Protest Planned before 6/12/07 Pro-Homosexual Montgomery County School Bd. Meeting
Join the Protest this Tuesday Before the Montgomery County, Maryland School Board Meeting!!
from Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays (PFOX)
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND ““ The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Education plans to vote on the new sex ed lessons at its next board meeting this Tuesday (June 12th) at 10:00 a.m. in Rockville, Maryland. This surprising vote comes before the Maryland State Board of Education has had a chance to review the curriculum and render a legal ruling. Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum (CRC), Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays (PFOX) and Family Leader Network (FLN) appealed the curriculum to the State Board of Education in February and expect a decision in July.
In March, State Superintendent Nancy Grasmick issued an Order holding that “Appellants arguments are equally valid and deserving of a decision on the merits” and that the State Board of Education would issue a decision on the appeal of the curriculum in July. Is it too much to ask for MCPS school officials to respect the legal process?
MCPS’ haste in voting to adopt a final curriculum without waiting for the State Board’s decision as to the legality of that curriculum is premature, tramples on the rights of parents, usurps the authority of the State Board, and violates the Superintendent’s Order.
“We’ve already watched this school board ignore a petition from 270 local physicians, ignore parents who disagree with them and ignore scientific data that doesn’t fit into their agenda. Now they are ignoring state school officials!,” said RoseMarie Briggs, Family Leader Network Executive Director.
“Parents are especially frustrated that MCPS will not allow students to simply opt out of the two 8th grade lessons or the three 10th grade lessons on sexual variations. It’s an all or nothing policy.” “If an 8th grader wants to opt out of the two lessons on sexual variations, he/she is relegated to the library for 12 DAYS and misses the entire family life unit. If a 10th grader wants to opt out of the two lessons on sexual variations and the condom demonstration video, he/she is relegated to the library for THREE WEEKS.”
“The new lessons, called ‘Respect for Differences in Human Sexuality,’ are in dispute because the curriculum relies on non-medical, non-government advocacy information. Hence the lessons expose children as young as 12 to sexual variations in an unscientific and misleading way that puts children at greater risk for the following:
“¢ Mislabeling One’s Own sexual orientation by telling students that ‘sexual orientation is innate’: Scientific research does not support this assertion. In addition, the curriculum writers adamantly refused to acknowledge the scientific evidence and personal testimonies of former homosexuals.
Dr. Francis S. Collins, Head Of The Human Genome Project in Rockville, Maryland is one of the world’s leading scientists who works at the cutting edge of DNA research. Dr. Collins writes, ‘sexual orientation is genetically influenced but NOT hardwired by DNA, and that whatever genes are involved represent predispositions, not predeterminations.’ Reference: Collins, Francis S. (2006). The Language of God, A Scientist Presents Evidence For Belief. New York: Free Press.
“¢ Teen Suicide by normalizing sexual variations to students as young as 12: Clinical psychologist Dr. Dean A. Byrd of NARTH says ‘Research is very conclusive in this area: the risk of suicide decreases by 20 percent for each year that a young person delays homosexual or bisexual self-labeling’ (Remafidi et al, 1991). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), states premature labeling of one’s sexual orientation increases the risk of attempted teen suicide by two to seven times.
“¢ Contracting & Spreading Sexually Transmitted Diseases by equating homosexuality with heterosexuality: The 10th grade curriculum encourages condom use for vaginal, oral and anal sexual contact without disclosing the heightened risks for oral and anal sex. The efficacy statistics for condoms has been done ONLY for vaginal sexual contact. Condom manufacturers clearly state on their products that condoms are intended for vaginal use only. The writers rejected a petition from 270 local physicians to include the alarming health risks of anal sex. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that 70 percent of American men who are HIV positive identify themselves as gay.
“¢ Gender Confusion by telling students that ‘gender identity’ is simply ‘your identification of yourself as a man or woman, based on the gender you feel to be inside’: The lessons exclude a biological or legal definition for gender. In one 10th grade lesson, a boy begins to wear dresses to school, calls himself ‘Portia,’ and wants to be known as a girl. The lesson refers to ‘Portia’ as a ‘she’ when the law and biology classify ‘her’ as a ‘he.’ The principal gives this boy a key to a private restroom and a new student ID identifying him as a girl. The lesson implies that schools should create new unisex bathrooms for cross-dressing students instead of directing students to professional counselors for gender confusion. The American Psychiatric Association classifies transgender as a gender identity disorder.”
TAKE ACTION:
Please join PFOX’s family-friendly PROTEST on the morning of June 12th at 9:30 a.m.! Protesters will meet outside the Carver Educational Building on Rockville Pike in Rockville, Maryland at http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/boe/meetings/directions.shtm If you have young children, put them in strollers and come hold a sign that says “Health Before Politics” or “No Unisex Bathrooms.” The signs are already made. We want the media to have plenty of footage for the TV newscast and plenty of pictures for the newspaper!
Also:
1. Email the Board of Education at [email protected] and tell them to wait for the outcome of the trial before discussing “Final Adoption of Revised Health Education Curriculum.”
2. Urge Maryland education officials to stop this medically and scientifically INCORRECT curriculum. If state officials fail to act, these dangerous lessons will inevitably spread to other school districts:
Maryland Board of Education: [email protected] phone 410-767-0467, fax 410-333-6033, 200 West Baltimore Street Baltimore, MD 21201
Contact: Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Nancy S. Grasmick at [email protected]
2. Speak during “Public Comments” on Tuesday, June 12th. The Board of Education listens to 15 speakers for two minutes each. To register please call 301-279-3617 at 3:00 pm the day before the meeting. Please bring 25 copies of your comments for the BOE, the press and other school officials.
3. Use the highlighted link at the bottom of this page to alert your friends and neighbors.
Thank you!!
Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays (PFOX)
Box 561, Fort Belvoir VA 22060
703-360-2225
[email protected]
www.pfox.org