On behalf of all families with children in Natick Public Schools this year, Parental Rights Natick is (still) lobbying for a formal (or informal) opt-out policy for gender curriculum that prioritizes student safety and strong parent partnerships.
Forced indoctrination in gender ideology impacts 100% of the student population, not just children who identify as transgender or gender non-conforming. It may also create an unsafe learning environment for children of all backgrounds.
Prioritizing Student Safety
May cause children emotional distress
The pressure on students to embrace a specific gender ideology may have negative effects on their mental health. Children may feel a need to conform to the cultural expectations created by controversial school lessons about “sex assigned at birth,” causing them emotional distress that can affect their overall wellbeing. Being pressured to “affirm” ideas contrary to their natural inclinations may lead to confusion, nightmares, and anxiety.
Here's just one example of a family in distress from this transgender-themed book Call Me Max, read to NPS 2nd grade students during the 2022-2023 & 2023-2024 school years:
Forces age-inappropriate ideas on kids
Children of all ages are being exposed to complex and controversial gender theories in school, regardless of whether they are developmentally ready to understand or accept these concepts. Students in grades K through 8 are read stories, shown videos, and taught lessons that embrace an endless variety of sexual identities and gender expressions. All children are being forced to learn biased adult concepts about gender/sexuality, which may create an unsafe learning environment for children of all backgrounds.
Here's an example of age-inappropriate content from The Meaning of Pride, read to NPS 4th grade students during the 2023-2024 school year:
Supports the gateway to medical transitioning
Vulnerable and gender confused children may be influenced to socially transition to a different gender identity through kid-friendly transgender and “pride” books/videos endorsed by our schools and many teachers. Social transitioning is often the first step and paves the way to medical transitioning in the future, which can cause lifelong, irreversible harms to a child's physical and mental health.
In fact, this New York Times article titled "As Kids, They Thought They Were Trans. They No Longer Do" informs readers that many parents whose kids consider themselves trans say their children were introduced to these ideas in the classroom in child-friendly ways.
Here's the child-friendly Genderbread person NPS uses to teach 5th grade students about gender ideology:
Harms education and hinders critical thinking
School districts saturate curriculum and school culture with subjective beliefs and ideas about gender identity. Unscientific and false concepts like “sex assigned at birth” and “born in the wrong body” are presented as fact in the classroom. This type of indoctrination harms eduction and children by discouraging critical thinking and the opportunity for children to form their own opinions based on evidence and reasoning (note: sex is actually determined by DNA).
Here's one of several ideological gender videos presented as fact to NPS middle school students in health class during the 2023-2024 school year:
Promoting Strong Parent Partnerships
Devalues diverse parenting approaches
Based on its Code of Ethics, the Natick School Committee has a responsibility to each and every student in Natick Public Schools regardless of their background and represents all citizens of Natick.
All families instill a variety of values and beliefs in their children that are integral to their identity and culture. When children are indoctrinated in biased gender ideology at school, it can directly conflict with the lessons parents are trying to teach their children about what’s best for their health and wellbeing.
Parental rights are intrinsically linked to making sure children are protected physically, emotionally, and intellectually. It's time for Natick Public Schools to partner with parents to create a safe and nurturing environment that prioritizes the wellbeing of every child and respects diverse parenting approaches.
Email the Natick School Committee at schoolcommittee@natickps.org as well as your child's school principal and classroom teacher before the start of the 2024-2025 school year to request a formal op-out for all gender/sexual identity curriculum and content.
Will you also forward this email to other concerned Natick parents with children in Natick Public Schools to sign up to receive our weekly emails?
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