Bishops, laity concerned about sex education changes

By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press

The Massachusetts Catholic bishops and local lay people have expressed concern about proposed changes for sex education in the state’s public schools.
Monday is the deadline to send comments to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education about the Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Framework.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura T. Healey’s administration proposed this curriculum framework draft to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, says a June 21 press release on the website mass.gov.
“The LGBTQ+ inclusive, medically accurate and developmentally- and age-appropriate framework outlines guidelines for health and physical education for preK-12 public school students in Massachusetts and would revise DESE’s existing Comprehensive Health Curriculum Framework, which was last updated in 1999,” the website says.
Public comment can be made on or before Aug. 28 via email, mail or an online survey, according to the website doe.mass.edu/sfs/healthframework.
Bishop McManus and the other three Roman Catholic bishops of Massachusetts objected to parts of the proposed Framework in a letter sent to DESE last week, said James F. Driscoll, executive director of the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, the Church’s public policy office.
And earlier this month the Respect Life Ministry of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish at Our Lady of Loreto Church in Worcester sponsored a presentation to inform people about the Framework and other concerns.
The bishops’ letter called much of the Framework – such as lessons about nutrition, safety and teamwork – positive.
The letter also highlighted – and requested removal of – “objectionable standards” that “do not support” DESE’s Vision Statement, which includes providing “age-appropriate educational opportunities.”
Among topics the bishops objected to were discussing “gender role stereotypes and their potential impacts on people of all ages and genders” with children in pre-kindergarten through grade 2 and teaching the definition of sexual intercourse to students in grades 3-5.
“Furthermore, lessons to children in 6th grade, as young as 11 years old, about the ‘positive’ consequences of sexual activity is simply wrong,” the letter continued. “What possibly could be positive about sexual activity at that age?” Also, in the grades 6-8 and 9-12 grouping, “lessons about ‘pregnancy options’ would inevitably lead to discussions … about abortion as an option...”
Children mature on different timelines, and it is their parents’ or guardians’ role to introduce these sensitive topics when they deem it appropriate, according to the letter.
It said that, if the Framework is adopted, DESE needs to inform parents about the content before school starts, and children must not be punished or bullied for opting out of the program. A preferred option would be that parents must choose whether to opt their children in, the letter said.
The bishops also objected to the lack of religious institutions in the list of content advisors and offered to “discuss these matters more fully at your convenience and share different perspectives on the objectionable topics.”
Parish presentation
The Mount Carmel/Loreto Respect Life Ministry also wants people to inform DESE of their objections to the Framework, according to Joseph Godek, who co-chairs the ministry with his wife, Barbara Godek.
They invited Michael King, director of community alliances for the Massachusetts Family Institute, to which the Godeks belong, to speak at the parish center Aug. 7. Mr. King touched on several moral issues and gave suggestions for what concerned people can do.
He said they can get talking points and other information for opposing the Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Framework by texting the word “frameworks” to 87891.     
Comprehensive Sexuality Education refers to a specific form of graphic education, and the American College of Pediatrics has expressed concerns about it harming children and teenagers, Mr. King’s PowerPoint presentation said.
The PowerPoint said 15 harmful elements of CSE include, that it promotes abortion, sexual rights advocacy, homosexual and bisexual behavior and transgender ideology; fails  to establish abstinence as the expected norm; undermines parental rights, and refers children to harmful resources.
Mr. King gave samples from objectionable sex ed programs, including “Rights, Respect, Responsibility,” used in Worcester. He said this program, reviewed by stopcse.org, was found to contain all 15 harmful elements.
Parents and grandparents can promote their families’ values but can’t compete against the hours children spend in school, even if they also go to church, Mr. King said.
He said those wanting to opt their children out of sex education class can get a form by texting the word “education” to 87891. Lesson and opt-out information are also available on the website worcesterschools.org/sexual-health-education-curriculum-information.
However, transgender ideology is promoted not only in sex ed classes, but also through anti-bullying programs, and books in classrooms and school libraries, according to Mr. King’s PowerPoint.
Mr. King’s suggestions for what concerned people can do included: find out what is happening in your school district, schedule a forum to educate parents, create a learning center as an alternative to public school education like some churches have done, and join Massachusetts Informed Parents Facebook group by texting “education” to 87891.
No matter their age, people can do something, he said, and told of a grandmother who distributed flyers at schools.
“Our children are our most precious resource,” Mr. Godek told The Catholic Free Press. “We’ve got to get people speaking up.”
He and his wife said they send many of Mr. King’s texts about various issues to the parish’s 10 other Respect Life Ministry members, who can pass them on to more people. They also put information in the Sunday bulletin, urging parishioners to advocate for various causes, including MFI’s concerns.

– Editor’s Note: Comments about the Framework can be made by emailing or mailing chpef@mass.gov or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Attention: Kristen McKinnon, 75 Pleasant St., Malden, MA 02148.