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San Diego parents keeping kids home to protest school district's sex education program

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SAN DIEGO — Some parents are keeping their children out of school Tuesday to protest the San Diego Unified School District’s sex education curriculum.

A group of parents say the district’s Sexual Health Education Program (SHEP) is too graphic and not age-appropriate for their students, and they are urging district officials to eliminate the program.

The parents have taken their concerns to the district’s School Board, but they said board members refuse to replace the curriculum.

District officials said students can opt out of the course, but parents want the images they consider graphic gone.

Ashley Bever, a substitute teacher who is organizing the one-day protest, said she was surprised to see all of the materials student had access to.

“I thought a 6th grade teacher did not write this. Where it did come from? Why is it so explicit? Why is it telling kids they have sexual rights apart from their parents?” Bever said.

The group is scheduled to hold a rally at the district’s office in University Heights at 4 p.m., just before the School Board’s meeting.