SAN LEANDRO, Calif.—In California, a new bill was introduced to amend a current controversial law on health education.
A new bill called SB 673 was introduced in April to amend an existing law, AB 329, also called the California Healthy Youth Act.
Under the current law, students in public schools from kindergarten through 12th grade receive a comprehensive sexual education. Students starting seventh grade are required to learn the curriculum. There aren’t any strict requirements for those under seventh grade, but it is open for school districts to decide.
Some of the goals of AB 329 are to educate students on HIV/AIDS prevention, promote sexuality as a norm for human development, and ensure that educators have the tools to provide for their students.
The law met with controversy after parents looked in detail at what the curriculum consists of.
Students are taught to accept sex outside marriage, given graphic novels containing nudity, and learn how to obtain birth control or abortions without their parents’ knowledge. Abstinence is no longer taught first, and mentioned less.
“We think it’s a very dangerous program, and so we’re trying to educate as many parents as we can about the program, so they could take remedial action with their children to protect their children,” said Mark Schneider, founder of Protect Our Kids.
According to the Protect Our Kids conference’s summary of the curriculum, the goals of California’s sex education are to enforce sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) ideology in all public education, deny objective biological reality, create sexualized children at the earliest age possible, and challenge parental authority.
In May, the State Board of Education removed resources like “My Princess Boy,” “Who Are You?: The Kids Guide to Gender Identity,” and “Changing You!: A Guide to Body Changes and Sexuality” that were previously given to students in the original framework.
However, there are resources that have not been removed and can still be used for teaching.
“I am active in my local district … explaining the consequences of sexual indoctrination on children, and the inclusion of the concept that pleasure is very important to children even though they’re minors,” said Lisa Disbrow, a California public school teacher.
“We’re finding that there are highly agendized [sic] organizations. They’re using comprehensive sex ed to create chaos and really break down family culture in our country. It’s time to put a stop to this and protect kids,” said Aileen Blachowski, a member of Protect Our Kids.
SB 673 was introduced this year to allow parents to opt-in for their kids before seventh grade.
“So an opt-in requires that the school district has to have the permission of the parent before instruction can be given. So it’s an act of consent. If a school district would not receive an opt-in from a parent, the child would not be allowed to be exposed to that education,” said Blachowski.
The bill would also require the entire curriculum to be on the website, and that the content be medically accurate at all times.
It will be brought up at the Senate Education Committee in January 2020 for a full hearing.
“If public school is the only option you have for educating your children, be involved. Go to your school board meetings, go inspect that curriculum,” said Blachowski.
Meanwhile, the advocacy group suggests that parents send their kids to private schools or homeschool their children if they have concerns.