Changes in state law have flipped the script when it comes to sex education for public school students.

Where once parents had to opt out if they did not want their students exposed to what is now called the human sexuality curriculum, parents now have to opt in.

The result of House Bill 1525 left the School Health Advisory Councils (SHAC) to determine the type of curriculum districts would offer, and the Mineola School Board approved its SHAC recommendation on Thursday.

Assistant Superintendent David Sauer outlined the new program, which will start in the fall.

All students will continue to receive the health education curriculum included in Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), but the human sexuality training will apply only to freshmen.

It will be a one- to two-week course for 45 minutes per day.

Prior to the course being taught, a parent meeting will be held to introduce the community to the curriculum. It is also available online on the district’s website.

Sauer said Christy’s Safe Haven, a non-profit, will assist the district in administering the curriculum, which is entitled “Choosing the Best Life.”

It is abstinence based, Sauer said, and aligns with the values of the community.

The new program stresses transparency, he explained. Parents can view the entire curriculum, including the student workbook, prior to deciding to allow their students to participate.