Credit: (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)Its ink barely dry, a much-anticipated bill to require school districts to include more public input in their sex-ed curricula was approved by the Senate Education Committee on Monday.
More than a dozen parent advocates and others opposed to New Jersey’s latest curriculum standards spoke against the measure, saying it didn’t address their concerns that the standards are too explicit and age-inappropriate.
The Senate bill (S-2481) — the proposed Transparency in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Curriculum Act — would require each school district to post its comprehensive health and family life curriculum on its official website and annually hold a public meeting for parent input.
Credit: (NJ Spotlight News)What it means: The bill has been seen as Democratic lawmakers’ best response to the controversy over the sex-ed standards and their influence on the curricula in individual district schools. But it received only tepid support from even some Democrats on the committee, and it has yet to have a sponsor on the Assembly side.
What it says: The bill sponsored by state Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), chair of the education committee, would set a series of new requirements on districts to publicize their comprehensive health and family life curricula before adoption and to hold annual meetings for parents to provide input. The bill would also require districts to provide easier options for families to opt out of the lessons, a choice that is already available in law.
What it doesn’t say: Gopal said last week that the bill would require all curricula to be posted, but he said Monday that the provision was removed so as not to confuse the public about what lessons could or couldn’t be opted out of for students. He said a broader bill was forthcoming.
Background: Two years after they were enacted, New Jersey’s latest sex-ed standards have sparked considerable debate — and uncertainty — in schools over the last two months, as critics mostly coming from the right have contended the standards usurp families’ prerogative to teach their children about sensitive topics. The main issues have been that some believe discussion of sex and gender is not appropriate for students in elementary school.
State board approval: In the face of the opposition, the New Jersey State Board of Education last week reaffirmed its support of the standards and instruction in general as being important to children’s physical, emotional and mental well-being.
Limited support: As expected, Gopal on Monday faced off with the dozen or so critics who spoke against his bill, but somewhat unexpected was the lukewarm support from some Democrats on the committee who said they wanted to further review some of the criticism. No parent or community advocates spoke in support of the measure.
New controversy: At the same hearing, the committee also heard a separate bill that would require schools to provide feminine hygiene products in all school bathrooms, including boys’ bathrooms. Only adding fuel to their protests, many critics of the sex-ed standards stepped forward to testify against that bill, as well.
What’s next: The bill next goes to the full Senate, where passage is expected. A sponsor from the Assembly has yet to step forward.
