Texas MassResistance Call To Action: Tell Texas Board of Education "No Perverted Comprehensive Sex-Ed Curriculum!"

 URGENT!!! Pervert Activists, Once Again Trying to Mandate Disgusting, Harmful, Deceitful Comprehensive Sex Ed in Texas Schools!

The following items in RED need your attention now:

Sign up today to testify for the upcoming hearing. Registration open from Nov 12 at 8PM until 5PM Friday for the Nov 17^th hearing (even if you don’t intend to speak, your opinion will be registered either way). LGBTQ Activists are packing the hearing to keep pro-family voices out.. 

Use the link below and sign up NOW:

https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/leadership/state-board-of-education/sboe-meetings/public-testimony-registration-instructions-and-procedures

Email your SBOE member: here is how to find that individual:

https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home

Submit public comment for SBOE online at the following link:

https://form.jotform.com/202754508656158

Summary of some of the issues with the proposed changes to statewide curriculum standards: 

Many problems were corrected in the proposed K-12Health curriculum standards, which are called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). However, significant problems remain.

Mandated sex education. Texas law states that each school district shall determine the content of sex education (Texas Education Code §28.004). Districts can add content to the curriculum standards, called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), but it cannot delete or omit TEKS (Texas Administrative Code §74.1)

By adopting the proposed Health TEKS Reproductive & Sexual Health sections for all public and public charter schools, the SBOE will

·      effectively mandate sex education; and

·      violate state law that allows local districts to decide whether to teach sex education and to determine the content and age appropriateness is they do teach it.

The large number of Student Expectations (SEs) — 630 – in the Health TEKS and the amount of instructional time they will consume.

Increase in the number of Human Sexuality and Reproduction K-High School Student Expectations (SEs):

Parental Opt-Out. State law allows parents to opt their children out of instruction they find objectionable, but grades K-8 do not have separate Health classes. Therefore, the Health TEKS will be will either be integrated into the curriculum or time will be taken from core academic subjects. This will make it difficult for parental opt-out. High school Health is not state-mandated, but some districts require it for graduation.

The social, emotional, and mental health areas are problematic. For example, gender-identity ideology could be introduced under the topic of “healthy self-concept.” Ways of “managing emotions” may conflict with parental teaching.

Examples of What to Say in Your Testimony:

·         I oppose the adoption of the Human Sexuality and Reproduction section because it will mandate sex education and take away local control of school districts to decide whether to teach sex education, what to teach, and to choose to teach Sexual Risk Avoidance or Sexual Risk Reduction.  

·       I’m concerned about the increase in the number of Student Expectations in the Health curriculum standards because they will take instructional time from core academic subjects.

·       Some of topics belong in the family and have the potential to invade privacy. For example, teaching 4^th graders/9 year-olds about sexual abuse and sexual assault (rape) before they have an understanding of healthy sexual issues within marriage is inappropriate, and it invades the latency period,  Teaching 5^th graders/10-year-olds about HIV is inappropriate.

·       Children should be directed to their parents or guardians – not trusted adults. Young children do not have the discernment to determine who can be trusted.

·       Please respect parental rights, the latency period of childhood (ages 5 to puberty), and Texas law.

Testifying at the State Board of Education (SBOE)

Upcoming SBOE meeting: Tuesday, November 17, 2020 – 9:00 a.m. Committee of the Full Board

The SBOE will hold a hearing for the proposed Health curriculum standards, called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Public testimony* on the Health TEKS will be on Agenda Item #x. https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/20_09_115.pdf

The public hearing will be limited to no more than 3 hours.

*Testimony will be virtual.  Notification will be sent to you by the TEA after you register to give you instructions.  If you do not receive notification, call TEA at 512- 463-9007.

Your Testimony

·      Time your testimony. Testimony will be 2 minutes.  There will a warning bell and a final bell when your time is up.  It is possible that your audio/video will be turned off at the at the final bell.

·      Submit copies of testimony.  Plan to email your testimony and documentation before or after your testimony.

·      You must state are whether you are FOR, AGAINST, or COMMENTING ON.  

Testimony Tips

·      Keep your introduction short and to the point, “I’m____ .  I oppose the Health TEKS.”  Practice and time your testimony to make sure that you are not going over the time permitted, which may be only two minutes.

·      Leave out unnecessary information in your oral testimony, for example, don’t cite sources or data but include them in your written testimony.  

·      Be prepared to answer questions.

·      Focus on specific issues. You will not be able to cover all of the Student Expectations (SEs) in the TEKS.

o  What should be in the TEKS or should have more emphasis in the TEKS.

o  What should not be in the TEKS and why.

o  An area you are specifically concerned about.

o  Specific concerns might be:

§  Adopting the Health TEKS will take away local control.

§  Some topics are parents’ responsibility.

§  SEs undermine the abstinence message.

§  SEs are not age appropriate.

§  SEs provide and/or promote “how-to” instead of information about, e.g., teaching about condom failure rates versus how to use a condom, which is inappropriate.

§  SEs direct students to “trusted adults” rather than parents.

In addition, you might want to ask your SBOE member how he or she plans to vote on the Health TEKS.  Find your SBOE member here – https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/

teks@tea.texas.govsboesupport@tea.texas.govgeorgina.perez@tea.texas.govrubencortezfortexas@gmail.com  marisa.perez@tea.texas.govdonna.bahorich@tea.texas.govmatt.robinson@tea.texas.govsboecargill@sbcglobal.netellisSBOE@gmail.comtom@maynardfortexas.compat.hardy.1109@gmail.compam.little@tea.texas.govAicha.Davis@tea.texas.govsmelton51@gmail.commarty@martyrowley.com