A last-minute appearance by Dr. Jill Biden at this year’s Flagstaff Pride left community members to lash out against their local Pride organization.
The considerable shift to the right locally showed many that the work to attain civil rights is far from over.
We're asking students and parents to help us understand what sex education looks like in their classrooms.
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STUDY HALL: Hi readers. My name is Shelby Rae Wills. I'm an accountability fellow at LOOKOUT. I'm writing the top of our newsletter today because I need your help. Specifically, I need you to tell me what you know about sex education in your school district.
Covering this subject has been all about strategy and making sure we're getting a full understanding of what the curriculum looks like across the state. To do that, I geographically divided the state into eight equal sections and selected two unified school districts from each section. I submitted records requests for these districts about their sex education programs and policies, and waited.
Since then, I've dove into legislation to understand how it works on the bureaucratic side. I've spoken with superintendents, attended district sex ed committee meetings in the East Valley, and have been interviewing organizers involved in sex education across the state.
It's crucial to continue understanding sex education in Arizona’s public schools because it directly impacts the well-being and future of students, especially those who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. Providing inclusive sex education equips young people with essential knowledge about their bodies, relationships, consent, and health, fostering informed and responsible decision-making.
WHAT I'M KEEPING AN EYE ON: I’m asking parents, students, and recent graduates to participate in a two-minute survey that is vital for continuing to report on this topic. Talking to decision-makers is only part of the story; I need to hear from the people and families directly impacted by these policies. Your perspective is essential to understanding what is happening inside Arizona public schools and where improvements can be made.
Parents and guardians—as primary stakeholders—deserve to know what is being taught and to have a say in the educational content that affects their children. Their input can highlight gaps or issues that might otherwise go unnoticed. Additionally, feedback from youth provides firsthand insight into the effectiveness and reception of the sex education they receive.
If you are or know of a parent of a student or a recent graduate, or if you're someone aged 14-24 years old, please fill out our surveys below. And if you’d like to share your story, please reach out to me at rae@lookoutphx.org.
Have a community event coming up you want LOOKOUT to highlight? Email us.
Without the LGBTQ+ community, there’s less meaning. Guess the word below with only the support of the letters L, G, B, T, Q, I, A and submit your answer to be entered into our monthly drawing for exclusive LOOKOUT swag. The more times you play, the more chances you get to win! The next drawing will be May 30.
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Hint: Tucson's queer-focused newspaper published in the 80's, which focused on the HIV/AIDS communities in the Southwest. (Another hint: scroll up to the top.)
Last Week's Answer: Tracey "Africa" Norman
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If a small rural city can find common ground, maybe we all can.
A private web meeting last week showed how a far-right religious organization is trying to teach families to challenge schools, causing a chilling a chilling effect.
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