves reflected in their educational materials when learning about their health. We want to encourage our supporters to use your voice and help advocate for equitable education standards in Nebraska. Find out more information about how to use your voice by using this resource sheet provided by the Omaha Women’s Fund: https://bit.ly/3wvI04T