Click The Logo To Donate
Posted on 10/05/2003 10:19:41 AM PDT by chance33_98
Legislation may require 'opt-in' for sexual topics
By Emelie Rutherford / News Staff Writer Saturday, October 4, 2003
Framingham Metro West Daily News, MA - Oct 3, 2003
Should parents have more oversight of the sexual topics their kids discuss and discover in the classroom and after-school activities?
Local educators and self-described liberal parents say legislation that would require parents to sign off on all sex-related classes and activities isn't necessary and could block students' access to groups such as Gay/Straight Alliances.
"I think these things are taught with such delicacy," said Lori Krangel, parent of a Franklin High School junior and a college sophomore. "I have very good experience with the schools...I think they should have this stuff from day one."
Current school procedure to let parents opt their kids out of sexual education classes and notify parents about subject matter in advance is sufficient, educators say. Some also worry teens may dodge Gay/Straight Alliances like those in Franklin, Bellingham, Mendon-Upton and Medway if their folks' permission is required.
"This is really a major concern to us," added Alicia Bell, the former adviser to the Gay/Straight Alliance at FHS.
Yet some parents say they wouldn't mind a greater voice in their children's schooling. Legislation requiring parental consent for sexual classes and activities proposed by state Rep. Mark Carron, D-Southbridge, which was debated in the Education Arts and Humanities Committee on Sept. 18, aren't bad ideas, they say.
"I'm a very conservative mom so I absolutely, definitely, positively would want to be informed," said Lisa Lockhart, a mother of five from Franklin.
"I have heard from some other students who have taken some of these classes how graphic and insensitive they are," she said. "I would want to know because I think the way they present things are crude."
Speaking at the education committee hearing last month, Carron said the sexual education subject matter needs to be dealt with more conservatively.
"We might be able to take away some of the fear and negative reaction to some things because parents just don't know about it," he said.
State Rep. Bradley Jones, R-North Reading, also filed similar legislation. Neither Carron nor Jones returned calls seeking comment.
Local legislators are split on the notion of such parental consent setups.
"I think there's benefits to this type of legislation." said state Rep. Jim Vallee, D-Franklin. "It's a subject that should really be in the hands and control of the parents, rather than the schools."
State Sen. David Magnani, D-Framingham, a former teacher with a doctorate in education, wants to increase parental involvement in the classroom, but said he wants to see broader approaches.
"If you do that you need a law for every subject," he said about sex-related proposals such as Carron's.
State Sen. Cheryl Jacques, D-Needham, calls such legislation "a classic example of 'if it's not broke don't fix it.'"
"I know many parents and educators value the school teaching their children basic health and sexual education and I think there's a perfectly appropriate mechanism in place for parents who choose to (remove their kids from classes)," she said.
Robert Duffy, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Teachers Association, also questions such legislation.
"These issues have been around for a long time," he said about proposals to require parents opt-in to sexual education classes and other touchy instruction such as animal dissection.
"We just think these bills are unnecessary," Duffy said. "Parents already have access to this information. The vast majority of parents don't opt out."
Local educators agree.
"My primary concern would be that kids wouldn't have access to that information," said Mardi Donovan, the director of health and physical education in the Franklin Public Schools.
"That can be very problematic, because a lot of kids may not get a lot of support at home," she said. "We're all partners in this, trying to raise healthy kids. (Still) the first teachers are parents."
Others say an opt-in setup may simply create more paperwork.
"We'd change the information syllabus we send so that it's required that it be returned," said Mary Shimkus, the principal of the Blackstone-Millville Regional High School, adding, "Parents of our students traditionally have not opted out of this part of their kids' education."
"It would probably be more of a nuisance, but we could certainly follow anything if it comes down," said Joan Scribner, principal of Nipmuc Regional High School.
For her part, Franklin parent Jody McCarthy said she wants her third-grade daughter to be taught sexual education when she's older.
"If your kids are in public school, they're going to get information, so why not be accurate information?" she said. "Why shouldn't they talk about STDs..."
Signing forms in advance, McCarthy said, is not necessary.
"That's a waste of paper," she said. "I think if parents are going to object, they're going to object."
Reporter Emelie Rutherford can be reached at 508-634-7552 and erutherford@cnc.com.
Given the medical data showing that homosexual behavior seriously impacts the health of, and reduces the life span of, its participants, exposure of children to these groups contitutes child endangerment. Anyone responsible for providing said access should be arrested and charged with felony child endangerment.
The Truth that Dare Not Speak its Name.
Unfit mother.
FMCDH
"I have heard from some other students who have taken some of these classes how graphic and insensitive they are," she said. "I would want to know because I think the way they present things are crude."
We try to stay as informed as possible as we are allowed. There are some classes I would rather teach my daughter at home, rather than allow some lib teacher teach her at school.
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.