Posted on 08/17/2011 7:54:16 AM PDT by Sopater
Since California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 48 into law on July 14, the curriculum for California public schools must include “the role and contributions of…lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans” in California and American history. Already, those on the left are preparing to defend the law in courts, while those on the right are driving petitions to overturn the law by a ballot initiative.
Why go to all that trouble?
Because the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over California and a handful of other states, has already made clear that there can be no opt-outs of anything in the curriculum, even if parents might find it offensive or contrary to their own educational ideals for their children.
Some parents will like this form of education. Other parents will object to it. At ParentalRights.Org our view is simply this: Parents, not government, should be able to make these decisions.
As it is, whatever curriculum California ultimately decides to keep, there will be public school parents who dislike it and who still have no rights under the Ninth Circuit to even opt their children out.
In 2005, the Ninth Circuit declared in Fields v. Palmdale that “[p]arents…have no constitutional right…to prevent public schools from providing its students with whatever information it wishes to provide, sexual or otherwise, when and as the school determines that it is appropriate to do so.”
“In sum,” they wrote, “we affirm that the Meyer-Pierce [fundamental parental] right does not extend beyond the threshold of the school door.”
And it’s not just California and neighboring states, either. In 2007, the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts decided the same thing in Parker v. Hurley: parents have no right to opt their children out of a public school course. Nor are we aware of any decision to the contrary in any Circuit or District in the country since 2000.
So get ready for more legislation and more petitions as parents go back and forth over what all public school children must learn. When parents lack the basic right to simply pull their child out of a single class they dislike, there is no lesser recourse available than to change the entire curriculum for all.
The proposed Parental Rights Amendment to the Constitution can correct this by reversing Palmdale and Parker and re-establishing parental rights for fit parents regardless of their child’s location. Until then, parents will just have to duke it out in the legislature – because what their children learn in public school is entirely a matter of state law, and not of parental discretion.
Sincerely,
Michael Ramey Director of Communications & Research
Since California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 48 into law on July 14, the curriculum for California public schools must include “the role and contributions of…lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans” in California and American history.....Huh?
And just how much of a contribution is that?.....Is it worth all the effort when kids can’t spell, balance a check book, or do simple math?
The whack radical left agenda moves forward.....
So will they be adding a LGBT section to the SAT, ACT, GRE, LSAT, etc? I mean, if we can’t opt out, that must mean we’ll be tested on it, right?
*spit* While I have friends in CA, I would just assume see that festering landmass of fetid progressive slime slink quickly into the Pacific.
Homeschooling or private school seems to be the only answer.
3. CHURCH SCHOOLING.
2. PRIVATE SCHOOLING.
Good luck finding out exactly what schools are teaching. I recently learned that the parent of a child in Holt (MI) schools needs to be finger printed and have a background check before they are allowed into the classroom. I don’t know if that is just the Holt schools or a Michigan thing.
Are they going to show Pink Flamingos? Because the premise of the movie is to win a contest as the filthiest family in America.
Defund them all.
Separate school and state, before it is too late.
Why are Christian taxpayers financing this filth to be force-fed to children? Why do Christian parents send their children to anti-God schools to be trained to tolerate evil?
Student 1: I know all about Harvey Milk and his achievments.
Asian Student: I know all about science, Math, biology and chemistry. While you’re at it, I’ll take some ketchup with those fries.
I hope it gets overturned quickly.
It's the only thing worth indoctrinating, then the government fags have a dependent captive voter for life, and the youngsters are vulnerable to the fags and other perverts, for everything they need. It's a design for access to the young including children.
Public school is child abuse.
Maybe they can get all the homosexuals to chip-in and pay California’s debt. Now, there would be a contribution. Oh, sorry, I forgot the homosexuals are the most self-centered, self-serving and self-absorbed group in the world.
Who is to decide? The individual (parent), the political panel, the “education czar,” the academic elite, or the majority?
If you want it to be YOUR choice, don’t do public school.
Would you let the govt pick your kid’s vocation? His spouse? His income level? His diet? Why do you let it pick his curriculum? Why do you let it shape his mind?
Think you can’t do better? Think again.
Ya got me, I have no idea.
I’m just appalled that a court believes parents cease to be the authority of their children simply because they have entered a school.
So very glad we decided to homeschool.
www.stopsb48.com
Californians, go there to download petitions and get this referendum on the ballot.
Just getting it onto the ballot stops it from being implemented for now.
If you don’t want to collect signatures, at least download a couple for yourself/your family, sign them and send them in.
I’ve collected over ten signatures easily at church already.
Here's the “real” problem with public education when government takes over.
Like health care, transportation or anything else, it becomes political once politicians have control. What is taught, to whom, test standards, admission to programs, the hiring and firing of personnel etc all gets distorted through a political process. While not technically corrupt or illegal the system amounts to nothing more than a process of kick backs, score settling, ideologically based gibberish with no concept of a “bottom line” or customer anymore may that be the education itself (the quality of instruction and standards), resource usage or customer orientation (students and parents).
Over the years, all we have witnessed is MORE government, MORE money and in reality a drop in performance. That's why SAT scores are adjusted (They have net fallen over the years), colleges have begun teaching more remedial classes in basic area's. ACT scores have gradually dropped as well. The number of young people graduating with higher math skills or any competency in Chemistry and Physics has declined... Yet we pay more, have more tests, national standards and politicians talking about education more than ever.
Here's what is guaranteed as education becomes just another political instrument for election politics and to make a buck; every social issue and faddy market driven trend will get incorporated into so-called education: green, global warming, contributions of LGBT people, diversity in programs and those selected for them... Yes, your kids will have more tests than ever before, we will spend more money than ever before, they will have all new shiny books, computers and class rooms but most will graduate unable to write a coherent thought in a paragraph (How much has geometry changed in the last years?).
Public education in America = Big business/labor + politics.
I would question whether parents who send their children to government schools are really Christian. Surely there will be those who cry affordability hoping for the obligatory sympathetic response. I would simply point out that materialism becomes their true God at that point.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.