Opt-out policy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s amazing how the right to religious freedom is being trampled on at MCPS. We are literally one of the 13 original colonies. And the sad part is that people are afraid to speak up because crazies like Kristin Mink or Jill Ortman Fouse will call them a white supremacist and get away with it.

You're welcome to home school your kids or send them to a madrasa or catholic school. Lots of options.

This is really objectionable. Public school is for everyone, even if you don't like them. Not everyone can afford private school, and it's not good public policy to encourage children to get insular educations. You want them to be exposed to others and learn tolerance. And tolerance goes both ways, FWIW. The 1st amendment expressly protects freedom of religion. An opt out policy is a much saner policy than a book ban.

Where does it end? I've never heard of any chance to opt out of any part of the MCPS curriculum suggested other than stuff having to do with LGBT people or sex, but that's hardly the only time MCPS teaches things that contradict people's religious beliefs. We teach evolution, we invite police to talk about their jobs, we teach about voting, but there's established religious groups opposed to all of those things. Do they get opt outs? Where does the option for bespoke public education end?

Some of the books are a bit over the top. Most people in this area are tolerant and kids are exposed to it.

Perhaps if MCPS got back to the basics kids would be doing better at school. Let parents address these and other issues at home, if they choose.

Which books are "a bit over the top"?

Genderqueer, This Book Is Gay, and Lawn Boy for starters. I'm quite liberal so I don't care if my kids read these. But I have to think that more conservative people, especially religious people, won't like their kids being exposed to these at all.

Good news! These books are not under discussion! Here is the list of LGBTQ-Inclusive Texts Approved for Instructional Use:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J0TsuuWckSvLucXh_xxl28X7eD0EkHzZjR6eXLBqOR4/edit

Now do a title search in MCPS school libraries.

Holy moving goalposts, Batman!

The discussion is about those books in the curriculum, and whether parents should be able to keep their kids from reading them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s amazing how the right to religious freedom is being trampled on at MCPS. We are literally one of the 13 original colonies. And the sad part is that people are afraid to speak up because crazies like Kristin Mink or Jill Ortman Fouse will call them a white supremacist and get away with it.

You're welcome to home school your kids or send them to a madrasa or catholic school. Lots of options.

Being able to opt out is the best solution. It allows parents to be involved in the decisions of what their kids are taught, which, if you read the code of conduct, is a right parents have. This is a highly controversial topic as evidenced by other threads on this site entering multiple pages with no “agreement”. Kids will learn about varying families soon enough. Let parents take the lead on presenting this information. It’s the democratic way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s amazing how the right to religious freedom is being trampled on at MCPS. We are literally one of the 13 original colonies. And the sad part is that people are afraid to speak up because crazies like Kristin Mink or Jill Ortman Fouse will call them a white supremacist and get away with it.

You're welcome to home school your kids or send them to a madrasa or catholic school. Lots of options.

Being able to opt out is the best solution. It allows parents to be involved in the decisions of what their kids are taught, which, if you read the code of conduct, is a right parents have. This is a highly controversial topic as evidenced by other threads on this site entering multiple pages with no “agreement”. Kids will learn about varying families soon enough. Let parents take the lead on presenting this information. It’s the democratic way.

What topics fall under "let parents take the lead"? Which topics are important enough to require all public school students to study them?

It's a very slippery slope.

How do we fund and staff the teaching of all the alternative assignments? We can barely staff as it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s amazing how the right to religious freedom is being trampled on at MCPS. We are literally one of the 13 original colonies. And the sad part is that people are afraid to speak up because crazies like Kristin Mink or Jill Ortman Fouse will call them a white supremacist and get away with it.

You're welcome to home school your kids or send them to a madrasa or catholic school. Lots of options.

This is really objectionable. Public school is for everyone, even if you don't like them. Not everyone can afford private school, and it's not good public policy to encourage children to get insular educations. You want them to be exposed to others and learn tolerance. And tolerance goes both ways, FWIW. The 1st amendment expressly protects freedom of religion. An opt out policy is a much saner policy than a book ban.

