Parents Win! But Don't Opt-In
“What can I do?” is the most frequent question we get. Start with one thing, the easiest thing – don't opt your child into any human sexuality lessons.
According to the Texas Education Code, parents have the right to know what is being taught in Human Sexuality instruction and to remove their child without consequences. (See Texas Education Code.)
If the school sends and Opt-In form home, what do parents do with it? What thought process goes into whether not to include a child in the Human Sexuality instruction that has been chosen by the school district?
The current Evaluation criteria that parents use to decide whether or not to Opt-In their student seems to include: trust in the school district, peer pressure, and apathy.
Trust: The trend seems to be that Parents trust the School Districts to provide appropriate instruction. A School District may host Parents Forums for the curriculum where parents attendance levels fluctuate sometimes based on the trust level in the district. Occasionally, a Parent might go to the Library to view the Curriculum in detail. But in general, Parents seem to trust that the district is providing adequate and age-appropriate instruction.
Peer Pressure: Parents feel especially compelled to opt-In their children because of Peer Pressure. Our Children do not want to be singled out and parents don't want to be the responsible party in causing any undue stress on their children. Somehow after all of these years of teaching our children to withstand peer pressure in other areas such as drugs and alcohol, we give in to the ultimate fear of being different when it comes to communal sex education.
Apathy: Apathy is the strongest power that School Districts have when it comes to our children. Parents are too busy and too distracted to take the time to really think through whether the instruction is appropriate for our unique children and their individual maturity level.
The Opt-In Process includes the student bringing home a form in a timely manner. If a parent decides to Opt-In their child, the form has to successfully arrive back at the school and instructor must honor the parent's request.
Students that currently Opt-In are sometimes given more book work that the students that actually go through the class. In some cases, instruction is reduced from 10 days to 4 days, but the book work is the full 10 days. Most of the work would be considered 'busy work' and sometimes includes quiz and test reviews with threats of a quiz or test at the end. Students not only fell singled out, but they feel like the Opt-In is a punishment.
Material: The School District is required to make the material available for public inspection. Many School Districts keep the documentation in the School Library for the Parents to review. The Parents should discern the source of the reviews and the financial backing of such Material. Many curricula available are backed by Planned Parenthood and/or its affiliates. Is it alarming to parents that an Abortion Provider would be supplying the Human Sexuality material for their children? What message would this group provide a student? Is it abstinence based or comprehensive sex education? The possible questions and research criteria for Parents are another topic altogether. But Parents should seek to understand as much as possible about the source of the Material. Each District in the State of Texas should have a School Health Advisory Council that makes the recommendations to the Board of Trustees. Parents can seek out other Parents that are on the Council to understand what Curriculum is taught and how the District determined its appropriateness.
Instructor: Parents need to know and understand who is teaching the material. Sex education is Character Education. If the curriculum is supposed to teach Abstinence-Only, is the instructor able to deliver a compelling message for Abstinence?
Peer Group: Many programs have interactive discussions. Some programs are merely instruction using anonymous note cards for questions. The Instructor's guidance through this discussion is an important part of a Parents decision. Does the Instructor read every question or is discretion built into the program and presentation? Parents should be aware of the Peer Group that is the room for the instruction.
The Opt-In process is made efficient when the Parent signs the form and the Instructor sends a notification to the Parent acknowledging receipt and intent to honor the request. I wrote 'Please confirm receipt' at the bottom of my child's Opt-In form and received such acknowledgment.
My hope is that discerning parents do not give in to blind trust, peer pressure, and apathy. We should all know without any doubt that the instruction that is being provided is exactly what our child needs at that time in his/her life.
The Parent Non-Consent Form is two pages that lists major producers and distributors of materials that teach subjects that many parents find objectionable and/or age inappropriate for their child. Read it. Be aware that a growing number of school districts incorporate those subjects into curriculum, classes, and activities that are not designated as sex ed or human reproductive health (e.g., library time, anti-bullying programs, Social and Emotional Learning). Please be aware that Not Opting In your child into sex ed doesn't not necessarily mean your child is protected.
Be aware, too, that the packet you get at the first of the school year for your child most likely includes a form for you to sign that gives your consent to the District to include your child in surveys without your knowledge. Federal law gives you the right to refuse consent for your child to take surveys that invade your privacy and/or that of your child. That information is also in the non-consent form.
So, what can you do? Read the non-consent form. Sign the non-consent form. Give copies of the signed form to your child’s teacher(s). We also suggest giving copies to the principal and the superintendent of your school district. Begin with that.
