LINCOLN — Several parents of elementary and middle school students in Alcona Community Schools are upset after officials administered the incorrect version of a state survey.

Several parents are upset the survey was issued without their consent and asked questions of a sexual nature, according to Facebook posts. Some of the questions included in the survey asked students about their sexual orientation, if they were having sex, and whether they use protection or contraceptives if they do have sex.

Alcona Superintendent Dan O’Connor said the survey was intended to help officials determine additional support students might need and identify challenges students may have faced over the last nine months of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter sent to parents on Tuesday, O’Connor apologized to parents and said the survey had questions “that should have not been included which exposed students to sexual content and themes.”

O’Connor told The News students in some fourth-, fifth-, sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade classes took the survey. After receiving calls from parents on Tuesday about surveys administered on Monday, O’Connor said he stopped any further surveys from being administered.

He acknowledged two major things went wrong — the first was that school officials didn’t notify parents they would give the survey and the second was that the wrong survey went to the younger students.

“That is unfortunate, and we are evaluating and revising protocols right now to make sure neither of those two ever happen again,” he said.

O’Connor said he is still investigating, but “it is entirely possible” disciplinary action could occur.

He said the state strongly recommended that schools screen for students’ mental health.

He said the survey wasn’t entirely geared toward sex or sexual activity, and other questions on the survey addressed student’s self-esteem and mental health, and how well their basic needs were being met.

“The intent was to support students in their mental health by offering support as they navigate our current challenging times,” O’Connor said in the letter. “I apologize on behalf of the district and commit to correcting this situation.”

District officials have offered parents support for their children, such as counseling.

O’Connor said he would hold an in-person, socially distant meeting at 5 p.m. today in the school’s auditorium “to continue the discussion and confirm that this situation will be corrected moving forward.”