Editor’s note: This broadcast report was updated at 11 a.m. Thursday to reflect corrected identifications of Sharita Stinson and Elisabeth Yucis.
Parents with very different views made their case about the equity code for schools recently adopted by the New Jersey State Board of Education on Wednesday, when more than 150 people signed up to speak at a meeting of the State Board.
At the public hearing, speakers also addressed other hot-button issues in education, including parental notification when students seek accommodations for a gender identity different from their birth sex.
“They shouldn’t be harboring secrets. I think a child who was born from a mother’s womb should feel safe to share that information that, ‘Hey, Mom, I have a little thing I’d like to discuss with you,’” said Cathy Callahan, a resident of Branchburg. “I really don’t think that it needs to go to a teacher or a non-relative.”
“You have a lot of well-intentioned parents here today who are believing misinformation and showing up in outrage,” said Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality. “But the reality is that this has existed for over 20 years, for nearly 20 years, and it’s not been an issue.”
Jack Gavin of West Caldwell said, “If the student is expressing something in school that they’re not comfortable expressing at home, there’s a reason for that. And I don’t think outing them to parents who might be intolerant or abusive or otherwise unsupportive is going to be helpful for the student.”
