Letter to the Editor:
Our public and charter schools have become bastions of social activism. Parents are being left out of decisions regarding their children’s education, mental, medical and physical health.
The New York State Bill “Sex Education Mandate S.2584-A-Brouk/A.6616-Nolan” This bill would require public schools including charter schools to offer comprehensive sex education to all K-12 in accordance with state-created criteria.
The Sex Education Mandate Bill would require New York State Education Department to create comprehensive sexuality education programs in accordance for K-12 students with “national sexuality education standards”. The bill would receive input from experts including experts in “reproductive and sexual health care” expertise “serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.” In kindergarten -12 grade.
The opt-out provision contained in the bill does not allow parents to opt out of the controversial and objectionable topics in the curriculum. Parents can only opt out of the HIV Aids curriculum.
The sex education conversations should only be between a parent/guardian and their child, not an activist that their elected school board/PTA hired.
As per the July 2015 New York State Guidance to School Districts. New York State Education Department includes the following statement: ‘‘There is no threshold of medical, mental health or treatment required that any student must meet to have their gender identity recognized and respected by a school, A school district demands fellow students, all employees of the school district to refer to the student by their preferred name and gender identity. This is called social transitioning. The National Education Association recommends a “Gender Support Plan” (GSP) created by the activist group Gender Spectrum.
To help schools with Social Transisitioning of students. The GSP which refers to student’s ‘‘authentic gender”. One of the questions on the GSP form is “ how will teacher/admin respond to any questions about students gender from Parents?
Why did this all occur? This all started when school districts throughout the USA were sued for not protecting a transgender students from bullying, and bathroom useage that matches their “gender identity”. The laws were passed to protect the transgender issues. The laws went past protecting LQBTQ students to creating a disconnect between students and their parents. The school social workers, therapists, psychologists, guidance counselors create an environment where students self diagnose and through The Gender Affirmative Model students are encouraged to embrace their new identity without question, medical or parental input. The schools helps the student to socially transition by using the students new gender identity, their preferred pronouns and encourage the student to live in their new gender identity, including bathroom and lockerroom access.
Parents know elementary school students do not spend time questioning whether their biological body matches their brain. There is no reason for elementary students, be made to imagine themselves as gay, transgender or pansexual. Elementary school children worry more about getting their homework done, getting a hit in little league, scoring a goal in soccer, trying to convince their parents the attributes of getting a pony for their birthdays.
Our politicians and school board members have decided to use bullying prevention as a method of indoctrinating our students in gender ideology including relationships involving diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. The insistence that transgender students must be affirmed or suffer a steep psychological toll is the biggest myth of them all. The 2019 report from the Tavistock and Portman gender clinic in the UK, which showed rates of self harm and suicidality did not decrease even after puberty suppression for adolescent natal girls.
We are told when we enroll our children in Public Schools that we will be an integral part of their scholastic education. We are told that our children’s education will be a collaboration between parents, teachers and school administrators. We will all work together to make sure our precious child gets the best education possible.
A fifth grade public school teacher C. Scott Miller a member of Equality California an LGBTQ Activist Group, explained to author Abigail Shier, “Parental rights ended when children are enrolled in public schools”
Parents be aware who you vote for in political candidates. Make sure the candidates believe in parental rights and parental rights are included in their platform. Parents make sure you understand what your local school board stands for. Make sure your school board is not just a rubber stamp for the teachers union and recognizes a parents rights in education, mental, medical, physical health of their child. Pay attention to school board meetings. Vote on your school budgets.
My Lakeland Central School District’s student code of conduct states that students recognize that teachers assume the role of surrogate parent in matters of behavior and discipline when at school. So are teachers becoming surrogate parents as, parents are being left out of their childrens education? I have an issue with teachers taking on a parental role, do you?
Maureen McArdle Schulman, Grandmother of 3, Retired Harlem Firefighter, 2020 Candidate for NY17 US Congress, Shrub Oak, NY