Posted on 08/31/2007 6:22:57 AM PDT by IrishMike
The Evesham school board last night voted 7-1 to stop showing third graders a controversial educational video that includes depictions of families headed by same-sex couples. The vote came after a committee of scholars and educators, appointed by the board to review the issue, recommended keeping the video in the curriculum, but showing it to fourth graders, instead of to third graders, as had been done.
But after a number of board members spoke against the film, the board did away with the video, called That's a Family, altogether.
The half-hour video shows children explaining their various family structures, including those with mixed-race couples and divorced, single and adoptive parents.
Jeanne Smith, a spokeswoman for the board, said: "The opinions expressed by members of the board against the video dealt with their worry that the video had become so divisive that it would continue to inflame the district and that there would be no healing."
In a survey of the issue, district parents were split nearly half and half on the issue, she said
Reacting to last night's vote, Steven Goldstein, chairman of the gay civil rights group Garden State Equality, said: "It's very likely that we in the civil rights community will take legal action to have the committee's recommendation to show this film enforced. We believe the board's actions are illegal."
Evesham started showing the video last school year as part of a state-mandated health curriculum, which requires students to "identify different kinds of families and explain that families may differ for many reasons."
The segment of That's a Family on same-sex couples, however, drew the ire of many parents who objected to their children learning about homosexuality in schools.
(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...
That’s great that your daughters are not easily influenced and laugh at it all. I hope most of the other students are able to do the same.
Our children are homeschooled, and I agree with you that what is being taught in public school is just as much my business as a parent’s whose children attend. As you pointed out, as taxpayers, we’re all paying the bill.
But I admit that I don’t know what is taught in our school district anymore. When our eldest was in preschool (for a total of two months) seven years ago, the elementary school was showing a video called “Family Life” to third graders. Parents could opt their children in or out of it. But I’m completely out of touch with what’s going on now.
What does the abbreviation DOS stand for? I have to admit that I don’t know what PDA stands for, either. :-0
It’s tough to afford Catholic school tuition when you’re paying so much in property taxes. For the record, homeschooling is not as expensive as most people believe. I even know families headed by single parents or two working parents who homeschool. Most of us are not wealthy. In fact, I haven’t come across a wealthy homeschooling family, yet. Of course, homeschooling has its own set of challenges. Plus, here in NJ, I’ve come across many left-leaning homeschoolers who are very supportive of so-called “gay rights”. So, even among homeschoolers in this state, we have to be very careful about the groups we join and with whom we interact.
This whole issue is so weird. I’m always incredulous that children are being taught this stuff and that parents are accused of bigotry or extremism if they won’t allow their children to view these types of videos - it’s so absurd.
I will keep you and the families in Evesham in my thoughts and prayers.
After my last post, I realized what DOS stands for - Day of Silence. I remember reading about it here on FR. I told my husband about DOS today, and he was incredulous. We’re both so out of touch. :-)
Also, I just looked up PDA - Public Display of Affection.
LOL I learned about DOS here too last spring.
PDA I knew, we said that in college.
Everytime one of these stories comes up I’m reminded of Republican presidents, governors and so on who did nothing to stop the liberal agenda in the schools. It kept right on advancing at the same pace, even through the Reagan administration.
AMEN TO THAT. THERE I NOTHING GAY ABOUT THE QUEERS. ONE MAN ONE WOMAN=CHILDREN....ONE WOMAN ONE WOMAN=ONLY PERVERTED EVIL SEX
For those who don’t say this video is not “pornographic”....Umm, have you seen the ENTIRE video? Especially the part where the child of the lesbian couple says “my mom wanted a child so she met with a male friend who inseminated her...” Also, a kid Talked about how his mother is “strung out on drugs...” the 35 minute video is about 40% same-sex oriented and produced and filmed by a G&L activist group...enough said on that.
There is a work book with a cross word puzzle with words like: trans sexual, homo sexual, cross dresser, etc. And there is a part in the book that says “any discussions in the class room stay in the class room”.....what is that? I don’t know about you, but that is CRIMINAL.
My child was subject to this crap and from the VERY beginning the administration was RUDE and did not care....they deliberately showed the video the day before Christmas because the kids would not tell their parents about it because Christmas is coming. No NOTE sent home, NOTHING...this was deliberate indoctrination of a innocent child’s mind!!!
MR. Hoops....get a life...your committees recommendation was a SLAP in the face to tax payers.It was so lop sided that the 2 members who were against the video quit because they were tormented....I know, I spoke to one of them. This administration is dangerous and is not out for the interest of the children.
People, this ain’t over...this is far from over. I pulled ALL 3 of my children OUT of the district. I thought my 8 year old was “safe” for a while...boy was I wrong. The public school system is really becoming a horrible institution....taking advantage of children and tax payers alike.
Thanks to all the parents that made this possible....All glory goes to GOD for “shedding light on the darkness...”
However, this is just the beginning...stay tuned....
How did you do that? I thought Sex Ed. was mandatory in all public schools.
Something called the “hatch” amendment. Basically a note given to the school at the beginning of the year that says your child will not participate in anything with same sex or sexually oriented content. look it up online...it’s a bit more detailed but along those lines.
I pinged two other Virginia parents who should have similar knowledge
Actually, it was a notice specifically for FLE. It listed times that parents could look over the curriculum and it specifically listed the sensitive items. It then gives several choices of sending them to all, none, or part. We chose none. The school sends the notice out every year to every student and it is specific to each grade
It must be another of those district by district things, as I have never seen such a note, nor has my daughter taken any such classes.........
we always get those fle forms in our “start of the year” packet.
The permission slip comes home the first day of school. I think you only have to turn it in if you want to opt-out your child. I suspect some children don’t turn it in and go on into Family Life. My child just started 9th grade and say he is the only one who does not go. They are having it the first two weeks of school. I feel to keep you from realizing it before it’s too late. My son is in a huge school, I wouldn’t believe he is the only one opted out but it was the same last year. He goes to the library and reads.
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