Fremont parents go to battle over 'racy' sex-ed textbook

FREMONT, Calif. (KGO) -- On Wednesday night, parents went to battle over a book some say is too racy for freshmen. The Fremont Unified School Board approved the ninth grade health textbook, but is it too graphic?

"I feel a loss of innocence myself," said Fremont resident Jim Schultz.

The sexually explicit words, images, and ideas inside the book "Your Health Today" touched off a debate that left some parents questioning the fundamentals of Fremont Unified.

"I'm sorry, I cannot see anything a child needs to know in the ninth grade about bondage," Schultz said. "What are you teaching them?"

"Most board members actually have good intentions," said Fremont resident Hiu Ng. "How then did we end up here?

For others, the text is just another sign of society changing.

"Please don't let your narrow views of human sexuality affect my child's education," said Fremont resident Sarah Jeske.

"I appreciated that this was covered in a way that was informational," said Fremont resident Dianne Jones.

Many objected not to the book's content, but its intended audience.

"Your Health Today" was written as a college textbook, and Fremont is the first California high school district to use it.

It's a decision even the superintendent wanted to delay. He advocated for revisions or two separate health course -- an honors course using the book and a basic course without.

Not many parents were pleased.

"Let's leave the college textbook in college," said parent Cindy Chan.

"Changing one chapter on sexual education will only remove a small part of the problem with this book," said Fremont resident Cathy Norman.

After hearing almost 60 speakers passionately argue over the book, the school board voted to delay implementation and talk to the publisher about making a high school oriented text.