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Burlington parents voiced their anger at a recent school committee meeting over a controversial survey that was given to middle and high school students. They're calling the district’s version of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) "inappropriate," saying it contained explicit sexual definitions presumptive questions.

The YRBS, which consists of national survey questions as well as a state- and/or locally-specific survey, was established in 1991 as a way to monitor nationwide trends in risk behavior among youth. Burlington and surrounding districts felt the state-wide survey results were skewed by the larger metropolitan areas, said Superintendent Dr. Eric Conti, and the district along with the rest of the Middlesex League, worked with Lahey Health to develop a locally-specific biannual survey a few years ago.

The survey was reviewed by the district’s Wellness Committee in 2023 prior to its first administration, said Dr. Conti, but not reviewed again this year. Conti also said the company that created the survey updated definitions (which included descriptions of multiple different sex acts) prior to this year’s administration, a statement later refuted by parent Gerry Carney who, speaking during public participation, said he had screenshots from the 2023 administration and only one new definition was added. Kearney also disagreed with the framing of some of the questions, including some which he said presume kids as young as 11 are using alcohol and flavored tobacco products.

Ahead of this year’s administration, the district sent a message via ParentSquare (the district’s messaging platform) announcing the use of the survey and inviting parents to opt their students out of the survey, which the district communication said was optional. Many parents reported not seeing the communication at all, while others reported that they did in fact opt their children out of the survey but

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