Action Alert: Summer Homework for Parents-- What Are They Teaching Your Children?

Over a decade ago, public schools in Virginia began teaching "Family Life Education" (FLE), a euphemism for sex education. The Virginia Board of Education dutifully invented standards of learning (SOL) and curriculum guidelines in the teaching of Family Life Education, including: the value of postponing sexual activity until marriage (abstinence education); human sexuality; human reproduction and contraception, including the benefits of adoption as a positive choice in the event of an unwanted pregnancy; the etiology, prevention, and effects of sexually transmitted diseases.

The important fact is that these subject matters are guidelines from the Board of Education, but local school districts may add to the content areas as they deem fit. In addition, schools are required to involve the community in this educational process, which means that different groups will likely speak to your child about these content areas. It should be noted that in some areas groups such as Planned Parenthood are called upon to educate your children in these classes. A quick review of Planned Parenthood's web site for teens tells us all we need to know about what is being taught. And as we have learned, Planned Parenthood receives taxpayer funding for this service through grants given by the Department of Health and Human Resources.

As a parent, you have the option of opting your child out of any or all portions of the FLE program; however, you have to be the proactive party in this as the school likely will not be. Schools are required to provide you with an opt-out form should you desire it. Moreover, any member of the community may review the curriculum at the local library to evaluate its appropriateness.

At The Family Foundation, we are very concerned about what is being taught our children in public schools. Sadly, many students are being taught about sexuality from those that profit from irresponsible sexual behavior, like Planned Parenthood, instead of by parents or responsible adults. Despite the fact that Virginia requires abstinence education to be taught, one can only imagine how abstinence is being presented when its being taught by someone from Planned Parenthood.

While The Family Foundation has concern regarding the input of organizations like Planned Parenthood in the classroom, we are equally troubled by a growing effort by the National Education Association to infuse classrooms with education portraying homosexuality as simply an alternative lifestyle choice. Here in the Commonwealth, parents have informed The Family Foundation of incidences where teachers have taken the liberty to add this discussion to the Family Life Education. If this occurs in your child's school, please contact us to fortify our efforts to advance an appropriate legislative response.

If you have a child or if you are just interested in helping us keep track of Family Life Education in the Commonwealth of Virginia, we need you to:

Review the Curriculum guides for your local school district (these are available for public review at the school offices and often the public libraries); Write down any questions or concerns (schools must have available a list of all groups or individuals outside the schools that are to be in classrooms); and Please let us know what you find. It is our position that for many of these content areas, it is not the place of the school to teach every child.

THE FAMILY FOUNDATION OF VIRGINIA One Capitol Square 830 East Main Street, Suite 1201 Richmond, VA 23219, Phone: 804-343-0010, Fax: 804-343-0050 www.familyfoundation.org

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This is an e-mail alert from The Family Foundation (TFF). It's not on their web site, but by signing up for their e-mail alerts (green side bar on their site), you can begin receiving them, too.

If you're a VA Freeper, this is an e-mail list that you absolutely must be on. Also tell friends and family members about the site.

Hopefully by now all Virginia Freepers should be aware of TFF. TFF is our pro-family advocacy organization in the Old Dominion. They are "our guys" in Richmond, keeping the pressure on the General Assembly, protecting us and our families from the liberals in the never ending culture war. They are our "watchmen on the wall" keeping us informed of what the libs are up to and letting us know who is, and isn't a friend of our family.

I've been getting their alerts for years and I cannot recommend TFF highly enough. Also, their site has some great info for Viginians, such as the 2003 General Assembly Report Card in pdf which documents how legislators voted on 20 issues.

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