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The News Station's Marnee Banks is providing updates from the school board meeting via Twitter @MarneeBanks:

- Teresa Burson, the curriculum curriculum for the school district, began crying during her presentation when opponents of the curriculum scoffed at her.

- School Board member Trevor Wilkerson called for those opposed to the curriculum to raise their hand, at which point nearly the entire room erupted in applause. Board chair Michael O'Neil told Wilkerson that he was out of line and needs to follow protocol.

- The floor was opened for public comment; two minutes per speaker allotted.

- Officials allow one hour of public comment for advocates and one hour for opponents of the proposed curriculum.

- Two proponents of the curriculum say they have been subject to bullying in Helena schools because of their sexual orientation

- One proponent tells the school board, "Pull out and pray doesn't always work, we need this curriculum."

- Ron Waterman says too many young women are coming in pregnant; this shows the failure of the current health system.

Tune in to the 10pm newscast for more information and video from the meeting.

(Tuesday afternoon) The subject of sex education in Helena took center stage on Tuesday evening, as the Helena school board prepared to hear public comment about the controversial sex-education curriculum proposal at their meeting.

By 4:30 pm on Tuesday, a long line had already formed outside the Front Street Learning Center; The News Station's Marnee Banks is on the scene and estimates that the crowd numbers about 100 people.

Two Helena police officers are on the scene monitoring traffic.

Before the meeting started, we asked one Helena resident, Mikal Wilkinson, why she was attending:

The issue has generated much debate here in the comments section on KXLH.com and even spread to Fox News.

(July 8, 2010) A new health curriculum under consideration in Helena Public Schools is causing quite a controversy. The document covers everything from nutrition to injury prevention, but the section titled "Human Sexuality" is drawing the most concern.

It lays out sex education topics for each grade, K through 12. In the first grade, children would be taught that human beings can love people of the same gender; in second grade, kids are taught not to make fun of people by calling them "gay" or "queer." By fifth grade, they would be taught there are several types of intercourse, and by the sixth grade, the draft document states that students should, "Understand that sexual intercourse includes but is not limited to vaginal, oral, or anal penetration; using the penis, fingers, tongue or objects."

The school board will hear public comment on the issue at their regularly-scheduled meeting on Tuesday, July 13th; all area residents are welcome to attend.

Click here to read the entire document (PDF).

What do you think - are the topics suitable for the grades indicated, or do you think they are inappropriate? Leave a comment below, or visit the KXLH Facebook page to let us know what you think.