California adopted a controversial new framework of standards for sexual education earlier this month. Now, parents around the state are rallying around one question: “Why is it okay to expose young children to explicit and potentially confusing material?”
The “Health Education Framework” is designed to begin teaching about sex in the classroom as early as kindergarten. Among a range of issues covered are lessons on gender identity, sexual orientation, and how to best support transgender and non-conforming classmates.
While teachers are not forced to use the new standards, many parents are worried that the adoption of such material will expose their children to content they are not mature enough to handle. One parent, Jenica Williams, was worried how lessons in gender identity might confuse her kindergarten-aged son.
“Kids are being told to challenge gender stereotypes, and it puts in their mind that maybe they should be another gender,” Williams said. “How is that not indoctrination?”
The state currently allows parents to opt children out of lessons on sexual health, but requires all students to be in the classroom for lessons that include gender identity and discrimination or same-sex marriage.
Michelle Thomas, another parent, is supportive of all students being required to go through sexual education, and is happy that the lessons include information about LGBTQ students. However, she views the content provided by the new framework as far too explicit for the classroom:
Accurate information will help our children make important decisions about their sex lives…But when I look at the framework, I see that that they want to instruct instruct fourth-graders on masturbation and they teach that homosexual feelings are felt by all and are normal. I think that goes beyond what sex education should be. It feels like they are priming our very young children to be sexually active.
A group called Informed Parents of California is 25,000 members strong and is working on rallying parents across the state to push back on the standards. Parents in at least 40 out of 58 counties across California have committed to participate in protesting the framework. A widely distributed online petition to “protect children from being exposed” has also gained over 26,000 signatures.
Dean S
Read the same article as you. I missed the “hate and bias” and saw “facts”. The only hate and bias I see are in the comments! Look, parents have a right to be involved in the education of their children even in a public school environment. Just because a person does not encourage and embrace the homosexual lifestyle does not mean they hate them. When you jump from having a person say “I disagree with you” to “You hate me( or them)!” you are a person seeking victim-hood.
jk105
It is hate when there is a gag order on discussing homosexuality. Parents have the right to demand schools provide safe, nurturing space for all students–including their gay ones.
Dean, you are the one seeking victimhood. And yes, you are the only source of hate.
Ker Lee
By “facts” you mean bigots are losing their minds over the “fact” that schools now accept the FACT that there are gay kids in their classrooms. These schools also accept the FACT that these same kids deserve to be treated with respect.
And finally, it is a FACT that the desire to silence this common decency is driven by hate.
So Dean, you missed the bias and hate because you weren’t looking in a mirror.
kaysha
Dean, if you read the same article, then I suggest you have serious reading comprehension problems. Kelvey is rallying up people to into silencing the school system into submission.
Dean writes: “parents have a right to be involved in the education of their children even in a public school environment.”
Actually no you don’t. My tax money pays for those schools too and it should not be funding your private homophobic bigotry. If you want to send your children into a school that dengirates LGBTQ students, then send your kids to a private school that shares your biases. Tax money shouldn’t finance your bigotry.
Flo
Surely these parents have better things to worry about than the fact that their children will find out two men can legally marry, Why is Kelvey giving them any free publicity. Disgusting bigots. I am a parent who prefers my children get educated in an environment free of bias and hate. I am pro life for all humans.
jk105
Parents can opt out, teachers are not required to teach it, but the mere possibility that students may hear about same-sex marriage has Kelvey seething with hositility!
How dare California encourage students to treat its LGBT neighbors with dignity. How dare they speak out against children being indoctrinated into hating gay people!