This Week's MIP Digest

Canadian radical gender lessons show up in MA middle school, this new app lets strangers connect with your kids, update on the MIAA DEI pledge, and more.

Aug 12, 2023

Here’s the weekly MIP Digest!

The MIP Digest is a regular feature with all the great information that has been posted in the MIP Facebook group during the previous week and sent directly to your inbox. It won’t capture all of the interesting comments and conversations that happen in the Facebook group, but it will include the highlights and provide a quick overview of the content, in case you missed it.

First, here are the posts from our Admins:

The Countdown to Submit Your Comment on DESE'S new Health Framework Continues!

It's time for another friendly reminder to send DESE your public comment on the new draft Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Framework.

Every week until the public comment period is over, we will be highlighting one objectionable area of the framework and providing you with an example of curricula that would align with the Framework.

To see our previous countdown posts, click HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.

Today we are highlighting Gender Explained, a video resource from CBC Kids News. CBC Kids News is a Canadian state-funded organization that produces news videos for kids and provides them for classroom use. Most people know that gender ideology is very entrenched in Canada - even more so than in the United States. But most of us probably don’t realize that, thanks to the internet, the same videos shown in a Canadian classroom could be used in your child’s class in MA. And that’s exactly what happened earlier this year at Stacy Middle School in Milford, MA. Stacy 6th graders were shown Gender Explained with NO advance notice to parents.

This video is simultaneously ridiculous and destructive on a number of levels, and that’s a problem for Milford parents and students. But if DESE’s draft Framework passes, it could be a problem for ALL MA public school families. And that’s because the nonsensical beliefs taught in Gender Explained align PERFECTLY with this standard for 6th-8th grade students. You can find it on page 33 of the draft Framework:

Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Sexual Health [6.3.GS]
1. Explain how assigned sex, gender identity, and gender expression are distinct concepts and how they interact with each other.

Ironically, despite its name, Gender Explained attempts to explain what gender means… but fails. The concept of gender identity is confusing to begin with, and somehow the folks at CBC Kids (and Stacy Middle School) managed to make it even more so.

But don’t take our word for it, watch the video for yourself here:

This video follows Sid and Ruby, two apparent tweens, who seem to stop by their local hospital to say hello to babies. Know-it-all Ruby gives Sid and all the adults in the room an unrequested crash course in gender ideology and ends the video holding a baby who had just filled his diaper.

It’s safe to say the baby’s diaper is symbolic of this entire video. It stinks. And it needs to be changed.

Head over to THIS POST for the entire video transcript and more analysis - you won't want to miss this!

By showing Gender Explained, what is the message that CBC Kids and Milford Public Schools seemingly want to send to hormonal and awkward 6th graders, just on the cusp of adulthood, trying to navigate changing bodies and developing sexual feelings? Your body doesn’t tell you if you are a boy or a girl. Your doctor and parents don’t know either, so don’t bother asking them. In fact, you understand this better than they do, and you might need to educate them. Trust your internal sense of gender, a concept we won’t define for you, because we don’t know how. It’s up to you to figure it out. But in the meantime, go ahead and play with whatever toys you want.

This video has no business being shown in schools. It is unscientific, confusing, and potentially damaging to the minds of the children subjected to it.

Will DESE list CBC Kids and Gender Explained as a recommended resource? We can't say for sure, but if one school is already using it and it aligns perfectly with the Framework standard (plus it’s FREE online), we think this stinker may show up in more MA schools if DESE approves these standards.

Confusing kids by telling them that they have to figure out for themselves if they are a boy or a girl is only ONE of the many reasons we urge everyone to contact DESE and tell them that its Framework is not appropriate and cannot be accepted.

To submit your comment today, click HERE to use MFI's easy submission form.

You can also read THIS POST for other ways to submit your comment. You’ll also find lots of other useful links including our extensive 33-page evaluation of the most concerning content in this draft Framework.

And finally, for folks who prefer a quick look at the issues with DESE's draft Framework, click HERE to download our pdf one-sheet. This little document is perfect for the TLDR people in your life who don't have the time for a deep dive but still want to be in the know.

So far, over 750 people have commented through MFI's easy online system. If you aren't one of them, send your comment in now!

Parents, check out this important update from Massachusetts Family Institute - especially if your kids play school sports!

Despite the fact that forcing student athletes to sign the MIAA DEI pledge violates their First Amendment rights, some schools in MA are still trying to enforce this.

If this shows up in your child's school, contact MFI for help!

From MFI:

IF THIS UNCONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT IS STILL IN PLACE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, PLEASE CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY.

Last year, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association (MIAA) attempted to forcibly enlist all its affiliated athletes, coaches, and athletic directors in its pursuit of enforced “tolerance” and mandated equity. The MIAA attempted to require 1) an annual signing of their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) pledge, and 2) an online course about “implicit bias” as a condition for students who wanted to play school sports. MFI successfully fought back against this unconstitutional requirement. Our attorney clarified that no coach, student-athlete, or parent/guardian can be compelled by the MIAA to take the Implicit Bias Course or sign the DEI Pledge in order to participate in MIAA-sponsored activities. Read more about this HERE.

However, Newburyport Public Schools kept this requirement in place despite this clarification. After a local citizen group in Newburyport reached out to MFI for help, we stepped up to provide legal assistance right away. Our staff attorney sent a letter to Newburyport High School Athletic Director, Kyle Hodsdon, and Newburyport Public Schools Superintendent, Sean Gallagher, informing them that legal action could be taken against the school district if this requirement was not removed from their student-athlete sports registration.

We were informed by local partners and advocates this week that the DEI Pledge requirement has been removed in its entirety from the sports registration website.

This is a victory for all the parents, students, and coaches in Newburyport!

Mark your calendar for this upcoming story time!

Ms. Caroline from Great Rock Church will be at the Danvers Library again on August 23rd at 10:00 am for another Kids Book Reading and Activities. This month she will feature "The Island of Free Ice Cream," a story that teaches kids the value of hard work and the importance of using discernment when something seems too good to be true.

If you are in the Danvers area, stop by this fun event with your kids or grandkids! All ages are welcome.

When you support events like this, taking advantage of a free, family-friendly outing for your kids is only one of the benefits. You also demonstrate to library staff that there is public interest in these types of stories, and that adding books that uphold traditional values to their collection will benefit patrons and increase library use.

Parent alert: Have you heard of the Saturn app?

If you have children old enough to have a cell phone, check out THIS ARTICLE about Saturn.

Saturn is a relatively new app that was designed to help students who attend the same school share schedules and homework assignments. Aside from the obvious bullying/stalking/cheating concerns that exist from such a thing, there are also security concerns from Saturn users outside the school district.

Anyone can create a Saturn account with just a cellphone number, and then use that account to pose as a student and potentially gain access to student information.

Read the article linked above to learn more!