...parents don't have any right to opt their children out of the pro-gay marriage curriculum.
sirs, that's exactly what bothers me. I don't have any problems with same-sex relationships, but I do have a problem with any group that thinks they should decide what my children need to learn beyond the basic subjects; i.e., math, reading, grammar, spelling, writing, history, and geography.
In our district, sex ed classes have always contained an 'opt out' choice. Each school has a Health Curriculum Advisory Board comprised of both teachers and parents who review and choose the course materials for the upcoming year. Parents are invited to view the materials before the unit is presented, usually during the regular "Back To School" night. Then the permission slips are sent home for the parents to either agree or opt out of the class.
As far as I'm concerned, this is the best way to handle the issue of sex ed in public school. The school satisfies what they see as their duty to educate students about a subject that may or may not be taught in the home, and parents retain their right to decide whether or not the subject matter and manner of presentation are appropriate for their own child. When government - in the form of the school board - decides that it can and should override a parent's judgment regarding what their child is taught, the government has gone too far.
Now...if you think having your child's school take over your right to teach them about sex, same-sex relationships, or birth control in the way that's best for your family, how would you like to have to deal with this issue?
Stunned Parents ProtestUproar over teacher's gender change
By Ryan ChalkWhen Angela Weinzinger's children returned home at the start of the new school year, she was surprised to learn from them that one of their music teachers, formerly a "Miss," was now to be addressed as "Mister."
The startling revelation sent Weinzinger scrambling for answers to questions of how this happened, and why she had to hear about it from her children who attend Foxboro Elementary School. Weinzinger has two daughters, ages 6 and 9, along with an 11-year-old son who attend the school.
A growing number of parents feel the school could have done more to inform them of the teacher's gender change. They also charge that there was no support for the students who had questions about their teacher. Last Friday, a handful of concerned parents spent time before and after school handing out fliers notifying others of the change.
"They told them (students) to go home and ask your parents about it," Weinzinger said. "But how can we answer when we don't even know about it."
Principal Lisa Eckhoff said she was not at liberty to speak on the matter, citing confidentiality issues. The teacher did not respond to e-mail inquiries from The Reporter.
Weinzinger said that more than 30 parents have contacted the school requesting to have their kids removed from music class. On days when her children would attend music, they are attending activities with other instructors, according to Weinzinger.
Jim Dorigatti, whose daughter attends sixth grade at Foxboro, said that, like many parents, he respects what people do in their private lives.
"But this isn't a private issue," Dorigatti said. "This is something the kids can't not know about. It's hard to call the issue private when it's right there in your face."
Dorigatti has gone as far as removing his daughter from band class as well, enrolling her in private music lessons to keep her prepared for middle school band.
The parents say they would have liked some advance notice about the instructor's decision to identify with the opposite gender.
Travis Unified School District Superintendent Kate Wren Gavlak, issued a statement saying, "We want to assure the community that staff will not be discussing private or personal matters with students, parents or the community."
Dorigatti and Weinzinger said they would be keeping their kids out of the teacher's class as long as the teacher remains there.
"I know the school is frustrated because parents are pulling their kids out of class," Weinzinger said. "I would hate to think the school could lose funding because parents are pulling their kids out of those classes."
Travis Unified Governing Board Trustee Edwin Sanderson said he did not have all of the facts yet but that the board may consider addressing the matter in closed session during its next regularly scheduled board meeting on Tuesday.
"This is not a matter for amusement, this is a matter for careful deliberation," Sanderson said. "It is my understanding that the administration is working very diligently to preserve the rights of both the parents and the teachers."
For the most part, parents just want to feel like they have some level of control over what their children are exposed to in school.
"As a family, we have our values, and we don't push them on anybody," Weinzinger said. "But we don't feel it's fair that someone pushed their values on us."
Jennifer Mikolajcik has also taken steps to keep her children out of the music class. The parent of second- and fourth-grade boys said that the matter has become a distraction.
"This is not an issue of the teacher's choice. It's an issue that our kids know about it and are seeing it."
Like many parents, Mikolajcik doesn't know what to do next, realizing that her children may not be able to be kept out of the music class forever.
She says the next step may be to get a group of concerned parents to rally at Tuesday's board meeting.
"It's very frustrating for parents because you want to do what's best for your children," Mikolajcik said. "We just feel respect has to go both ways. The rights were looked out for the teacher and not our children."
http://www.thereporter.com/news/ci_10697147
