Massachusetts Has the Best Educational Institutions in the Country for a Reason

Dr. Paul Ash, the Superintendent of Lexington Public Schools, wrote a letter to the Lexington Minuteman today addressing the implementation of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 71, Section 32A ("Section 32A") (the law that Brian Camenker of Article 8 says he wrote). The provision reads as follows:

Every city, town, regional school district or vocational school district implementing or maintaining curriculum which primarily involves human sexual education or human sexual issues shall adopt a policy ensuring parental/guardian notification. Such policy shall afford parents or guardians the flexibility to exempt their children from any portion of said curriculum through written notification to the school principal.

I think the key word here is primary. If the curriculum primarily involves such discussions then a policy for opting out is necessary. Of course the anti-gay forces will say that discussions of same gender families does involve sexual issues. (Again, it's always wonder how come these sex obsessed people don't think the same way about opposite sex couples)

Dr. Ash addresses this head on:

Since elementary curriculum often elicits discussion of family experiences, such references certainly may occur. In addition, our schools routinely provide students with access to materials, activities, and discussions that recognize diversity. This access is designed to assist us in our goal of maintaining an appropriate and respectful educational environment for all students. As required by law and LPS policy, this environment must be free of discrimination based on race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin and disability.

The Massachusetts Department of Education, which is responsible for administering Section 32A, has explained that activities and materials designed to promote tolerance and respect for individuals, including recognition of differences in sexual orientation "without further instruction on the physical and sexual implications" do not trigger the notice and opt out provisions of Section 32A. Under this standard, staff has no obligation to notify parents of discussions, activities, or materials that simply reference same-gender parents or that otherwise recognize the existence of differences in sexual orientation. Accordingly, I expect teachers to continue to allow children access to such activities and materials to the extent appropriate to children's ages, to district goals of respecting diversity, and to the curriculum.

Lexington is lucky to have such a smart man as its superintendent. For those people who disagree with public school cirriculum, there's always private schools. Some, apparently, even offer one on one heterosexual sex education training.