Where does it end? I've never heard of any chance to opt out of any part of the MCPS curriculum suggested other than stuff having to do with LGBT people or sex, but that's hardly the only time MCPS teaches things that contradict people's religious beliefs. We teach evolution, we invite police to talk about their jobs, we teach about voting, but there's established religious groups opposed to all of those things. Do they get opt outs? Where does the option for bespoke public education end?

Some of the books are a bit over the top. Most people in this area are tolerant and kids are exposed to it.

Perhaps if MCPS got back to the basics kids would be doing better at school. Let parents address these and other issues at home, if they choose.

Like English/Language Arts, for example? Reading? Books?

plenty of non controversial books to choose from. Mcps just wanting to push their agenda. Let’s read books about how families practice their religion, or books about little Joey being abused, or how about growing up in a gun loving Republican family because those families exist. MCPS can’t not inform parents of little kids when they are reading books that will generate questions they won’t be able to answer without personal bias. My kids government teacher makes it very clear what side if the spectrum she sides on and her beliefs are being taught with no room for debate. And this is in middle school. Let the parents teach their kids about non traditional families and mcps can teach math and grammar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s amazing how the right to religious freedom is being trampled on at MCPS. We are literally one of the 13 original colonies. And the sad part is that people are afraid to speak up because crazies like Kristin Mink or Jill Ortman Fouse will call them a white supremacist and get away with it.

You're welcome to home school your kids or send them to a madrasa or catholic school. Lots of options.

Being able to opt out is the best solution. It allows parents to be involved in the decisions of what their kids are taught, which, if you read the code of conduct, is a right parents have. This is a highly controversial topic as evidenced by other threads on this site entering multiple pages with no “agreement”. Kids will learn about varying families soon enough. Let parents take the lead on presenting this information. It’s the democratic way.

What topics fall under "let parents take the lead"? Which topics are important enough to require all public school students to study them?

It's a very slippery slope.

How do we fund and staff the teaching of all the alternative assignments? We can barely staff as it is.

Move this curriculum to middle school then. There are plenty of topics for that age group that won’t stir the pot or make some kids uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

I don't want my kids learning how heathens suffered under their Christian saviors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s amazing how the right to religious freedom is being trampled on at MCPS. We are literally one of the 13 original colonies. And the sad part is that people are afraid to speak up because crazies like Kristin Mink or Jill Ortman Fouse will call them a white supremacist and get away with it.

You're welcome to home school your kids or send them to a madrasa or catholic school. Lots of options.

This is really objectionable. Public school is for everyone, even if you don't like them. Not everyone can afford private school, and it's not good public policy to encourage children to get insular educations. You want them to be exposed to others and learn tolerance. And tolerance goes both ways, FWIW. The 1st amendment expressly protects freedom of religion. An opt out policy is a much saner policy than a book ban.

Where does it end? I've never heard of any chance to opt out of any part of the MCPS curriculum suggested other than stuff having to do with LGBT people or sex, but that's hardly the only time MCPS teaches things that contradict people's religious beliefs. We teach evolution, we invite police to talk about their jobs, we teach about voting, but there's established religious groups opposed to all of those things. Do they get opt outs? Where does the option for bespoke public education end?

Some of the books are a bit over the top. Most people in this area are tolerant and kids are exposed to it.

Perhaps if MCPS got back to the basics kids would be doing better at school. Let parents address these and other issues at home, if they choose.

Like English/Language Arts, for example? Reading? Books?

plenty of non controversial books to choose from. Mcps just wanting to push their agenda. Let’s read books about how families practice their religion, or books about little Joey being abused, or how about growing up in a gun loving Republican family because those families exist. MCPS can’t not inform parents of little kids when they are reading books that will generate questions they won’t be able to answer without personal bias. My kids government teacher makes it very clear what side if the spectrum she sides on and her beliefs are being taught with no room for debate. And this is in middle school. Let the parents teach their kids about non traditional families and mcps can teach math and grammar.

Does mcps also cut all books about opposite sex parents? They had sex to make kids. Or are we adding storks to science?

