Third graders may soon have to describe body parts in ‘gender-neutral’ way
Draft 2 of the Minnesota Department of Education’s K-12 health standards has been released and includes benchmarks that require third graders to “describe internal and external reproductive body parts using medically accurate terms in a gender-neutral way” and “explain the difference between sex assigned at birth and gender identity and expression.” Other third-grade benchmarks include requiring students to “define gender identity and expression” and “describe consent and its importance in all relationships.”
(In a similar vein, starting this fall for the 2025-26 school year third graders will be required to use non-binary gender pronouns in writing.)
Health benchmarks for other grade levels include related content, such as requiring fifth graders to “define sexual orientation including sense of identity, attractions and related behaviors” and “describe the differences between sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression.”
Much of the draft language appears to come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) module titled: Sexual Health Curriculum.
The DFL-controlled legislature passed the mandate to create statewide K-12 health standards in 2024, and a Health Standards Committee selected by the Minnesota Department of Education began developing the standards in January. Health now joins other required statewide K-12 academic standards — language arts, math, science, social studies, physical education, and arts — that go through the state’s rulemaking process for review and revision on a 10-year cycle. Locally developed health standards can still be used until the statewide standards are finalized and ready for implementation, which is expected to take a couple of years.
According to the draft K-12 health standards, the benchmarks on gender identity reflect “functional health information” that students need to “enhance health and wellbeing of self and others.” Functional health, according to the draft document, “is not based on opinion, assumptions or arbitrary content” but “refers to health concepts that are usable, applicable, relevant and grounded in data-driven community needs.”
The draft K-12 health standards and benchmarks are organized into seven strands that are common across all grade levels — food and nutrition, mental and emotional health, personal health and wellness, sexual health, substance use and misuse prevention, violence prevention, and basic emergency response.
According to Minnesota state statutes, the health standards must include certain health-related subject areas: cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automatic external defibrillator (AED) education for students in grades 7 through 12; vaping awareness and prevention instruction to students in grades 6 through 8; cannabis use and substance use education for students in grades 6 through 12; instruction in preventing and reducing the risk of sexually transmitted infections and diseases; and mental health education for students in grades 4 through 12.
Public comment period
A public comment period on Draft 2 is open until July 18. Those interested in providing clear and respectful feedback can do so through the Minnesota Department of Education’s online survey.
“The results of the comment period will be reviewed by the Health Standards Committee and will be used for preparing the third draft, which will be available in the fall,” according to the Minnesota Department of Education. Ethnic studies, which must be embedded throughout the standards in accordance with state statute, “will be identified in the benchmarks by designated symbols for draft 3.”