Good news: MA Schools Do Not Have to Adopt New Health Framework (check out our new resource!)
Not-so-good news: the (Un)"Healthy Youth Act" rears its ugly head once again.
Last week, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) voted to adopt the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)’s new Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Framework. We’ve been alerting MA families to the dangers in this Framework since June, and we talked about last week’s vote here.
Since the Framework was adopted, one question has risen to top of mind for many concerned MA citizens: Is my school district required to adopt the new Framework?
We’ve heard from parents, taxpayers, and even school committee members who want to know more about what last week’s vote means for their district. Here are a few of the questions we’ve received:
“Would someone please point me to the language that indicates that local School Committees do not have to adopt DESE frameworks? We are consistently told that they have to.”
“Just want to make sure that I am clear on this. Each district has a choice on whether or not to implement (the Framework)?”
“Are schools allowed to opt out of the framework or adopt what portions they will push thru?”
MA citizens are confused about what the Framework means for their local district. Are they a mandate? Are they not? We suspect much of the confusion stems from the folks at DESE themselves.
A June 28th DESE press release stated that MA state law “requires all public schools to teach health education and physical education, but school districts have discretion to determine how standards are implemented at the local level, including what curriculum and materials they will use.” This mantra has been repeated by DESE leadership in press releases, to news reporters, and even during the meeting last week. They are careful to never say that districts have discretion whether or not to adopt the Framework. They only say that districts can determine the ‘how’ of implementation. Based on DESE’s statements, a person could reasonably conclude that the new Framework is required, but that schools can pick their own curriculum.
But the law doesn’t say that, and we want people to know the truth. So we created this new resource: MA Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Framework Q&A pdf.
This document clearly explains what a curriculum framework is, what your local district is required to do with DESE’s frameworks, and what they are NOT required to do.
(Spoiler alert: they’re not required to adopt the new Framework.)
Please share this Q&A document widely. Let’s get the truth out to all MA school districts. According to MA state law, your school is NOT required to implement the age-inappropriate, sexualizing, ideologically-grooming content in the new Framework.
That’s good news… but unfortunately we also have some not-so-good news.
It is important to understand the new Framework is only optional because HB544/SB268 The Sex Ed Mandate (“The Healthy Youth Act”) is not yet law. If this legislation passes, school districts that choose to teach sex education will lose the right to opt out of this Framework.
It was just announced this week that the Sex Ed Mandate will have a hearing on October 10th at the State House in Boston. We encourage everyone to sign up to provide testimony in opposition to this bill. The deadline to sign up to testify virtually is October 9th at 3:00 p.m. Click the button below to register to testify!
Finally, Massachusetts Family Institute has made it easy for you to contact your legislators and ask them to oppose the Healthy Youth Act. Click the button below to visit the MFI Action Center and send your email today:
MIP friends, you did an incredible job submitting public comment to DESE about the Framework. It was profoundly disappointing that our concerns were not heard. But let’s not give up! MA elected officials have a higher level of responsibility to voter feedback. Let’s raise our voices again, and even louder this time. Tell everyone you know who cares about parental rights and education in MA that it’s time to speak up against this (Un)”Healthy” Act.
Pass it on.
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