According to the Texas Education Code, parents have the right to know what is being taught in Human Sexuality instruction and to remove their child without consequences. (See Texas Education Code.)
If the school sends and Opt-In form home, what do parents do with it? What thought process goes into whether not to include a child in the Human Sexuality instruction that has been chosen by the school district?
The current Evaluation criteria that parents use to decide whether or not to Opt-In their student seems to include: trust in the school district, peer pressure, and apathy.
Trust: The trend seems to be that Parents trust the School Districts to provide appropriate instruction. A School District may host Parents Forums for the curriculum where parents attendance levels fluctuate sometimes based on the trust level in the district. Occasionally, a Parent might go to the Library to view the Curriculum in detail. But in general, Parents seem to trust that the district is providing adequate and age-appropriate instruction.
Peer Pressure: Parents feel especially compelled to opt-In their children because of Peer Pressure. Our Children do not want to be singled out and parents don't want to be the responsible party in causing any undue stress on their children. Somehow after all of these years of teaching our children to withstand peer pressure in other areas such as drugs and alcohol, we give in to the ultimate fear of being different when it comes to communal sex education.
Apathy: Apathy is the strongest power that School Districts have when it comes to our children. Parents are too busy and too distracted to take the time to really think through whether the instruction is appropriate for our unique children and their individual maturity level.
The Opt-In Process includes the student bringing home a form in a timely manner. If a parent decides to Opt-In their child, the form has to successfully arrive back at the school and instructor must honor the parent's request.
Students that currently Opt-In are sometimes given more book work that the students that actually go through the class. In some cases, instruction is reduced from 10 days to 4 days, but the book work is the full 10 days. Most of the work would be considered 'busy work' and sometimes includes quiz and test reviews with threats of a quiz or test at the end. Students not only fell singled out, but they feel like the Opt-In is a punishment.
Material: The School District is required to make the material available for public inspection. Many School Districts keep the documentation in the School Library for the Parents to review. The Parents should discern the source of the reviews and the financial backing of such Material. Many curricula available are backed by Planned Parenthood and/or its affiliates. Is it alarming to parents that an Abortion Provider would be supplying the Human Sexuality material for their children? What message would this group provide a student? Is it abstinence based or comprehensive sex education? The possible questions and research criteria for Parents are another topic altogether. But Parents should seek to understand as much as possible about the source of the Material. Each District in the State of Texas should have a School Health Advisory Council that makes the recommendations to the Board of Trustees. Parents can seek out other Parents that are on the Council to understand what Curriculum is taught and how the District determined its appropriateness.
Instructor: Parents need to know and understand who is teaching the material. Sex education is Character Education. If the curriculum is supposed to teach Abstinence-Only, is the instructor able to deliver a compelling message for Abstinence?
Peer Group: Many programs have interactive discussions. Some programs are merely instruction using anonymous note cards for questions. The Instructor's guidance through this discussion is an important part of a Parents decision. Does the Instructor read every question or is discretion built into the program and presentation? Parents should be aware of the Peer Group that is the room for the instruction.
The Opt-In process is made efficient when the Parent signs the form and the Instructor sends a notification to the Parent acknowledging receipt and intent to honor the request. I wrote 'Please confirm receipt' at the bottom of my child's Opt-In form and received such acknowledgment.
My hope is that discerning parents do not give in to blind trust, peer pressure, and apathy. We should all know without any doubt that the instruction that is being provided is exactly what our child needs at that time in his/her life.
The Parent Non-Consent Form is two pages that lists major producers and distributors of materials that teach subjects that many parents find objectionable and/or age inappropriate for their child. Read it. Be aware that a growing number of school districts incorporate those subjects into curriculum, classes, and activities that are not designated as sex ed or human reproductive health (e.g., library time, anti-bullying programs, Social and Emotional Learning). Please be aware that Not Opting In your child into sex ed doesn't not necessarily mean your child is protected.
Be aware, too, that the packet you get at the first of the school year for your child most likely includes a form for you to sign that gives your consent to the District to include your child in surveys without your knowledge. Federal law gives you the right to refuse consent for your child to take surveys that invade your privacy and/or that of your child. That information is also in the non-consent form.
So, what can you do? Read the non-consent form. Sign the non-consent form. Give copies of the signed form to your child’s teacher(s). We also suggest giving copies to the principal and the superintendent of your school district. Begin with that.
Parental Non Consent Form
This "parental non consent" form exempts your child from sexuality education and activities sourced from pro-abortion and pro-LGBT groups as well as related topics