Fort Worth Independent School District has suspended sexual education. Students in the district will not receive sex education this year. This according to an email sent to families by Superintendent Angélica Ramsey.

“The delay will suspend the instructional delivery of the sexual education unit for the 2022-2023 school year,” she wrote.

The decision comes amid controversy over the district’s selected sex education curriculum, HealthSmart. That program has come under criticism for allegedly teaching more about safe sex than abstinence. Critics claim that this is contrary to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) framework which emphasizes abstinence over safe sex.

The district has used the HealthSmart materials since 2014 and there have been no formal complaints lodged against the curriculum. The latest set of curriculum was purchased last year for around $2.6 million.

The district says it will review different curriculum options for the content in the future.