[Anonymous]

I'd be surprised if there's even one school in MCPS that doesn't have same-sex couples as parents of students. Are they not allowed to be together when they pick their kids up? That might make some other parents uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

At what point in this discussion do we realize this is anti-science? How will the cycle of life continue if being gay or transgender is the norm?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At what point in this discussion do we realize this is anti-science? How will the cycle of life continue if being gay or transgender is the norm?

PP, "science" does not mean what you think it means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s amazing how the right to religious freedom is being trampled on at MCPS. We are literally one of the 13 original colonies. And the sad part is that people are afraid to speak up because crazies like Kristin Mink or Jill Ortman Fouse will call them a white supremacist and get away with it.

You're welcome to home school your kids or send them to a madrasa or catholic school. Lots of options.

Being able to opt out is the best solution. It allows parents to be involved in the decisions of what their kids are taught, which, if you read the code of conduct, is a right parents have. This is a highly controversial topic as evidenced by other threads on this site entering multiple pages with no “agreement”. Kids will learn about varying families soon enough. Let parents take the lead on presenting this information. It’s the democratic way.

What topics fall under "let parents take the lead"? Which topics are important enough to require all public school students to study them?

It's a very slippery slope.

How do we fund and staff the teaching of all the alternative assignments? We can barely staff as it is.

Move this curriculum to middle school then. There are plenty of topics for that age group that won’t stir the pot or make some kids uncomfortable.

You want to move the elementary ELA curriculum to middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s amazing how the right to religious freedom is being trampled on at MCPS. We are literally one of the 13 original colonies. And the sad part is that people are afraid to speak up because crazies like Kristin Mink or Jill Ortman Fouse will call them a white supremacist and get away with it.

You're welcome to home school your kids or send them to a madrasa or catholic school. Lots of options.

Being able to opt out is the best solution. It allows parents to be involved in the decisions of what their kids are taught, which, if you read the code of conduct, is a right parents have. This is a highly controversial topic as evidenced by other threads on this site entering multiple pages with no “agreement”. Kids will learn about varying families soon enough. Let parents take the lead on presenting this information. It’s the democratic way.

Any parent, requiring notification about, able to opt their child out of, any part of the curriculum, for any reason? Hoo boy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At what point in this discussion do we realize this is anti-science? How will the cycle of life continue if being gay or transgender is the norm?

Nice!

It'll never be the norm. And we seem to have no trouble filling up every corner of this world.

We could go down the eugenics rabbit hole again, though! That'd be fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s amazing how the right to religious freedom is being trampled on at MCPS. We are literally one of the 13 original colonies. And the sad part is that people are afraid to speak up because crazies like Kristin Mink or Jill Ortman Fouse will call them a white supremacist and get away with it.

You're welcome to home school your kids or send them to a madrasa or catholic school. Lots of options.

This is really objectionable. Public school is for everyone, even if you don't like them. Not everyone can afford private school, and it's not good public policy to encourage children to get insular educations. You want them to be exposed to others and learn tolerance. And tolerance goes both ways, FWIW. The 1st amendment expressly protects freedom of religion. An opt out policy is a much saner policy than a book ban.

Where does it end? I've never heard of any chance to opt out of any part of the MCPS curriculum suggested other than stuff having to do with LGBT people or sex, but that's hardly the only time MCPS teaches things that contradict people's religious beliefs. We teach evolution, we invite police to talk about their jobs, we teach about voting, but there's established religious groups opposed to all of those things. Do they get opt outs? Where does the option for bespoke public education end?

Some of the books are a bit over the top. Most people in this area are tolerant and kids are exposed to it.

Perhaps if MCPS got back to the basics kids would be doing better at school. Let parents address these and other issues at home, if they choose.

MCPS is doing nothing to prevent parents from addressing these and other issues at home if they choose. In fact, Dr. McKnight encouraged just that.

You mean McKnight actually told parents they should be countering MCPS propaganda at home?

She encouraged families to teach their kids their religious and cultural traditions at home.

[Anonymous]

We could go all out and teach something radical like loving your neighbors as yourself.

Wait! Scratch that. We can't teach polyamory!